5. Leith Ross & Philip Brooks at Lafayette, London
a review of ‘the first Leith Ross tour ever’ in London.
Content warning: brief mention of sexual assault.
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to attend Leith Ross’ show in London, with Philip Brooks opening for them. It was a cathartic, yet calming and peaceful experience, and at one of my favourite newer venues in London, Lafayette in Kings Cross.
At a capacity of 600 people, a wide standing area and more space upstairs, this venue always fills up quickly. The venue was pretty much full by the time opener Philip Brooks and their band, including singer Runo Plum, came on stage. Phil is a friend of mine, but I’m also a huge fan of their music, and this was the first time since 2019 I’ve seen them play.
With a violinist on stage exclusive to the London and Brighton shows, the sounds coming from the stage in this half hour were truly incredible, and the crowd was mesmerised. Playing a mixture of slow, melodic sounds that sound like stars glowing in the night light, and upbeat songs with heavier guitar riffs, Philip Brooks made that stage their own. The crowd was surprisingly respectful (which is not always the case in the era of TikTok and gigs, unfortunately), hanging onto every verse played. Highlights of the set for me were ‘creek’, a collaboration with Runo Plum, ‘didn’t you believe in me?’ and ‘is there something for me?’ from their upcoming EP ‘on my own’, out 30th June.
Seeing my friend back on stage in a beautiful, flowy, flowery dress with a full band was a pleasure, and everyone else in the room clearly thought so, too. Explaining to the crowd that their grandma doesn’t quite understand the magnitude of what they do, the crowd was happy to scream and wave for a video they took from the stage. After the show, new fans from the night were asking for photos and getting setlists signed, which is no surprise considering their music has many similarities with the headliner Leith Ross’.
I haven’t been familiar with Leith’s music for too long - they came up on my Discover Weekly on Spotify all of a couple of months ago. Indie folk music often sounds samey and nothing special to me, but I instantly fell in love with ‘You (On My Arm)’, the first song I listened to by them. I explored more of their discography and realised they were truly something special. So when Philip Brooks was announced to be the opener, it was my idea of a perfect, chill show.
Opening with ‘Everyone I’ve Never Met’, Leith Ross’ stunningly peaceful vocals matched up perfectly with a full-piece band - it was almost hauntingly beautiful. The crowd was so drawn in, all eyes were on the stage, with a whole bunch of mostly younger fans singing along.
In a brave and tender moment, Ross shared their experiences of sexual assault, and how they have loved playing the song ‘Guts’ on tour to connect with people who have experienced the same thing. It was super cathartic for me and many others in that room, screaming “I wanna see your body in a ditch!”
In a special moment for the London show, fellow artist Katie Gregson-MacLeod performed her relatable song ‘complex’. Seeing Katie and Leith giggle on stage while singing it together was so sweet and the crowd appreciated this appearance too.
The encore was Leith on stage alone, playing on their acoustic guitar ‘Grieving’, a new song about them losing their grandfather, and ‘We’ll Never Have Sex’. It was a casual yet moving end to the night, the room felt so small like I really was the only person there.
This show was a beautiful reminder that good music accompanied by good friends can cure the heart, and I will definitely be up for another Leith Ross show!
Rating: 4/5
Philip Brooks’ new EP ‘on my own’ is out 30th June.
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