The Leeds Tealights Record an Album… Or Do They?

In 1967 the Beatles recorded Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an album which defined a generation. Some would argue the 90s generationally defining album came about when Nirvana released the album Nevermind, a grunge-style rock album accompanied by capitalist commentary with a dollar-chasing-swimming-naked-baby who would go on to sue the band over 25 years later.

But since this point the music world has, for many music nerds, stagnated. An era defined by bad pop music has seen few positive moments outside of Kendrick Lamar calling Drake a paedophile and Justin Bieber’s ‘Under the Mistletoe’ Christmas, Generation Z have been waiting patiently for their generation’s musical moment.

Enter the Leeds Tealights. 

‘The Leeds Tealights Record an Album’, was all but set out to fill this void, and so I jumped at the opportunity to go and watch their show at The Library Pub.

The night was kicked off by the eccentric and greatly charismatic Queenie Cowen, who’s set started with the explanation of them being the little known queer Jewish character in Hogwarts, followed by tales of Austrian

children and bats, all of which had the crowd completely cackling. Cowen’s set was followed up by Harry Ozin, who’s deadpan style saw him reminisce upon his failure to get into the Leeds tealights on three occasions, as his

self-deprecating style made me feel like I was watching the lovechild of James Acaster and Richard Ayoade! Both he and Cowen were brilliant, and their hugely contrasting sets ensured the audience was properly warmed up before the Tealights entered the stage.

The show began with a Take That inspired boyband entrance by all five of the current tealights (Chris Louridas, Charlotte Pine, Becky Hughes, Sam Dallamore Hynd and Luke Nolan). Quickly, they received a call from the

US, with the offer of a major record deal that needed to be fulfilled in an hour. To succeed, the Tealights would have to stop doing skits and just record an album; this was their big break. Finally the chance to escape to a more lucrative industry than sketch comedy, ensuring the night would be one the audience would Never Forget!

Alas, this was just the set-up to their sketches across the show, who would’ve thought that Leeds’ Student Sketch Comedy group would be performing sketch comedy and not just trying to mix and record a subpar album for the hour!

An hour flew by, as the tealights enlightened the audience into their weird and wonderful world. Brilliant performances accompanied great writing, with standouts being Sam Dallamore Hynd’s solo mopping song, as well as the Northern cave and the highly relatable horror that came with a sketch on calling your teacher mum! The night saw superbly crafted punchlines, as well as Winnie the Pooh’s coffee shop order exposing more of Dallamore Hynd than the usual tealights red shirt black trousers uniform would otherwise allow for; as well as the audible gasp and hysterics following the transformation of Chris Louradis into the two second cameo of a local actress. The tealights constant commitment throughout the night was absolutely sensational and I would definitely recommend anyone to head over to their Instagram (@leedstealights) to check out their next performance, whether you live in Leeds, or you’re just passing by. They are a must watch! And thus I must conclude my review, as whilst I did not witness the Tealights record an album, I was instead able to witness their genius for an hour of non-stop sketches!

Words by Danny Gordon-Boyd, he/him