The Blinders @ Brudenell Social Club, Sunday 28th October

The Blinders are a Doncaster-born trio whose politically oriented, punk rock music has already been picked up by BBC Introducing… and BBC Radio 6. Inspired by artists such as The Fall, Nick Cave, Bob Dylan and Arctic Monkeys, The Blinders mix those influences in an intense, almost fierce way. Similarly, their live shows are intoxicating and outlandish, drawing the audience in from the very first minute. Debut album Columbia was released last month, so this tour represents a triumphant victory lap to top off a breakout year.

Jane Weaver @ City Varieties, Tuesday 30th October

Jane Weaver is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and the head of record label Bird. She’s an experimental pop artist whose past musical endeavours include being in a Britpop group called Kill Laura and an indie-pop band Misty Dixon. Today, the avant-garde singer is touring in support of her newest solo album Modern Kosmology (released in 2017), blessing people with her cut-glass vocals and the mesmerising combination of uncanny folk, synth-pop and modern psychedelia. 

Estrons @ Belgrave Music Hall, Thursday 1st November

Estrons (Welsh for “misfits”) like to call themselves a “heavy pop band” – they are relentless, punk-infused and straight to the point. They are bold in their lyrics and have so far spoken of topics such as female objectification and toxic masculinity on their breakout song ‘Make A Man’, which appeared back in 2015. Estrons released their full-length debut You Say I’m Too Much, I Say You’re Not Enough this year and have so far impressed many people with their directness and untamed energy.

Menace Beach @ Brudenell Social Club, Friday 2nd November

Menace Beach are an indie rock band from Leeds – however, their music is much more exploratory than the initial description may make it sound at first. On their latest album Black Rainbow Sound (2018), Menace Beach reached for electronic elements, mixing guitars with synth sounds, on top of their enigmatic lyrics. They created a multilayered and innovative sound and are surely one of the most interesting acts to see live this week in Leeds.

Sam Fender @ Church, Friday 2nd November

Sam Fender is a fast-rising English singer-songwriter, and one of the names on the BBC Sound of 2018 list. What’s interesting about Fender is that he doesn’t write love songs – his music focuses on social and political issues, such as fake news, government surveillance and sexual harassment. Those messages resonate with people on a massive scale, because they are a reflection of what we see and hear every day, only dressed up in a pop-rock context. Catch him in an intimate setting while you still can!