James Shakeshaft and the Groupe

'Ragged Ornaments' album launch show 

Friday 8th August 2025

Mabgate Bleach

Support: Neve Cariad, Michael Cable, and Harry Klaus

My first visit to Mabgate Bleach and it certainly won’t be my last! A peach of a venue tucked away in the bottom corner of the mills; wonderfully intimate with a sound much bigger than its dimensions and the laws of physics should allow, and the cutest little bar you’ll ever be served a beer across. 5/5 – will visit again (but could do with two more lights to help us ‘togs show off how good it is!)

While we’re chucking plaudits about - whoever’s in charge of blue plaques should start sticking ‘em on the walls of places like Bleach, the Brude’ and Esco Romanesco HQ. Let’s big-up the grassroots of Leeds’ musical culture while we’re lucky enough to have them and not wait until we’re being nostalgic about what we used to have.  

Onto the music and there was a real late 60’s / early 70’s vibe to the evening’s show. Groupe drummer / Vehicle guitarist Harry Klaus opened proceedings with some delicate acoustic country numbers, with a hint of French torch singer; like the soundtrack to a film noir (maybe the low-key lighting was kicking-in earlier than I thought?).

Next up was a solo set by Vehicle frontman Michael Cable delivered with a real intensity; dark, introspective and brooding songs - Northern England’s answer to Scott Walker when he got interesting and started singing Jacques Brel tunes. Gangrene isn’t a common topic in the world of pop but I for one am here for it.

I feel quite embarrassed to say Neve Cariad hasn’t pinged on my radar before now, so this was a real moment for me – WHAT A VOICE! Like Harry & Michael, she performed solo with an acoustic guitar and was absolutely mesmerising. At times ethereal and delicate, at others ferociously sonorous but always, always entirely enthralling. There’s an undeniable folk element to Neve’s canon and my immediate thought following her set was “this must be what seeing Joni Mitchell on the folk club circuit was like.” Definitely someone to catch if you get the opportunity.

The headline performance was a run through of  ‘Ragged Ornaments’; the album released a few months back by James Shakeshaft and the Groupe. Having seen James perform solo a few weeks before, I’d been trying to put my finger on the sort of vibe I was getting sound-wise – a kind of Exile on Main St, nonchalant, country-rock groove. Seeing him with the full band brought to mind James Taylor but with a bit of punk urgency. Ironically JT had the help of Randy Meisner – bass player for the Eagles, while JS had Tom Kelly – bass player of the million-times-better Eagulls (Give me Council Flat Blues over Hotel California any day of the week!)

Connall Doo joined James, Tom & Harry to round out the Groupe and the audience was even treated to a return to the stage by Neve to accompany James on vocals for ‘Simple & True’.

The album, recorded at the Nave studios with Tom Orrell, sounds magnificently accomplished; valve-amp warm and as comfortable as a chesterfield on a shag-pile carpet lit by a lava lamp. No worries about whether the live performance could do the studio recordings justice - the band were on fire, Harry and Tom locking a groove under James and Connall’s guitars and a pitch-perfect mix through the PA allowing James’ vocals to shine.  

Picking stand out tracks seems somewhat disingenuous when they all sound this good but the aforementioned ‘Simple & True’, title track ‘Ragged Ornaments’ and ‘Silence the Din’ have been constant companions in my head ever since.

The album is available via Esco Romanesco (you’ll also find Neve Cariad and Vehicle there too) and take time to check out the artwork for them as both front and back cover are absolutely on point. 

Words and Pictures by Rusty Li.

First and last Picture: James Shakeshaft

Second Picture: Neve Cariad