Live music Leeds: ‘exciting’ local band Fuzz Lightyear to play gig at ‘best kept secret’ in Leeds

• Leeds group Fuzz Lightyear have been carving a strong following across the country, including tours with English Teacher and Lambrini Girls.
• The group are about the embark on a headline tour next month, after releasing their latest EP, Zero Guilt, through Nice Swan Records.
• Benjamin Jackson takes a look and a dive into Fuzz Lightyear in his latest They Come From Leeds column, the similar acts that might inspire you to give them a listen, and when they’re performing next in the city.

They have admittedly been one of my favourite local acts since first listening to ‘Animal’ many moons ago, with myself going as far as to earmark them as a band to keep an eye, or ear, out for throughout 2025.

You may have stumbled across Fuzz Lightyear at some point this year; the group were part of this year’s Live in Leeds In The City event, performing at Belgrave Music Hall earlier in November, and with the band having just released their last EP through Nice Swan Records last week (November 21), you no doubt will be hearing more of them, about them and hopefully to them by the end of the year.

I, for one, am eagerly waiting for the vinyl that I pre-ordered of Zero Guilt, which you can find more details about below.

So who are Fuzz Lightyear, what have they previously released and, more importantly, when can you catch them live in Leeds before the end of the year?

Who are Fuzz Lightyear?

Fuzz Lightyear is a four-piece noise-rock band based in Leeds, known for their mission to be the "loudest, fastest, and most visceral force" in the local underground.

The group—featuring Ben Parry (vocals, guitar), Josh Taylor (drums), and Varun Govil (bass), and later joined by Alex Calder (synth, guitar)—is defined by an unrelenting mix of genres and a fierce DIY spirit, deeply rooted in the city's legacy through work with the local collective Come Play With Me.

The band's history extends back to their 2020 debut EP, FUZZ II, and their raw, powerful sound has earned them mammoth support across BBC 6 Music (Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens) and major music press (NME, DIY, Dork).

Frontman Ben Parry explained their uncompromising approach to music, stating that the songs are: "the hard and fast result of us trying to write a straight-ahead slammer, chucking in pummelling drums, a bassline influenced by Leeds’s legacy of DIY bands, hyper-nihilist vocals, and two raw guitars, all pushed probably faster than they ought to be.”

This ethos cements their position as a band built on raw live shows and an uncompromising sound, which has earned them fans not just in West Yorkshire but across the United Kingdom, as shown by the number of music festivals they’re being asked to play.

Leeds Festival next, please?

What bands do Fuzz Lightyear sound like?

The band places itself at the cross-section of heavy post-punk, grunge, and alternative noise-rock, with their works a blend of shoegaze, industrial noise-rock, and punk. They are often compared to genre giants like Sonic Youth and Show Me The Body, though to these noise-addled ears I do hear touches of 90s Nottingham noise-outfit Fudge Tunnel, in terms of their at times sludginess and, dare I say it, a touch of irony?

Their music is often described as a "concrete-heavy slab of brutalist rock" that demands attention, achieved through a deliberate fusion of high-gain noise textures and raw industrial rhythms, culminating in the frenetic, chaotic energy that defines their intense, unhinged live performances.

Frontman Ben Parry cites the influence of Leeds's rich legacy of DIY bands, and they frequently tour alongside acts like English Teacher, Lambrini Girls, and The Wytches.

It’s noisy, slightly grunge, slightly post-punk and, above all else, pretty damn exciting to listen to.

What have Fuzz Lightyear released previously before ‘Zero Guilt?’

Fuzz Lightyear’s catalogue shows a steady, escalating progression from early 2020.

Their recorded history begins with the essential early work: the riding, grungy-sounding single ‘Animal’ (released March 12, 2020), which served as the lead track for their raw, self-produced debut EP, FUZZ II (October 23, 2020).

The band released several subsequent singles, including the high-intensity tracks ‘My Body’ and ‘Visual Effect’ (both released January 9, 2025), which cemented the unique sound that led into their latest major project.

What are Fuzz Lightyear releasing next?

Not so much what’s next, but what very recently have the band has dropped to the wider listening audience?

The band has just released their debut EP, Zero Guilt, which is available now via Nice Swan Records and produced by esteemed producer Alex Greaves (Yard Act, Working Men's Club).

The EP features lead singles 'Aberfan,' 'Sit Awake,' and the new focus track 'Christ Alive,’ while longer-standing fans might be familiar with one or two re-recorded tracks that feature on the new EP.

That’s because, as Ben explains, Zero Guilt is a "time capsule" for the band, reflecting the "caution and paranoia" of the post-lockdown period in which they were incubated.

The EP represents their "last hurrah as a tried and true guitar band," and arrives ahead of a debut UK headline tour this December.

Are Fuzz Lightyear playing Leeds anytime soon?

That they are - as part of the aforementioned headline tour in the United Kingdom.

You can catch the band when they play Mabgate Bleach on December 6 at 8pm GMT, with support coming in the form thus far from Manchester electronic-noise duo SILVERWINGKILLER.

One punter on Google described the venue as: “Best kept secret on Leeds music scene, absolutely epic.”

You can pick up tickets to the gig (and it’s probably worth doing so ahead of time) through either Ticketweb or Dice.FM.

Are you in or know a West Yorkshire band, group or musician that you think is worth giving a ‘leg up’ and highlighting they too come from the area? Drop the writer of this article an email with your suggestions, alongside a link to some of their work, either previously or coming up for potential inclusion.