On Sunday, St Patrick’s Day festivities washed over Newcastle. Revellers sporting novelty hats and bedecked in emerald green lined the city's streets and bars throughout the afternoon and into the evening. However, for the music aficionados, the arrival of the current indie rock heavyweights Yard Act at Northumbria University generated the biggest cause for celebration.

The Yorkshire-based outfit made the short trip up the A1 from Leeds as part of their Dream Job tour. The band’s sophomore album Where’s My Utopia was released at the start of this month and achieved a Top 5 position on the UK charts. There are no signs of any second album slump here.

Opening band Gustaf certainly made an impact early in the evening. The band hails from New York City and have a sound reminiscent of iconic seventies outfits such as Talking Heads and Blondie. Musically and visually, the five-piece fit the Yard Act aesthetic to a tea and were the perfect opener for such an occasion.

The Northern Echo: Yard ACt, Northumbria University, Newcastle

But what of the headliners? By the time Yard Act hit the stage at 9 pm, the Northumbria University Student's Union was packed wall to wall. A testament to the band's rapid ascent. It's only two years since the group played at The Cluny, a show which frontman James Smith reminisced fondly about during the proceedings.

With Where's My Utopia emblazoned across the front of the keyboard stand and Smith's jacket having the word Utopia embroidered across it. The band are proud of their latest offering, and rightly so. Aesthetics aside, the show's opening featured a healthy dose of new material, with An Illusion and When the Laughter Stops included in the first three songs of the set.

The Northern Echo: Yard ACt, Northumbria University, Newcastle

Eight tracks from the band's new record featured. And whilst you may think that might sound like a lot considering that the album is only a few weeks old, the band’s fans welcomed every song in the set with open arms. Highlights from the band’s new album included Petroleum, Fizzy Fish, and We Make Hits.

The beauty of Yard Act's repertoire is that it transcends genre. Almost every song in the set took the band in a slightly different musical direction. Smith's lyrical prowess and poetic lyricism are truly something else. The band's catchy hooks and infectious groove captivated the Tyneside audience from the off.

Choreography is perhaps something you don’t often find at an indie gig, in the case of Yard Act, it worked so well. Backing vocalists and dancers Daisy and Lauren often took the spotlight as they busted a proverbial move alongside frontman James. The pair were a joy to watch throughout and sank their heart and soul into their thoroughly entertaining performance.

The Northern Echo: Yard ACt, Northumbria University, Newcastle

There was even room for a touch of crowd participation when the band invited a member of the audience to spin their version of the Wheel of Fortune. A fan named Huey had the opportunity to influence the band's setlist with the wheel listing early songs from the band's back catalogue. The scene turned a tad comical when Smith realised that the fan shared the same name as his son. He joked that there were only about six Huey's in the world, including his son, the fan, and people such as Huey Lewis and Huey Morgan from the Fun Lovin Criminals, much to everyone’s amusement.

Of course, there was room for songs from the band's debut album, including Witness (Can I Get A)?, Payday and The Overload, to name but a few. Each track sat perfectly in the band's carefully picked setlist alongside their freshest material. Yard Act's set maintained a relatively constant up-tempo pace throughout. There were no ballads, only bangers on Sunday night, and the crowd didn't mind one bit.

The group concluded their main set with a stunning rendition of Vineyard for The North. And whilst there was no encore listed on the group’s on stage setlist, the thunderous claps from the Tyneside audience signalled that the crowd weren't done quite yet.

The Northern Echo: Yard ACt, Northumbria University, Newcastle

Smith and company returned to the stage with a simple “ta-da" from the singer before launching into 100% Endurance. A euphoric airing of Trench Coat Museum brought the show to a close. The latter also featured a dance-off between the band and opening act Gustaf.

Sometimes, you see a concert, and you know you are watching something special unfold. And that was certainly the case on Sunday evening. Perhaps the Leeds-based outfit will need a bigger yard for their act on their next visit to Tyneside.