The Leisure Society at Rough Trade East

Following the recent release of their new album, Aboard the Ark Alone, The Leisure Society came to the iconic Rough Trade East on Brick Lane to play one of the store’s famous intimate gigs.

The Leisure Society is essentially all about lead singer Nick Hemming. Hemming was previously part of a 90s indie outfit, which sported actor Paddy Considine and film director Shane Meadows as members. Whereas the other two went into film, Hemming continued down the musical path involving himself with psychedelic band The Telescopes and writing musical scores for A Room for Romeo Bass and Dead Man’s Shoes, both directed by Meadows. For Dead Man’s Shoes he used the moniker of The Leisure Society, and after moving in with Christian Hardy in 2005 formed a band under the same name.

From here, they have gone from strength-to-strength gaining support from the likes of Laura Marling and Ray Davies. The latter asked them to perform at his edition of the Meltdown festival at The Southbank Centre back in 2011, and has returned the favour by letting them record their new album at his recording studio named Konk.

Recording at Konk has definitely influenced the quintet and this shows in their performance at Rough Trade. Hemming takes centre stage as they play through their warm, happy songs. However, the songs themselves blend into one another, each a calm, slow sound with Hemming’s vocals just about rising above the array of instruments. Only recent single Fight for Everyone, with its catchy chorus and beat, sticks out. They seem to be playing it safe, but it does work as they do keep the small audience engaged throughout.

With two Ivor Novello awards and a sell-out UK tour already under their belts, this intimate gig is just an extra string added to their bow to assist them with their potential rise to major breakthrough.

James Alder 
Photo: Benoît Barnéoud

For further information and future events visit The Leisure Society’s website here.

Watch the video for Fight for Everyone here: