Bandmas '25
Sunday 7th December 2025
Hyde Park Book Club
Christmas themed goodness overtook the night as Santa Hats were donned, and the doors opened. Hosted in the cosy Snug room at Hyde Park Book Club and fighting against a metal concert and the almighty bingo night, five bands took the floor to give 2025 a way better sendoff than it deserved.
The lineup for the night was: the incredibly named Turnip; the ominously named Threat Detector; the brilliantly grungy Destroya; Default Mode Network and their gritty blues; and last but certainly not least, one of the hardest working bands in Leeds (especially in terms of sticker spreading as anyone who’s been in a venue toilet will know), National Citizens. What really stands out about this lineup is the range of performers. From styles to backgrounds to genders, the night really showcased the power of representation and just furthered that there was something for everyone on the night.
Turnip started the night with an intimate and often vulnerable set that felt very open and honest in a way that few other bands can demonstrate, all while retaining a confidence and charm that led into a final festive cover to mark the occasion.
Threat Detector then followed and brought a more solemn punk-emo tone to the night and to a very receptive audience. With strong vocals and lyrics exploring identity and isolation, they moved the crowd with them, all while keeping the energy alive.
As mentioned, Destroya brought the grunge and did so in spades. Angsty and gritty, atmospheric and raw, the three piece stoically stood, shouted and shredded their way through their set, probably proving why HPBC keeps earplugs on hand, in the best of ways.
Default Mode Network functioned as the main support for the evening and amazed. Sounding as if Pearl Jam went into the blues scene with hints of psychedelia that meant you were never quite sure where they were going next sonically but sure made you glad that you were taken along for the ride.
Did somebody say choir? National Citizens did as they handed around songbooks to lead the crowd in a sing along. After this, they pop-punked the last of the festive season away, draped in their festive finery, ending the night in a blaze of 2000s inspired glory that put us of a certain age right back into our younger selves.
Bandmas is exactly the type of event that makes Leeds’ music scene so great and stands as a marker of what the scene needs more of. One evening, five bands, a great venue and a pay what you feel entry fee. Even if not in terms of musical genre, punk lived on here through the DIY ethos of the evening. The whole event was promoted and ran by Asher Hoang of National Citizens and I mean the whole event, from liaising to lighting, from sound checks to sound engineering, Asher’s multilimbed oversight of the event (with a little help from bandmates and friends) created an amazing sense of welcoming through its charming unkemptness.
Did everything go wrong right before the doors were set to open? Yes. Did the card machine die right before anyone paid? Yes. Did we start to get the Hyde Park bingo night coming through in between acts? Yes. But despite all this, the-little-festival-that-could kept on going and showcased some truly great acts in the process, showing a true northern punk attitude and creating one hell of a holly and jolly festive atmosphere along the way.
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