Indie Fans at Leeds O2 Academy Celebrate the Return of Brit Faves Supergrass [Photos & Show Review]

“Hello, Leeds… it’s been a while… unless you were here last night” states Gaz Coombes as the band take to the O2 Academy stage for their second sold-out show of the weekend.

‘The Strange Ones’ Oxford’s Supergrass are back – and for a band that hasn’t played together for 10 years – sound incredible.

Of their time, the heady days of the ‘90s, they were always the quirky, cheeky scamps who had tonnes of energy, massive personalities and bagfuls of riff-laden tunes. More than you remember them having for sure. One look at the set-list for tonight will bring back so many memories for so many people.

The bulk of the set comes from the I Should Coco-era which has so many highlights in its own right. The likes of “Mansize Rooster,” “Sitting Up Straight,” and “Lose It” are amongst the best songs from that time, with their luscious grooves, riffs and harmonies sounding as fresh as they did 25 years ago. It’s always easy to forget how heavy Supergrass actually sounds in a live setting with the chugging riff to “Lenny” being a prime example.

The biggest singalongs of the night come during “Moving,” a stunning “Sun Hits the Sky,” and “Grace” and the crowd even rescue Gaz as he fumbled the lyrics to their most recognizable song “Alright.” To be fair, he probably needn’t have sung any of it as the crowd would have made it all the way through without a problem.

The band themselves are as they always were incredible musicians. Danny Goffey on drums, sat high above the stage, is their Keith Moon. With his wild arms and facial expressions, he drives the groove of the music along with Mick Quinn’s unmistakable bass underlying everything. Gaz is pretty much a guitar hero and shines when they extend certain songs with solos and short jams.

The screen behind the stage switches between their iconic disco ball logo and old footage from the heyday of the band and adds to the fun of the show which ends with a trio of bangers in the shape of “Caught By The Fuzz,” “Strange Ones,” and a gloriously glam-tinged “Pumping On The Stereo.”

With no current news of any new material but more dates planned throughout the year, this is one of those ‘reunions’ that can be enjoyed simply for what it is – a celebration of one of the most important bands from the ‘90s enjoying playing some of the most important songs of the ‘90s together again.

Welcome back, Supergrass.