Beans On Toast: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Beans On Toast | William Crighton
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
20th March 2025

Andy Brown heads to the Brudenell Social Club for a life-affirming set by folk singer-songwriter, Beans On Toast. He reviews the night for Louder Than War.

Folk music is there to reflect the times so Jay McAllister, aka Beans On Toast, must have had his hands full these last few years. He’s actually managed to release an album every year since 2009 which is no mean feat. Released last December, the rather lovely Wild Goose Chasers finds McAllister and pianist Matt Millership in a particularly reflective mood. Full of ballads and odes to the moon, it’s the kind of LP that feels like a little self-made shelter from the world. Right now, that sounds like a pretty good place to be.

First up, we get a set from Beans’ touring partner William Crighton. Accompanied by his 12-string acoustic, the Australian singer-songwriter delivers a set of songs that veers from personal reflections to historical explorations. Everything is delivered in strong and impassioned tones. 2000 Clicks serves up some dreamy nostalgia, while Jesus Blues casts a scathing eye in the direction of the collection plate being passed around in his childhood church. Whether it’s tales from a small town or the meaning of life itself, Crighton proves himself to be a compelling storyteller.

Crighton’s songs cover some intense topics but he isn’t averse to a little audience participation. The Brudenell is in fine voice as we’re encouraged to join in for a little call-and-response and communal whistling. It’s his first time in Leeds, but we’re already in the palm of his hand. He’s just as convincing when he switches to the piano for a few songs. He wraps things up with a song called Revenge about the horrendous abuse uncovered in the Catholic church in Australia. Sung a capella, it’s a truly powerful end to a fantastic set.

Matt Millership arrives on stage ahead of Beans On Toast, sits down and treats us to some absolutely gorgeous solo piano. I’ve seen McAllister live a couple of times before tonight, but this show feels different from the get-go. Shoeless and wearing his trademark cap, Mr. Toast comes out singing. “Don’t forget the things that deep down inside you’ve always known” he swoons on Faith In The Moon, “’Cos it’ll all be over soon.” Suddenly, the world drifts away and we’re all together at the Brudenell. Pagan poetry never sounded so good.

There’s no denying that Millership’s piano accompaniment adds a whole new dimension to the already tasty Beans-based recipe. Tracks like A Beautiful Place – from the Survival Of The Friendliest – get a whole new lease of life. Temporarily unhooked from his guitar, McAllister is given space to roam barefoot around the stage, stand on a stool and generally lap up the atmosphere around him. He talks about it being the Spring Equinox and – it has to be said – this latest batch of songs feels particularly apt. Yeah, Easter is overrated anyways.

When McAllister does strap on his guitar, he becomes the alt-folk troubadour we all know. Older, a little wiser but still the kind of guy you’d expect to find strumming his guitar in the corner at a party. Millership’s piano brings a little barroom ambience to the mix too. “There’s so many reasons to be optimistic,” Beans sings on the disarmingly carefree Watching The World Go By. That’s always been McAllister’s strength: optimism in the face of insurmountable odds.

He’s poetic and political, yet none of this would work quite as well if Beans On Toast wasn’t so effortlessly entertaining. One mid-song story finds him telling us about a fan whose boyfriend had tried to pass off some of McAllister’s songs as his own. A long, winding – and highly entertaining – story that culminates in Beans gaining a new fan and leaving a disapproving answer machine message for the unscrupulous boyfriend. It almost comes as a prerequisite when you’re a folk singer but McAllister really is a great storyteller.

Perhaps it’s another folk singer essential, but Beans has a knack for taking some of the biggest issues of the day and turning them into an engaging piece of songwriting. The lyrics provide a relatable commentary to the utter madness that is 2025. When he sings about a “property developer turned ethnic cleanser” on Comfortable In The Counterculture, it isn’t hard to think who he’s referring to. As well as being perfect bait for all the old punks, Taylor Swift For President really does make some rather pertinent points. Vote Swifty!

The War On War finds McAllister addressing the newly broken ceasefire in Gaza. “Just stop fucking killing people!” he succinctly shouts. A plea for sanity in a world that seems increasingly insane. It’s a point that’s driven home later in the show when McAllister works his way into the heart of the crowd to sing another anti-war number. “There’s always money for war” he chants as the crowd clap along. Someday these songs will hopefully feel like relics from another time, but for now, they’re utterly essential.

Other highlights include a sweet song about listening to music with his daughter, an anecdote about jumping off a bridge in Australia, and a Randy Travis cover performed with William Crighton that finds the trio going full-on Johnny Cash. There’s no encore (aka peekaboo for adults) but with a substantial 23-song set, we’ve had an undeniably hearty portion of Beans. After the show, McAllister is scribbling personalised messages onto canvases for fans. My friend gets one made out to his kids. There’s something about a Beans On Toast show that feels genuinely life-affirming. Just remember, don’t lose faith in the moon.

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Find Beans On Toast on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and on his website.

Photos by Neil Chapman (Unholy Racket). You can visit his author profile for Louder Than War and find him on Facebook and Instagram.

All words by Andy Brown. You can visit his author profile and read more of his reviews for Louder Than War HERE.