South Arcade: The epitome of youth, bottled in a canister and graffitied across the walls of Stylus

Sold-out tours truly throw down the gauntlet. The marketing can do no more, the TikToks need not breach another for you page. But then, the true hard work begins. Can you captivate a crowd that buckles the sticky hardwood beneath their feet, a crowd that threatens to out-sing you on every night, in every town? Juvenile and brash pop-punk four-piece South Arcade were the latest to attempt to rise to the test, and on the Leeds leg of their UK/Ireland tour, proved they had the guile to do so with wicked success. 

Liverpudlian firecrackers Stone set the tone for the evening, blaring their signature sound of agitated indie-rock across the stylus speakers. Having a band of Stone’s pedigree play second fiddle to South Arcade speaks volumes to the traction the young band is quickly accumulating, and only raised the stakes higher ahead of their much-anticipated entrance. 

The emergence of the band members in classically eclectic nu-metal attire was met with roars from a crowd that, in a chimera-like fashion, had melded into one another to produce a hivemind beast, ravenous for South Arcade’s energy. ‘FEAR OF HEIGHTS’, ‘Supermodels’ and ‘Nepo Baby’ served as the opening appetisers for this creature to sink its teeth into, lapped up with pleasure and plenty of appetite remaining. 

Whilst the consensus of the fossil fan in their 50s will tell you that bands “just aren’t quite the same anymore”, the pop-punk four-piece are a visceral reminder of just how far stuck in the past these lost souls are. For South Arcade, vibrant talent is embellished by a youthful hyperactivity which, together, is repurposed and repackaged into a violently potent show. Frontwoman Harmony Cavelle rejoices in her relationship with the crowd, chatting away gleefully between songs as a tender moment of respite between their brash rock anthems. Once Cavelle releases her powerful voice on the unruly horde, the energy surges once more. Guitarists enter and are ensnared by the pit; drummers are rattling pads, and bassists are leaping off pedestals. Never a dull moment when South Arcade come to town. 

Cavelle’s aforementioned intimacy with the crowd is charming and pure. All too often audiences are likened to acting as an extra, honorary member of the band, but with South Arcade, there is something much more palpable in how they feed off their fandom. Drummer Cody Jones cheekily provides percussion to the obligatory “YORKSHIRE!” chants, whilst bassist Ollie Green and guitarist Harry Winks converse with one another and concertgoers, ala pupils passing notes in class. 

A smattering of unreleased tracks invaded the setlist, brimming with excitement and creating just that ahead of their release as a part of the upcoming PLAY! (2025) EP. Rife with vigour in the classic South Arcade manor, these newest offerings had the audience testing the floor’s reserve with their pounding feet, despite the tracks’ unfamiliarity with audiences. These, blended in with the beloved tracks which prompted the hungry crowd to pay the admission fee, formed a tight thirteen-track set list bursting at the seams with vivacity and grit, drawing in all the best elements of pop-punk, nu-metal and South Arcade’s self-labelled brand of ‘Y2KCORE’. 

‘stone cold summer’ and ‘2005’ brought the ceiling crashing down on an already special set. Furnished with the backing vocals of luckily selected crowd members, ‘2005’ was a worthy closer, embracing the fervent relationship South Arcade have with their ever-growing fandom. 

South Arcade are unapologetically youthful. There is no masking the enthusiasm, and there’s even less pandering to an edgy or dark persona. They’re bright and beaming without the slightest hint of naivety. Boasting talent beyond their years and painting every town on tour red, they’re quickly leaving any idea of their failure in their wake.

Words by Daniel Brown