Laneway Spotlight: Yard Act

Another super cool band playing at St Jeromes Laneway Festival this year is Yard Act.

Yard Act are a British rock band from Leeds, comprising James Smith (vocals, lyrics), Ryan Needham (bass), Sam Shjipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums). Their debut album The Overload was released on 21 January 2022 and debuted at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.

Prior to forming the band, vocalist James Smith and bassist Ryan Needham had both been members of other Leeds-based bands. Smith was a member of Post War Glamour Girls and Needham played in Menace Beach, two bands that released a split EP together in 2016. After the release of the EP, the pair began discussing forming a band together, a plan that eventually came to fruition in September 2019, when the pair moved into a house together in Meanwood. They soon recruited guitarist Sammy Robinson and drummer George Townend who played together in Treeboy & Arc. During this period, Robinson departed from the group, leading to the recruitment of Sam Shjipstone. Prior to the announcement of their debut album, the band had only released a total of four singles independently. These singles were then compiled onto an EP, titled Dark Days, released in 2021.

Their debut album The Overload was released on 21 January 2022. The group is “one to watch” in the BBC’s Sound of 2022 shortlist. The group was also named one of Paste’s “Best New Artists of 2021”. On 1 July 2022 a re-recorded version of 100% Endurance was released featuring a collaboration with Elton John.

Some of our favourite Yard Act tunes include:

100% Endurance