Gig Review: Saint Leonard At Windmill Brixton

You have been served your main event - we’re sole survivors of a marvel and beyond beautiful night at Brixton’s finest home for the left field.

A month in the waiting and ‘God Give Me Strength’ to push through a midweek and early autumn wet Thursday evening.  Ladies and gentleman, you have been served your main event - we’re sole survivors of a marvel and beyond beautiful night at Brixton’s finest home for the left field.

Take to the a bordering late October evening set upon a spectacular support line of the eclectic mix of genres, from both equally impressive and gentle vocals and elegant to fierce violin elements from Wildwood Daddy to belligerent and emphatic melodies by Sweat and only to be closed in by pure rock and roll to almost britpop disco vibes by Human Interest - Blessed are we to indulge in a fine picked roster under the ever giving and constantly bustling Windmill crowd.

An introductory piece from the wonderful and multi talented Alex White a stage left entrance and Saint Leonard appears fully dressed in pristine white.  What was promised had been given, whistles and cheers erupt from Blenheim Gardens, in anticipation but obvious angelic awe, Leonard begins to work wonders upon the crowd. 

Commanding stage presences from all are ever present;  with the clear intention and capability known to A: perform and B: deliver more than just your money’s worth of live music.  We have been sold a true experience into a modern world of both glam rock fused with a tasteful and bright toned synth vibe.  Arguably not your usual post punk night at Windmill, the syncopated drum motifs paired with the most alluring and reflective sax elements are purely those buttery tones that have been awaited on and yearned upon after.  It’s quite impressive how every single member on stage had their own focus, with even impressive instrument chops and changes just to only amplify the level of virtuoso musicianship that emanated from the Windmill stage. 

‘We’re gonna make this 4-3 per cent better’. 

A lie we have clearly been told here on a grisly Thursday night by Leonard himself - A percussive heavy developed opener pours into Leonard’s exemplary fusion of glam and modern art house styles.  White’s janky and pressuring wah guitar paired with eloquent synth melodies begins a pure sway in the crowd and only amplified the level of sheer talent and emotion that shone from the iconic Brixton stage, 3-4% better? We all know it was at least 30-300%. The corners of lips and the unpressed look towards their pints resolve in a full and undivided glare toward an a breathtaking emergence.  Paired with an Aladdin Sane esq ballad - the crowd only can beg for more as the eyes do not dare to change their fixation.

The mountainous track ‘tell me the truth’ in a want of a better words - blows the whistle and takes the room apart.  Beneficially it has the ability to reinstate a dance floor groove once more, a picturesque nature of melodies and rhythm upon the crowds bodies as stage lights flicker is seen as standard at most live events, however the sheer calibre of music and a month’s tenterhook anticipation is an encapsulated release for all. 

There’s a sparkling relationship that had been noticed in everyone’s eyes with the music, evoking a myriad of emotions to every cadence and snare.  This can only be personified by the apparent disappointment yet understanding with Leonard announcing calm for the next 4 minutes, yet forewarning us of two songs being left.  As for the vast majority of that public service announcement, it’s never wanted!  However continuing with the love and bond shared with the luxurious sonic display, the crowd gathers and presses on into a final dance.  Emotions pulled to their farthest seam and dragged straight back together.  ‘Bells and Ecstasy’ is a very simple way to summarise the process of the elegant headliner set. 

Each musician had an investing element of understanding of timbre and tone for the night, with contrasting notes in each track dynamically pulling on each heartbeat and rise and fall, it is no wonder how everyone could only be encapsulated in awe from their stage presence,  it is a hallmark of fine craftsmanship to know how to work a crowd from their dance moves to their emotions.  It’s a beautiful sight when a whole venue works in unison to what’s on stage to the very back of the room and as a key part to notice, not one act failed to bring the entire scene together.

Saint Leonard, from Heaven? London or Berlin it was a graceful and enchanting experience for all, from Windmill regulars to newcomers one and all. We could not expect anything else, but still totally blown away by what appeared in front of our very eyes and ears.  We can only look forward to what is to be announced in the forthcoming weeks and months to come after such a star studded performance by one of the capitals finest.