Corella brought their infectious indie to Leeds
The band took to the stage at The Stylus for a sold out show on their debut album tour.
Photo: Jake Haseldine
The tour comes after their debut album Once Upon a Weekend was released earlier this month. The album itself peaked at number 49 in the midweek charts and was the only album by an independent artist to make it in the charts that week (May 6th).
Saturday night in Leeds was immense. It was so nice to see fans not only bringing the energy to each and every song — new and old — but to also create a sea of merch starting back from when the band very first started to their new and most recent tour. Other than the staff at the venue, I must’ve been the only one not repping Corella’s merch that night.
Starting off the night, the audience welcomed Luna Bay, who started their leg of the tour as support in Leeds. The band really got the crowd going during their set and, when they announced their own upcoming dates in Leeds, they were greeted with a large portion of the crowd joining them at the merch stand to purchase tickets. I don’t think they’d anticipated that so many people would enjoy their music as much as they did that they’d be rushing for their next fix.
After a brief period of changeover and some intriguing conversation with a man about Corella’s work to date, it was time for a dance. The band — known for their energetic stage presence and engaging performances — delivered a dynamic set that resonated strongly with the audience. The setlist included favourites like Caught Up, Head Underwater and Barcelona Girl, with frontman Joel Smith displaying memorable crowd interaction throughout, especially during Barcelona Girl, where he performed from within the crowd’s mosh pit that had been created.
When the time came to play latest work, Lady Messiah, the band didn’t anticipate seeing a room singing the words louder than themselves, especially as the song was only a week old. Being an independent band, there is no greater feeling than a crowd singing your latest work to you louder than you can with the help of a microphone. That itself is just rewarding beyond words.
The band’s ability to blend catchy melodies with heartfelt lyrics has continued to captivate their fans, and their live shows reflect their commitment to providing a memorable experience for fans new and old. Overall, Corella’s recent performance in Leeds has solidified their reputation as a must-see live act in the indie-pop scene.