Now, I’ve had it on good authority that Yacht are a must-see. Having recently missed out on seeing them in London, I was well informed of their onstage antics and unique style (PowerPoint presentation involved in onstage banter) from acquaintances that had been in attendance. Thus I looked forward to it. Unfortunately, as Sod’s Law would have it, the time imprinted on my memory was incorrect and I missed the first ten minutes of the set. Rushing to the Sunrise Arena after realising my error (tea and flapjack in hand – how very rock ‘n’ roll!), I was greeted with a collective ‘Ai ai ai ai, HUH!’ and knew I was in for a treat. 

Jona Bechtolt’s creation, along with Claire L . Evans, both enlighten us over the backing track, delivering their lyrics with a passion and do not disappoint. The mish-mashed influences and genres are reflected in Yacht’s sound, with emphasis on the dance aspect as both frequently flail around the stage with great timing and precision to the beat, Jona in particular, very Napolean Dynamite-esque, the omission of expected onstage projector expected by me was instantly forgotten. The loosening of one’s own limbs was a natural progression, absorbed in the beats that were interjected by Claire’s yelping , adding yet another dimension to the band. A literal explosion would serve as a trademark to signal the end of a track and the appreciation of the crowd would no doubt ensue. 

The set finished with ‘See A Penny Pick It Up’, a Knight Rider bass-line infused track which sees both Jona and Claire bounce around the stage with exuberance. A fitting end. I continue to bop my head, my tea having been set down a long time ago. I know suggest you visit their website at the very least.


Aysha Hussain