Live: Yak at Field Day

By Chayma Mehena

YAK's members Oliver Burslem, Andy Jones and Elliot Rawson have been touring and gaining a lot of buzz since last time they played a Bad Vibes show. Having seen them three times within a month and now at Field Day, I got used to the singer, Oli Burslem, coming on stage barefoot, his hair covering his eyes and his young Mike Jagger like smiles to the drummer as he confidently counts the band in with his deep voice. When the riff of Plastic People started, my pulse went up and everybody went crazy under the tent causing chaos in the audience. The concert was as usual : concise, demented, frenetic and mind-blowing. The drummers sticks moved so fast you could barely see them. YAK more than any other band just give all their vigor and verve until they look like they are washed-out, and that’s the best a rock band can do. Their sound, psychotic-psychedelic, violent but melodic and poetic just sweep away everything in its path. My energy sucked out, I got out of the tent breathless but with a big smile on my face as it was the most fun I had in ages. The trio have a remarkable amount of dates lined up for the next weeks to come including their next-step, Hyde Park, so don’t miss out.