On an anonymous stretch of country road between North and West Yorkshire, the radio changed my life forever. It was 2015, and my 13-year-old self was sitting dejected in the passenger seat of my dad’s car when an American voice came over the airwaves, singing about sad screaming old men and the quality of English cafe culture in a style that I had never encountered before – somewhere between folk, punk, and indie rock. According to the radio, that voice belonged to Jeffrey Lewis, and for an alienated teen still finding his cultural feet in this world, he changed everything.

Manhattan, Lewis’ 2015 album, became an almost daily ritual for me in the years that followed; I have probably played that album more often than any other in my lifetime. However, it wouldn’t be until a few years later, in 2022, that I finally got the chance to witness this anti-folk hero in person when he visited The Lending Room in Leeds in support of Bad Wiring. That particular show, on a rainy September night, still stands out as an unparalleled highlight within my gig-going experiences, so Lewis’ return to Leeds this year has been marked on my calendar for quite some time.

It was a busy night at the Brudenell Social Club; the main room was occupied by gangs of greying punks eager to hear the stylings of local heroes The Mekons, while Lewis’ devotees were sectioned off into the Community Room. After a rousing set from The Awkward Silences, Lewis shuffled onto the stage and began setting up his own equipment.