Ponzo / Eszter Vida / Shoplifting

A three-act bill at Hyde Park Book Club in Headingley, Leeds, pairing the gothic art-rock trio Ponzo with the indie-rock and dream-pop project Eszter Vida and the electronic post-punk duo Shoplifting.

Ponzo is a gothic art-rock trio whose influences include 1980s New Wave, trip-hop and ambient soundscapes. Their music rests on fretless bass, esoteric lyrics, textured drums and experimental guitar, and it conveys a mood that is both haunted and wistful.

Eszter Vida is an indie-rock and dream-pop project fronted by a singer-songwriter based in Leeds and Sheffield. Working with bassist and co-songwriter Lola Wainwright, guitarist Ben Whiteley, drummer and producer Evan Martin and keyboardist James Bromley, the project draws on the longing of late-1980s new wave and early-1990s dream pop, citing The Cure, Wolf Alice and The Cranberries, alongside the wit of Courtney Barnett, Snail Mail and Julia Jacklin.

Shoplifting is a Leeds-based electronic post-punk duo whose songs channel anger at the conduct of the wealthy and of those who stand by. The two members share the vocals, with baritone guitar, synth and bass over fast-paced drums, moving from heavy, upbeat punk to laid-back, groove-led dance rhythms. Hyde Park Book Club is a concert and performance venue in Headingley.