THE ZUTONS // STYLUS, LEEDS
Zuton Fever Grips The Stylus In Leeds
★★★★☆ (4/5)
THE ZUTONS PERFORMING AT LEEDS STYLUS
PHOTOCREDIT: JOHN HAYHURST
Leeds Stylus was packed and buzzing this week, the air thick with nostalgia and anticipation. A mixed crowd—students, indie die-hards, thirty-somethings reliving their early 2000s heyday—had gathered to see the return of The Zutons, who’ve been riding the wave of their long-awaited comeback. But first, The Covasettes set the stage on fire.
The Manchester four-piece brought a sharp, youthful energy to the room. Tight and melodic, they’ve built a loyal following with infectious indie-pop anthems and heartfelt lyrics. Lead singer Chris Buxton has a boyish charisma and an effortless command of the stage, and the band locked in tight behind him. “Spin” and “Top Drawer” were standouts—polished, high-energy, and full of hooks that had even first-timers nodding along. A new song from their awaited debut album hinted at a grittier, more mature direction—still danceable, but with more bite. It was clear they weren’t just there to fill time; they earned new fans tonight on that stage and had a brought a few eager young students along for the ride too, setlists were snatched out of their hands at the end of their gig.
With no dramatic intro, just the stomp of boots and the crash of cymbals, The Zutons launched straight into "Zuton Fever" like a band who had never taken a break. Dave McCabe—scruffy, unpredictable, magnetic—was in fine form, snarling into the mic like it was 2004 again.
Abi Harding’s saxophone was always the band’s secret weapon, slicing through the indie rock grit with those bright, brassy lines that define their sound. Watching her pace the stage, wiggle and spin, hair whipping, sax held high—it was electric. Harding never seems to age and should probably have a string of exercise videos to her name because she is ripped.
The setlist was a tight blend of hits but also 7 new songs from their new album “The Big Decider” including a live debut of “Popcorn”. No “Confusion” though, which was a shame as I always thought that was the more soulful and intimate part of their shows.
There was a genuine warmth in the way McCabe spoke between songs—funny, self-deprecating, aware of the time past since they last played this city. “Leeds it’s been a while, nice to see you lot still care,” he grinned briefly.
They surprised everyone with a cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” “If she can cover one of ours, we’ll do one of hers” — stripped-back, sax-heavy, weird and wonderful. It worked, somehow, and the crowd lapped it up. “Valerie”, of course (much later), was the moment the room exploded, phones in the air, arms around shoulders, everyone shouting the chorus like it belonged to them. However, they would tease this fully to the 5 song encore.
By the time they closed with “You Will You Won’t” the place was heaving. Beer spilled, sweat dripped, and no one cared. This wasn’t just a reunion gig. It was a reminder of what made The Zutons so unique in the first place: raw energy, weird charm, and songs that still feel fresh twenty years on, plus a future looking bright with this newer album.
The whole night had that magic balance—tight sets, loose atmosphere, and just the right hit of nostalgia. They closed with a reprise of more “Zuton Fever” and if they were wondering whether they still mattered, Leeds gave them a loud, messy, glorious answer: Absolutely!
