Wednesday nights in Cardiff are usually quiet – but Bristol-based indie band Adult Leisure made a lot of noise for their Cardiff live debut. The gig area at Porters, on Bute Terrace until further notice, may have been small, but frontman Neil Scott’s stage presence wasn’t – his lively and commanding performance could have filled the Motorpoint Arena, and it would have had the same effect.

Post-gig, Buzz spoke to Adult Leisure about how it went. “Honestly amazing!” they told me. “We had no idea that our music had travelled into Wales, and we are forever grateful to the crowd in Cardiff.” Playing in Cardiff has always been on the band’s bucket list as they consider the city “an amazing hub for music”.

A four-piece formed via video calls during the 2020 lockdown, Adult Leisure’s music takes definite inspiration from the late 70s and early 80s postpunk and indie scenes. This gives the songs an almost timeless feel: something you and your dad might enjoy together. The band themselves cite inspiration from “The Smiths, The Cure and The Police, combined with the heavier and harder-hitting modern-day guitar music from bands like Idles and Fontaines DC”. These inspirations are clearly prevalent in their music, but they have an energy and depth that belies their short time together. Lyrically, Adult Leisure aims to take the listener on a journey through real-world scenarios and, as they say, “be an honest take on social commentary”.

I can see them in a few years performing in one of the BBC Introducing tents at Reading or Leeds.
at the time of writing, there are three songs officially released via their Spotify, while imminent plans involve “working on new songs, playing shows and spending many hours in the studio”. Furthermore, they are currently working on a new project which, they say, “truly believe is going to be massive”. Stay tuned!

Porters, Cardiff, Wed 7 Sept

words and photos AMY WILD