Børns // The Wardrobe, Leeds, 2018 – George Walker
The Wardrobe in central Leeds is an intimate independent venue that crackled with an excitable atmosphere as the small but packed crowd anticipated a Børns performance, following the release of electro-pop love letter Blue Madonna. As silky banger after banger reverberated around us and bounced off the walls, goosebumps rose across my body. As we skulked down in this basement we were experiencing something truly magical, isolated from the doldrums and dirge of the world above us.
If you know Børns you’ll understand what I’m talking about: the silky futuristic synths, the effeminate “Jack White but he’s a pop princess” delivery and style, and the feeling of broken hearts on long, hot summer nights in Los Angeles all feel especially ethereal to someone from a sleepy rainy town in North Yorkshire.
While my appreciation for Garrett Clark Borns’ music has since been tainted by the inappropriate sexual relationships that he is revealed to have had with young fans, that gig on that night, in that venue, felt special. Those in attendance held their lovers in their arms and danced the night away—and these are the moments that my girlfriend and I will hold onto, at least until we can make new musical memories together.