Description
Imperial Leisure At Bull and Gate, London
Incredible performances by Imperial Leisure as they first started out and years before their debut. The stage always filled with artists playing to a club filled to the brim by animated fans hungry for the beats and music IL dish out. It is always hard to do their band lineups as there are always unexpected as well as expected artists who take the stage and join the band to lead the vast crowds into frenzied bliss. Sometimes they remind me of Bloc Party but Imperial Leisure is far and away the leader of this style of music.
Who are Imperial Leisure
Imperial Leisure started in 2001 as a 10 piece band. Previous to this, the eight members (Denis, Ben, Jeremy, Billy, Scott, AJ, Dan and Stu) where playing in a band called ‘Chewbacca’. The name changed to Imperial Leisure when they added two brass players (Rob – Trumpet and Mark – Trombone).
Imperial Leisure are a North London, UK band born from high school friendships and a love for ska and rock. Their influences include The Specials, Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Madness, Ozomatli, and Youngblood Brass Band.
Playing their own particular rock steady, party, hip hop and mosh-pit inducing punk, replete with live brass, decks and keyboards, their music is a killer combination of neat beats, great tunes and irresistibly catchy hooks. The band’s sense of unity comes from years of friendship and hanging out together. They are based at their own rehearsal/recording studio in North London and their familiarity is never more evident than in their stellar live shows.
What are Imperial Leisure doing
The bands debut album, The Art of Saying Nothing came years after this performance in 2009. The album was recorded in Eastcote Studios with producer Junk Scientist (Larrikin Love, The Rakes) and features twelve tracks that manage to encapsulate all things British from ska and punk roots, to tales of modern day drinking and debauchery. Stand out tracks include the Radio One favorite Great British Summertime, and the anthem for the every-man, Man On The Street. Imperial Leisure then went on European tour with Youngblood Brass Band to prep material for a 2010 release.
“Imperial Leisure stew up hip-hop, ska and punk into invigorating party music…purpose-built to send festivals into a deranged dancing sweat.” Q
“It’s impossible not to get caught up in it all, the sense of fun seeping into everyone involved like a shot of serotonin.”
KKKKK –Kerrang!“Absolutely outstanding.” Nihal, BBC Radio One
“…Like the Beasties and De La Soul, playing Less Than Jake at a cult-rock party. An amazing live band.”
Drowned In Sound“Imperial Leisure’s sound is practically a sonic mirror held up to the face of London: a melting pot of cultures, genres and personalities blended together with grit and spice” Big Cheese
Imperial Leisure Web Site – Imperial Leisure Facebook
On 30 December 2021, the band marked their return with a performance at The Fleece in Bristol.
Band Lineup as far as I can figure Aug 31, 2002
Denis Smith
Ben Bridges
Jeremy Mudunkotuwe
Billy Chauhan
Scott Vining
Dan Dobson
Stuart Maxwell
Rob O’Neale – Trumpet
Other member of Imperial Leisure: Jack Emmings, Richard Cox, Ushwin Pai, Stephanie Faulkner, Kenneth Brown, David Medland, Russell Spencer,Ben Webb, Mark Rudland, Stuart Maxwell, Dan Dobson, Adrian White, Justas Keliuotis, Elliott Phelps, Jerome Harper
Video Stats for Imperial Leisure, Bull and Gate, London
Date of Recording: Jan 19. 2001
Video: NTSC Color
Audio:Stereo
Time: 35 min
Digital File Size: 363Meg
Date of Recording: Aug 31, 2002
Video: NTSC Color
Audio:Stereo
Time: 45 min
Digital File Size: 442Meg
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