Leah Wilcox at The Hairy Dog: BANG Brings Three Different Sounds to Derby

On Sunday 4 October, we headed to The Hairy Dog for BANG, Alpha Pro Creative’s night featuring Derventio, JJ Lovegrove and headliner Leah Wilcox. With indie and alternative rock opening proceedings, a darker, atmospheric middle set and a full-band headline performance we had been looking forward to, there was plenty to get us out of the house. For a Sunday evening, it was good to see the venue decently busy, with people turning up for a bill that offered three quite different approaches to live music.

That variety is something Gez gets right. The artists have their own identities, but there’s enough connecting them to make the evening work as a whole. You might arrive knowing one name and leave with another to follow, which is a pretty good reason to keep coming back.

Derventio: Original Songs and a Muse Finish

Derventio opened with a mix of their own material and covers, bringing an indie and alternative rock sound to the first part of the evening. The Chesterfield four-piece formed in January 2026, making them a relatively new addition to the region’s live circuit.

Their set gave us a chance to hear where they are heading with their own songs, while the covers offered some familiar ground along the way. For an emerging band playing to a mixed audience, that combination makes sense: people get something they recognise alongside an introduction to the music you’re writing.

They finished with Muse’s ‘Hysteria’, an ambitious choice to put at the end of a set. It’s a song with an unmistakable identity, and a sizeable amount of musical work packed into it. As a closing number, it brought a recognisable burst of alternative rock to proceedings and gave Derventio’s appearance a clear finishing point before the evening moved into different territory.

JJ Lovegrove: Dark, Atmospheric and Emotional

JJ Lovegrove followed with a performance that changed the mood considerably. The solo artist’s keyboard-led set was dark, atmospheric and emotionally direct, giving this part of the night a more inward-looking feel.

There was a weight to the material, with themes touching on mental health and personal experience. Those subjects gave the performance substance, while the atmosphere surrounding the songs helped draw us into it. It was a set that invited you to spend some time with what was being expressed.

Lovegrove’s music was a strong addition to the bill precisely because it brought a different feeling into the room. Following Derventio’s indie and alternative rock, this was a shift in pace and tone, and an enjoyable one. There’s something satisfying about a gig that gives you space for both the familiar pleasure of a rock cover and music that asks for a little more emotional attention.

Overall, it was a really good performance, and one of the reasons the evening’s range worked so well. Each artist had room to establish their own sound.

Leah Wilcox: Familiar Songs, a Bigger Live Experience

We’ve seen Leah Wilcox a few times recently, including at Sonic Boom, and have thoroughly enjoyed the acoustic performances we’ve caught. Those appearances had already given us plenty of reason to look forward to her headline set at The Hairy Dog. This was our first time seeing her with a full band, and we were keen to hear how that would change the experience.

The difference was substantial. The full-band setup opened the performance out, giving it a scale and presence that made it feel like a completely different encounter with an artist we were beginning to know. At times, it almost felt as though we were watching someone entirely new.

That’s an exciting thing to experience when you already like the acoustic version of an artist. You arrive with an idea of what you enjoy about their music, then hear another side of it. Leah’s acoustic sets had made a strong impression on us, and this showed how much further the live presentation could expand.

With the band around her, the headline slot became a fuller experience, bringing a different energy to the evening and giving us another reason to keep an eye on what she does next. Seeing artists in different settings is part of the pleasure of following a local scene, especially when a performance changes your understanding of their music this much.

Leah was a great choice to close the night. We came in excited to see the full-band show, and left glad we had made the trip.

A Sunday Night Worth Getting Out For

Gez deserves credit for bringing together another group of regional artists whose differences made the bill interesting. Derventio’s indie and alternative rock, JJ Lovegrove’s darker atmosphere and Leah Wilcox’s expanded live sound gave the night a good progression, with each set offering something fresh.

It was encouraging to see The Hairy Dog decently busy on a Sunday, too. These evenings depend on people making the effort to come out, and BANG gives them a good reason to do so. The early schedule also makes it an accessible option for anyone who wants a gig without writing off Monday morning.

Come Along to the Next BANG in December

The next BANG takes place at The Hairy Dog on Sunday 6 December 2026, featuring Glass Bridges, Fools & Sages and Big Cat Chic. It runs from 6pm until 9pm, with performances starting at 6.30pm.

Whether you’re in a band, love music, are studying in Derby or are simply a bit bored of doing the same thing every Sunday, come along. It’s an affordable evening out, a chance to discover some new music and a practical way to support the scene. December tickets are currently listed at £6 through the ticket listing. Find tickets and event details on Skiddle.

We’d especially encourage other bands and musicians to get down and see the talent around them. Going to each other’s shows helps build connections, introduces you to artists you might share a stage with and puts more people in the room. If everyone playing local gigs went to a few other shows each month, that regular support could give the scene considerably more momentum.

There’s plenty of good music being made around here, and people like Gez are doing the work to bring it together. Sunday’s BANG was a good example of why it’s worth turning up. More like this, please.

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