Tonight, The Spook School are going to space. They are set to leave this suffocating world and begin a new life on the moon.
They’re armed with a mission to become the first band to play a Fleetwood Mac cover while traversing the desolate lunar landscape. They want to walk in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and be able to tell the aliens just how good Linda McCartney sausages are. Before they go, however, there are a few things to take care of.
The Glasgow four-piece’s decision to call time on this “project” came as somewhat of a surprise to many fans. After eight years and three impressive records, The Spook School have won a lot of friends as they openly spoke of gender fluidity, coping with a feeling of non-binary lifestyle, and toxic masculinity, by wrapping them delightful indie pop songs. They became champions of the LGBTQ+ community and their shows were a reflection of the inclusiveness they would preach. Not only were they able to create a sense of belonging through beautifully crafted songs and forthright opinions, but every show they put on was just immensely fun.
That is why there are plenty of happy tears shed as they say goodbye to the cities, clubs, bars, and communities they feel so indebted to for the support over the years. Tonight, it’s Leeds’ turn.
Prior to the weepfest of the Spooks’ slow goodbye, Cincinnati’s Leggy pay their own homage to the headline act by re-telling their confusion of being introduced to a Toby Carvery. Drummer Christopher Campbell is quick to clarify that they have returned the compliment by teaching the Spooks how to master the fine art of throwing dice. Despite hailing from America’s famous ‘Rust Belt’, Leggy have the garage vibe of southern California. The guitar work of Veronique Allaer provides an almost surfer vibe with grooving riffs that evoke images of the Santa Monica pier as opposed the factories of the big cities of Ohio. Taking sharp turns between jovial songs about dreams of her teeth falling out to harder hitting topics such as consent, they display a depth beyond the smiling surf-esque music. Allaer and Campbell enjoy an excellent rapport between songs before suggesting the whole audience meets them for a game of dice – and we might.
Tonight’s headliners, clad in spacesuits and makeshift helmets, enter the stage to the strains of Babylon Zoo’s ‘Spaceman’ as they prepare their rocket to the moon. “I know, you weren’t expecting me to get undressed so early into the show, but drummers aren’t meant to be astronauts,” Niall McCamley quips as he quickly disrobes from his spacesuit. This may be the last show in this fair city but it doesn’t mean McCamley is going to leave out his patented between-song monologues.
This set is a celebration of the past eight years and the Spooks delve into every corner of their back catalogue – from the mass sing-a-long and call to arms of ‘Burn Masculinity’, to the tender and wistful plea of ‘Keep In Touch’, to the exceptionally funny and lovably sketchy ‘Can You Ever Trust a Man Who Thinks Matt Damon Is Really Cool?’.
There are rare treats such as ‘I’ll Be Honest’ and an emphatic ‘Body’, all the while there are smiles across the room and giggles at every utterance from McCamley’s mouth. There is, however, a trembling in the voice of the charismatic drummer as the proceedings edge towards a close.
As they shoot off into space, they land on the moon’s surface to smash through a raucous cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘You Can Go Your Own Way’. McCamley takes a moment to thank every person in the room, the Brudenell Social Club, and Leeds as a city; “I’m going to stop talking before I start blubbering.”
With a final rendition of ‘I Want To Kiss You’, the final Spook School celebration is at end. The quartet embrace and wave goodbye. And with that they are gone, to live a new life and win more hearts in the Milky Way.
Farewell, Spooks. It’s been an absolute blast.
TOM WALSH