Live Review: Arm's Length - Project House, Leeds
13th February 2026
Support: Koyo, Ben Quad, Shoreline
Words & Photos: Martin Hingley
Ontario punk-pop outfit Arm’s Length bring their There’s A Whole World… tour to Project House in Leeds for an evening of sing-along anthems and bouncing riffs.
Getting the evening up and running are German melodic punk outfit Shoreline, who really set the tone for the night with incredibly catchy tunes that get the crowd in the mood for a solid night of punk-pop. Opening with Needles, Shoreline keep things up-tempo and get the crowd singing along to their short but sweet songs. Moving swiftly through their set, vocalist Hansol Seung displays the band’s gratitude to the punters who’ve come down early to catch them. Seung’s vocals are clean while packing plenty of punch, allowing the rest of the band to complement him musically.
As the set progresses, they play a few newer tracks in support of their upcoming release Is This The Low Point Or The Moment After, also announcing they’ll be back in Leeds later in the year. Closing with Bent/Broken, they receive an incredible reception, rounding off a fun, energetic, and impactful opening performance.
Up next are Ben Quad, who take their name from the Star Wars pod-racing character and continue the pop-punk goodness this evening. Rather unusually, lead guitarist Edgar Viveros stands front and centre despite not having a vocal role, the reason for which becomes obvious the moment they start playing. Constantly jumping around the stage, he puts on a show of his own, and his melodic riffs are out of this world, perfectly showcasing what Ben Quad are all about. Combined with lead vocalist Sam Wegrzynski’s more abrasive, screamy vocal style, it’s easy to see why the crowd are so engaged. Throw in some fun crowd interactions and it’s a recipe for success! Ben Quad deliver a lively, energetic set that brings exactly the kind of wholesome chaos you want on a Friday night in Leeds.
Koyo are fast becoming fan favourites on the pop-punk scene, and tonight gives them another opportunity to prove exactly why. Having only been in the UK last year supporting Four Year Strong, it’s clear they’ve built a strong connection with British audiences. From the moment they step on stage, lead vocalist Joey Chiaramonte barely stands still, bouncing around in true pop-punk fashion.
Driven by the band members’ hardcore influences, Koyo deliver a slightly heavier take on the genre, something the audience fully embraces with multiple crowd surfers making their way over the barrier throughout the set. With a new release slated for later this year, fans are treated to unreleased material in the form of What I’m Worth before the band close with a sensational performance of Ten Digits Away.
Tonight’s headliners, Canadian rockers Arm’s Length, arrive on stage slightly later than planned due to a minor technical issue with an on-stage amplifier, but it does nothing to dampen the atmosphere. The reception they receive from the packed-out crowd is nothing short of incredible, louder than some bands who’ve been around far longer. From the very first to the final word of the set, the audience act like an extra band member, singing back every lyric delivered by Allen Steinberg. Spread across the front of the stage, the rest of the band are all smiles as they effortlessly work through fan favourites from Funny Face to Overture, clearly savouring every second of performing tonight.
As the set continues, Jeremy Whyte applies his deft touch to the band’s intricate, irregular riffs, this a key part of what makes Arm’s Length’s sound feel so unique. Before breaking into Dirge, Steinberg jokes with the crowd about staying in time or risking throwing him off when they start singing along.
With a flawlessness few bands can match, Arm’s Length capture the hearts and minds of everyone in the room as they tear through a set largely built around material from There’s A Whole World Out There. It’s a performance full of wholesomeness and class that suggests a very bright future ahead. Having only discovered them recently myself, I already can’t wait to see them again, hopefully on an even bigger stage, bringing their melodic pop-punk stylings to an even wider audience.
Photo credits: Martin Hingley
