Sax Appeal Drax Project's Manchester Debut Hits All the Right Notes
- Isobel Eve Scott
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
YES, MANCHESTER 19TH MAY 2025
WORDS AND IMAGES ISOBEL EVE SCOTT
Just off Oxford Road is my absolute favourite venue in Manchester: YES. A building made up of two live spaces, a rooftop bar, and a pizza kitchen — what’s not to love? I'm here tonight to see Drax Project, a band I don’t know too much about. I love this kind of gig, where I can walk in with no expectations and just enjoy the ride.
I'm sat in the bar section while waiting for the upstairs venue doors to open, soaking in a reggae and jazz playlist spun by YES’s DJ. Around 8pm, I head upstairs. The opening band, Brisbane-based pop group JUNO, take the stage not long after. There aren’t too many people inside the venue just yet, and that seems to be keeping the crowd from gathering too close to the front.
They kick things off with their first song, frontwoman Kahlia Ferguson utterly bursting with energy. Midway through, the pianist picks up a saxophone, instantly taking me back to the jazzy atmosphere downstairs. As a huge fan of funk, there’s not much I love more at a gig than a smooth sax line — and I’m in for a treat tonight.
JUNO released their debut EP pity party just last month, and most of their set pulls from it. It’s a refreshing dose of lo-fi pop with the kind of synth-driven sound I absolutely adore. It might be a bit of a tired comparison to make, but there’s a strong After Laughter-era Paramore vibe, especially in the song me before you. The standout for me, though, is think twice — a funkier track with a particularly gorgeous bass line. It’s played via backing track rather than live, which is a bit of a shame — a live bassist would’ve added even more dimension.
It’s clear I’m not the only one enjoying myself. The crowd gradually inches closer to the stage throughout their set. JUNO are setting the bar high, and I’m starting to build some real expectations for Drax Project.
Roughly half an hour later, Drax Project hit the stage to huge excitement from the crowd. It’s only now I notice just how mixed the audience is — fans of all ages, which is always a great sign. They open with Oh My, from their most recent album. Halfway through, frontman Shaan Singh whips out his saxophone for the first of many solos of the night (I’m really getting my sax fix!).
Formed in New Zealand, Drax Project are a four-piece pop and R&B outfit: Shaan Singh (vocals/sax), Matt Beachen (drums), Ben O’Leary (guitar), and — to my absolute delight — bassist (!) Sam Thomson. Tonight marks their first ever Manchester show.
Prefer is a standout — an older track that translates brilliantly live. Shaan delivers some stellar vocals, and the band’s chemistry makes it a real high point of the night.
It pains me slightly to point this out, but the turnout isn’t the biggest. That said, everyone is completely locked in, singing along to every word. It’s just a personal wish of mine that more people would show up to these smaller gigs at independent venues — they really are something special.
Between songs, the band share stories about their roots as a busking group, playing covers on the streets of New Zealand. One of those covers, Justin Timberlake’s Cry Me a River, closes the show. It’s rare to see a band end on a cover, but the energy in the room for this one is electric — the perfect way to wrap up the night.
SETLIST
1/ OH MY
2/ FIREFLY
3/ WOKE UP LATE
4/ LUXURY
5/ ATMOSPHERE
6/ HOW DOES IT FEEL
7/ FASHION SENSE
8/ BRAIN
9/ TOTO
10/ PREFER
11/ MAD AT YOU
12/ SUMMER RAIN
13/ CATCHING FEELINGS
14/ ALL THIS TIME
15/ CRY ME A RIVER
FOLLOW DRAX PROJECT
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