LEAZES CRASH BACK WITH “MIA (MELISSA IN ACTION)” – A CHAOTICALLY BEAUTIFUL NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO FEATURING A WEDDING DRESS, THE METRO… AND A HALLOWEEN HOMETOWN HEADLINE AT THE GROVE
Newcastle’s rising indie heroes Leazes make their long-awaited return this Halloween with “MIA (Melissa in Action)” – a turbo-charged new single and a gloriously unhinged video filmed across Tyneside, featuring frontman Joe King performing in a wedding dress and attempting to TWOC a Tyne and Wear Metro. Released the same day the band headline The Grove, Byker, this is Leazes in full technicolour chaos – and they’ve never sounded, or looked, more alive.
A heady rush of melody and mischief, MIA captures Leazes at their most confident yet: euphoric, emotional, and bursting with Geordie attitude. Recorded with hitmakers SugarHouse Productions (Corella, Glass Caves, Viola Beach) and mastered by Grammy-nominated Robin Schmidt (The 1975, Sam Fender, The Kooks), the single showcases the band’s gift for wrapping heartbreak in huge hooks and their knack for turning lived experience into pure anthem.
“Melissa in Action is a high-energy indie banger that transports you back to your youth, navigating the ups and downs of puppy love,” says frontman and lyricist Joe King. “It’s about the chaos of love and loss – when it feels like the world’s collapsing around you, but you’re just learning. There’s nostalgia, there’s madness, and a wink at how ridiculous it all feels in hindsight.”
The accompanying video takes that spirit and cranks it to eleven. Shot entirely on Tyneside, the colourful, cinematic clip sees Joe sprinting through Metro stations in a wedding gown, serenading passengers and passers-by in a blur of costume changes, confetti, and complete bedlam. It’s a celebration of heartbreak and hilarity – the kind of spectacle only Leazes could pull off.
“We wanted to make something that matched the energy of the song – unfiltered, funny and a bit mental,”says King. “We’ve never taken ourselves too seriously, but we take the craft seriously. The video is chaos, but it’s our kind of chaos — full of colour, full of Newcastle, and full of heart.”
The release coincides with a massive Halloween headline at The Grove, where Leazes will bring their live show – already infamous for its electricity and intimacy – home to a room that’s sold out every time they’ve played it. Support comes from fellow Geordies Charlie Floydand Central Arcade, completing what’s shaping up to be one of the North East’s must-see live nights of 2025.
“This isn’t just another gig; it’s a thank-you to everyone who’s been on the journey with us,” says King. “We’ve put everything into this show – old favourites, new chaos, surprises for everyone in the room. We want people to leave covered in sweat, glitter, and probably someone else’s pint.”
Since emerging in 2024, Leazes have sold out every headline show, played main stages at Hardwick, Come Together and South Tyneside Festivals, and supported the likes of The Enemy, The Rifles and The Pale White. Backed by BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio UK & USA, and Future Hits Radio, they’re quickly defining the sound and spirit of a new Geordie generation – honest, chaotic, and impossible to ignore.
As Shakk (BBC Introducing) puts it: “It’s very rare a band comes along and captures the pulse of our time. Leazes deliver that energy, packed full of big moments, blending raw, impactful lyrics with hooks that stay with you.”
With MIA (Melissa in Action), Leazes are proving just that – a band unafraid to be bold, funny, and fiercely authentic. Expect more anthems, more stories, and more glorious madness from Newcastle’s next big export.