Yard Act have issued a statement following reports that a woman was harassed in the crowd at one of their gigs this week.
The Leeds band played their biggest headline show to date at London’s Village Underground on Thursday (February 17), and wrote on Twitter that they’d been alerted to a young female fan being treated inappropriately by an older man during the show.
“To be clear, Yard Act shows are for everyone, and we absolutely need everyone to feel safe at our gigs,” the band wrote. “If you are a fan of our band, that means it’s your responsibility too. Work with us. We attract a fair number of the old boys, probably because we sound like bands from the past. Old boys, you are welcome still, but things that might have been tolerated back then won’t be tolerated now and you absolutely have to learn to police yourselves with this.
“Check your mates if they are out of line, remember that booze will mess with your head. I can guarantee with near certainty that young women have absolutely no interest in you as a sexual pursuit so keep your mouth shut, no one needs those comments. I can guarantee with likely certainty that women in general have not gone to a Yard Act show with the intent to pull, so again, carry yourselves with dignity and apply thought before you take action.”
“They added: This is a stern warning to anyone who steps out of line at ours shows. Keep yourself in check. Keep your mates in check. No gross comments. Don’t stare at anyone and keep your hands to yourself.”
See the full statement below.
Please read this pic.twitter.com/lSrgHYwWEH
— Yard Act (@YardActBand) February 18, 2022
Yard Act are currently at the beginning of a huge run of UK tour dates on the back of debut album ‘The Overload’, which reached Number Two in the UK charts upon its release last week after a heated chart battle with Years & Years.
Tonight (February 19), they play The Joiners in Southampton, with dates running until the end of May. See the band’s full schedule below.
FEBRUARY 2022
19 – The Joiners, Southampton – SOLD OUT
21 – Exchange, Bristol– SOLD OUT
22 – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
23 – Bodega Social, Nottingham – SOLD OUT
24 – The White Hotel, Salford – SOLD OUT
25 – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge – SOLD OUT
26 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds – SOLD OUT
MARCH 2022
01 – The Cluny, Newcastle
02 – The Caves, Edinburgh
03 – Mono, Glasgow
APRIL 2022
05 – Earth, London
MAY 2022
11 – Trinity, Bristol
18 – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
19 – Zanzibar, Liverpool
20 – Irish Centre, Leeds
21 – Band on the Wall, Manchester
22 – The Foundry, Sheffield
27 – Arts Centre, Norwich
Reviewing ‘The Overload’, NME wrote: “Having made their debut just 18 months ago, and now due for an upcoming sold-out slate of UK shows, their journey is a reminder that the most rewarding endeavours – in life or art – sometimes arrive later than you expect or had hoped. Good things may come to those who wait patiently, but for those who put the graft in, like Yard Act, it tastes all the sweeter.”
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