[IN THE CROWD] Barry Can’t Swim Takes Loner to Leeds

Project House, tucked away in the Armley district of Leeds, has hosted an array of huge names over the last couple of years, from Ezra Collective to Princess Nokia and Rejjie Snow. This month, Barry Can’t Swim joined this distinguished list, stopping off to deliver a huge DJ set following the release of his second studio album, Loner.

Joined by his two support acts, Sharan Flora and Andrew Devine, big beats radiated through the buzz-worthy venue. The sun beaming down, the outdoor terrace packed, and non-stop huge house hits steadily revving up the crowd, there was something promising in the air as the 1000-people crowd awaited their favourite DJ.

Picking up effortlessly where Devine left off, Barry Can’t Swim took to the decks with the kind of ease and confidence that has defined his meteoric rise since his 2023 debut, Where Will We Land?

Though the set was made up of ad hoc remixes and club classics rather than simply showcasing his catalogue to date, the evening still highlighted exactly why Barry Can’t Swim resonates so strongly with audiences of all ages. Blending near-futuristic mechanical elements with Balearic bass and Brazilian funk, there wasn’t a single track in the hour-and-a-half set that felt out of place, with each one met with enthusiastic response from the lively mob in front of him.

One standout moment in his set was the arrival of ‘Sunsleeper’, a gorgeous, jubilant number that brought the immaculate summer night outside into the venue and onto the dancefloor. Its suave piano solo marked a peak in the audience’s energy, with the night only growing more buoyant from there.

This harmony amongst the DJ and his fans was seen again with ‘Kimbara’, a song dedicated to dialling up the fun and initiating dance.

An exclusive mix from Disclosure was also nestled within the set, with the Scottish producer thanking the electronic duo on his Instagram the morning after his Leeds set: “Big love to Disclosure for sending me my own personalised shout out mix of this unreleased weapon, been getting rinseddddd”.

As the energy in the room peaked, some of Barry Can’t Swim’s calmer classics came out to play. ‘How It Feels’ lit up the room with pink and blue hues, one of the few tracks of the night to feature familiar and beloved vocals, before the penultimate track of the night ‘Sonder’ tricked Project House’s patrons into thinking the show was over.

After a brief pause, the distorted beats and electronics of Loner’s hugest hit so far, ‘Different’, spurred the floor into a frenzy.

While Leeds crowds are known for their raucous, unfiltered energy, this particular evening felt less like a coincidence and more a testament to Barry Can’t Swim’s instinctive command of both the decks and the dancefloor. From start to finish, the gig pulsed with something truly special, adding another dimension to Leeds’ growing reputation as a vibrant hub for live music and reaffirming the belief that electronica can, and will, thrive beyond the confines of the capital.