Ugly

Ugly play Sidney & Matilda on Sunday 25 October, a Sunday night gig in the heart of Sheffield. It's a single-act bill, so the whole set belongs to them.

They're a sextet, formed in Cambridge and now based in London, and they've built their sound on a deliberate collision of influences. On one side there are sacred choral harmonies; on the other, sprawling post-rock and the melodic warmth of 1960s and 70s folk-rock. It's a wide stretch of ground to cover in one band, and the choral side suggests a vocal weight that doesn't usually sit alongside post-rock's long, building textures. The folk-rock element brings in a different kind of warmth, the sort of melodic sensibility that keeps things grounded even when the arrangements start to wander.

Their songwriting leans on contrast, new ideas and an outright rejection of convention, and they've a stated aim of giving space to all six of the group's distinct voices. That's a fair amount of ground to hold in a single song, and it points to a set where the vocals are as much a part of the arrangement as the instruments. With six voices to work with, the choral harmonies they mention aren't just a background detail; they're a central part of how they build their sound.

It runs from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM at Sidney & Matilda, 46 Sidney Street, Sheffield, S1 4RH. Tickets are £16.87, which includes the booking fee.