Power Chords for a Powerful Cause: Left Bank Gig raises £1000 for Leeds Women’s Aid

Under the stained-glass windows of Left Bank Leeds, indie anthems echoed throughout the building at a concert dedicated to raising money for the charity Leeds Women’s Aid. Orange and blue lights filled the room before the music had even begun, and a disco ball glittered above the venue. As students filled the room and queued at the bar for local beers, the speakers rolled out tracks by The Courteeners, Declan McKenna and The Kooks to set the vibe for the evening. Organised by Leeds Student Radio member Lara, the five-band indie fundraiser brought together The Dulakes, The Corvids, Just Married, Elmore and Dissidents. By the end of the night, nearly £1000 had been donated to support women and children affected by domestic violence and abuse in Leeds. The atmosphere was effortlessly laid-back: gig-goers wore oversized jumpers, worn-in denim, and boots. The turnout was perfect, not stifling, not sparse, but just enough space to have a boogie to the music. It felt like a scene lifted from the heart of the student music circuit: communal, slightly chaotic, and quietly purposeful.

Speaking after the show, Lara described the process of assembling the line-up as organic and community-driven. Posters went up around the university, messages were sent through Band Society group chats, and students from Leeds Conservatoire were invited to apply. “We wanted to help give exposure to student bands,” she explained, emphasising how much of the event relied on word of mouth and goodwill. That sense of collectivity defined the night. When asked about the decision to support Leeds Women’s Aid, Lara was clear: it was “a charity important to us and something we thought would be important to others too.” The organisation provides a 24/7 helpline, emergency refuge accommodation, legal advocacy and specialist support for children and young people. “I’m really glad that the funds raised will go towards keeping these services going as they help so many people,” she continued.

Left Bank itself was suggested by the charity, having hosted previous events in the space. The church’s high ceilings posed acoustic challenges “Sound was the biggest stress,” Lara admitted, but with the help of a hired sound technician, the reverb was transformed from a risk into an asset. The building’s natural resonance lent the guitars a cathedral-like expansiveness. Despite last-minute band dropouts and the logistical hurdles of stage times and sound checks, the night ran with a kind of charming imperfection. A slightly delayed start only heightened the anticipation for the music.

Opening the night, Dissidents wasted no time filling the cavernous room. The first three songs were originals, performed with a grit that cut cleanly through the church acoustics alongside their distorted guitar riffs.  “Glad to be here for such a great cause,” they told the crowd, crediting Lara before launching into their track ‘Stranger’ from their debut EP. The song moved dynamically from hushed verses into an explosive chorus, riding that quiet-to-loud tension associated with 90s alternative rock. Another track, ‘Out of the Clouds’, released in November 2023, began with a slow incline before crashing into heavier riffs reminiscent of Nirvana. It was, as one member later reflected, their “first time in a long time that we have played.” Their favourite moment of the evening was “playing our unreleased song (‘Sunny Day in Charlottesville’) in a church.” They finished with a bang, the kind of closing flourish that signals both relief and renewed hunger.

Dissidents undoubtedly brought edge, but Elmore brought the room into a laid-back atmosphere. Their opening song was briefly interrupted by a snapped guitar string; however, the setback barely disrupted their momentum. Their sound was slow, wavy, and almost hypnotic, while the vocals carried a comforting indie softness, floating above reverb-soaked instrumentals. A cover of ‘Wild Horses’ by The Rolling Stones transformed the classic into something gentler and more introspective. When asked about their highlight of the evening, they pointed not to their own set but to solidarity: “Just Married let us borrow their guitar when we broke a string,” capturing the collaborative spirit of the night. Midway through the event, Lara returned to the stage to announce that £800 had already been raised. She encouraged attendees to scan the QR codes, donate in cash, buy drinks, and “give a huge round of applause for Leeds Women’s Aid,” centring the evening on the charity.

The next band, Just Married, opened with a punk-inflected, confident sound. The drummer commanded the audience’s attention with his visible joy for the music, giving the band an air of embodied enjoyment – he looked like he was having the time of his life. The lead singer matched that energy with an obvious emotional investment in their songs – you could tell they knew their material instinctively. Guitar lines leaned into 80s rock textures with a hint of AC/DC, while a deep, funky bassline underpinned the chaos. At one point, a wah-pedal fuelled solo spiralled outward before snapping back into the chorus. There were flashes reminiscent of Nirvana in the rawness, blended with a pop-punk urgency. ‘Origami’ briefly slowed the tempo before erupting into a climax as the singer threw his arms skyward, urging the drummer to hit harder. By the end of their set, their confidence had radiated outward, almost spilling through the church doors. Drumsticks were thrown, heads were nodded in synchrony, and somewhere between irony and sincerity, the singer joked afterwards that his favourite moment was “giving a sermon to the church/disco ball.” It felt perfectly fitting.

Closing the night, The Dulakes took to the stage with measured assurance, even when confronted with yet another broken string. They played it off, building tension from a slow opening into an emotionally charged chorus that landed with force. A “Big shout out to Lara,” they told the audience, thanking the other bands as well as everyone who had donated. Speaking to them after the show, they described the evening as “great to be supporting such a vital cause,” adding that it was “really positive to see so many people showing their support by coming to the gig and donating.” As a band rooted in the Leeds student scene, they emphasised how formative that community has been. “We have been in the scene since we began, and it’s such a tight-knit community,” they told me after the set. Events like this have helped them hone their sound, describing themselves as alternative rock with a diverse tracklist that offers something for everyone, as demonstrated by their set that night. Distinctive basslines opened several tracks before merging into guitar-heavy choruses. Slower numbers surrounded by pink light foregrounded vocal emotion, creating a calming space before the tempo surged again. They closed with an unreleased track, teasing future material ahead of their upcoming single release on the 27th of March. For anyone reading this, their final message to you was simple: “To everyone who bought a ticket, thank you. We’re over the moon to be supporting such a great cause – that couldn’t be done without everyone coming along.”

By the time the last chord rang out, the disco ball still spinning lazily overhead, the sense of achievement was tangible. Nearly £1000 raised. Five student bands gave it their all. A historic Leeds venue filled with indie rock. What distinguished this fundraiser was not only its cause but what it revealed about the power of the student music scene. In an era where live music often feels increasingly commercialised, this was grassroots in its truest sense. Lara’s final words on the night were these: “I would like to give a huge thank you to all of the bands for being so brilliant and easy to work with. They all agreed to play the gig for free, which was wonderful. Also, a huge thank you to Sue and Sam at Left Bank, who were kind enough to believe in me and therefore give me the venue for free and there to support whenever they could. Also, a huge thank you to Douglas, the sound tech. And finally, a huge thank you to everyone who came, bought drinks, and donated!” 

Anyone who wishes to support the cause can find more information through Leeds Women’s Aid and the wider Women’s Aid websites, which provide helplines, refuge accommodation and specialist support for survivors of domestic abuse. Donations, volunteering opportunities and further resources are also available!

Words By Katie Hawkins