Osees - Leeds Brudenell Social Club, May 31st 2023

Formerly Thee Oh Sees and Oh Sees plus numerous other incarnations, the legendary California outfit now simply go by the moniker Osees. Which is to the point, as are the twenty plus songs in a set tonight that is electrifying from start to finish. 

This, the first of two sold out nights at The Brudenell has quite the crackle of anticipation and high expectation. We could easily have found ourselves in a less favourable, much larger, venue but thankfully leading man at the helm, John Dwyer, retains a long-standing love affair with this place. Fondly recalling mid-set an invite to play here and sleeping upstairs afterwards some years ago.

The set up is a familiar one to anyone who’s seen them before. Two drummers front and centre with Dwyer to their right and bassist far left. A Fifth member sets about some unidentified instrument hidden behind a flight case to the rear. The energy is relentless, through old favourites ‘I Come From The Mountain’ and ‘Toe Cutter-Thumb Buster’ to the ferocity of most recent album A Foul Forms’ ‘Funeral Solution’. Osees (and Dwyer particularly) have an unrivalled urgency playing  live, going about their work as if was their last ever opportunity to play this furiously charged-up rock and roll. No time for bullshit from a crowd member who receives a “go start your own band, dickhead” in response to his lame heckle. 

I suspect more than a few of this crowd will be back for round two tomorrow night. I’m leaving wishing I was one of them. 

Words - Pete Jackson 

Osees official