The crowd were brimming with energy at Sela Bar when Mantis State began performing their very first set as a band on the 17th April 2018. The limited space was crammed with people dancing and enjoying the upbeat pop music and the band certainly matched their energy.
Having been rehearsing together for the best part of the last year and a half after meeting during their studies at Leeds College of Music, the band’s first steps into the Leeds live music scene displayed much of the hard work that had gone into the arrangement and rehearsals of the tracks. The gig itself is part of a fundraiser for an independent student musical written by the band’s keyboard player and with so many supporters of the arts present Mantis’s uplifting music was always going to go down a treat.
While musically Mantis State aren’t pushing many boundaries, they do what they do well and their music is filled with little quirks that keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. The seven-piece band includes a 3-piece horn section with heavy lead guitar tones, bass, drums and a great keys sounds that cut through the mix and tie the style together. The twin sax players bring out the strong melodic ideas woven into each track and their songs are filled with hooks a-plenty. The rhythm section was solid throughout providing dancy grooves and strong foundations for the rest of the band. Much in the spotlight on the night was lead singer Cameron Bradbury, whose multi-instrumental-ism and out of the box thinking saw him play a double belled trumpet, harmonica and sing through a megaphone which helped set the band apart from many of the usual acts you might see.
The band visibly enjoyed themselves during the performance, and this helped add to the positive energy in the room which meant everyone left with a smile on their face. Despite the fact they are only getting started, Mantis State are worth the watch. While I’d personally like to hear a few more tracks to really catch my attention I certainly see them as ‘ones to watch’.