They start as they mean to go on, all gritty guitar lines and brash rock from the era of muscle cars with Loup Garou, and it feels like they’ve acquired more of a garage edge since the last time they graced our shores. Mars Fever sends us grooving and glitching onto another guitar planer, building with classic irresistible LA rock power, before lead single SOA (Sense Of Adventure) kidnaps us for a a road trip through the desert compressed into five minutes with neon splashes of guitar solo and gut-shaking drum breakdowns. There’s such an evocative quality in every track, hooking us up to an imagined night on Sunset Strip with each rapid fire chord.

Crymwav @ Hope & Anchor, London - 2026.03.20 by Pauline Di Silvestro

Crymwav @ Hope & Anchor, London - 2026.03.20 by Pauline Di Silvestro

“LA’s similar to London in that it’s a cultural melting pot,” grins frontman Roger Deering,  “and that’s the way we fucking like it.” His affinity for the capital means we’re treated to their latest single, Everything Turns Grey, upping the tempo and the pressure with anthem qualities and furious guitar rolls. Surfing A Crymwav, which has to be considered their origin song, slices like a shark through still waters, a mission statement popping with total cool and squealing guitar. Crymwav’s sound bridges the cities, and eras, with ease as we’re gripped at every sonic turn they take.

Menacing vintage sludge  gives way to warming choruses on Contagious, and flies the flag of the distinct identity which Crymwav have carved out: dark, catchy and optimistic despite the smog of distortion with a triumphal finish. It’s not all serious, and that’s why we love Crymwav. They swing into the fun territory of the heavy rock sound with ease on songs like the ballsy, swaggering American Carnage,  packed with roaring solos and bursting sense of fun that surges and climbs with our cheers. A short set leaves us begging for more. Encore Speak No Evil provides a blistering finish with a rhythm like a nail stuck in your tyre and a roar to match, a chiming bridge and a glitzy melodic send off like the city skyline emerging from the fog.

Crymwav’s annual trips to the UK have become a highlight of the year for fans of the heavy and timeless end of the rock spectrum, and there’s no way they’re slowing down any time soon. Roll on next year, when their juggernaut pulls into town again and we’ve got the chance to check out the finest in LA Rock.

A review of Crymwav live at the Hope and Anchor, Islington on 20th March 2026. Words by Kate Allvey, photography by Pauline Di Silvestro

Thrice @ O2 Institute Birmingham

Thrice @ O2 Institute Birmingham (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Lysistrata don’t ease anyone in. From the first moments, it’s all nervous energy and sharp movement, the kind of set that feels unpredictable to shoot as much as it is to watch. Théo Guéneau barely stays still, his guitar work jumping between fractured riffs and more open, drifting passages, while Max Roy locks in with basslines that feel melodic but never comfortable. Behind them, Ben Amos Cooper drives everything forward with a restless precision — sharp snaps and sudden shifts that keep the lighting desk working just as hard as the band.

Vocals are shared, often overlapping, sometimes clashing, but always intentional. It creates a constant push and pull where nothing fully settles, and that tension becomes the focal point. Then Boot On A Thistle lands, and everything clicks. The jagged edges don’t disappear, but they align just enough for the crowd to grab onto. You can hear it — voices coming back at the stage — a moment where complexity turns into connection. It’s easily the standout of their set, not just for how it sounds, but for how it pulls the room in. By the time they leave the stage, there’s no sense of a gentle warm-up; the crowd feels sharper, more engaged, like they’ve been jolted into the night rather than guided into it.

When Thrice walk out, the shift is immediate, but it doesn’t feel like a reset — more like a refinement. There’s no wasted movement, no overstatement. Dustin Kensrue stands steady at centre stage, while Teppei Teranishi and brothers Eddie and Riley Breckenridge lock into a rhythm that feels completely dialled in.

From a visual standpoint, it’s a different world. Where Lysistrata thrived in chaos, Thrice lean into control. Lighting cues hit with precision, silhouettes hold just long enough, and every shift in intensity feels matched both sonically and visually. It’s the kind of set where you’re not chasing moments — they’re landing exactly where you expect them, just sharper.

There’s a noticeable intensity to the performance tonight. Not fatigue — something more focused. Being second to last on the run seems to push everything slightly further, like the band are squeezing every last drop out of the set. The newer material carries real weight live, sitting heavy in the room but never dragging.

Mid-set, The Artist In The Ambulance drops in — faster, brighter, instantly recognisable. It cuts through the atmosphere like a flash, but what stands out isn’t just the reaction — it’s the consistency of it. The crowd doesn’t spike simply because it’s an older track; they meet it with the same energy they’ve been giving everything else. From the pit to the balcony, it feels unified — not a crowd waiting for hits, but one fully locked into the whole set.

Kensrue’s voice remains a focal point throughout, shifting from restrained to full force without losing clarity, while Teranishi’s guitar work threads through everything with that familiar mix of precision and texture. The Breckenridge brothers keep it all grounded — a rhythm section that feels as solid as ever, even as the dynamics around them constantly shift.

What really lands tonight is the sense of flow. The set doesn’t feel segmented into eras — it moves. Older tracks don’t feel like throwbacks, newer ones don’t feel like interruptions. Everything sits together as part of the same arc, and the crowd follows it without hesitation.

By the time the night peaks, that early unpredictability from Lysistrata has given way to something far more controlled, but no less intense. With only one date left after Birmingham, there’s a sense of a band fully locked in — not winding down, but dialling everything to its sharpest point. For those in the room, it’s more than just catching a band with history. It’s watching one still in motion, and knowing you’ve caught them right before the final frame.

Live review ofThrice and Lysistrata @ O2 Institute Birmingham, by Henry Finnegan on 18th March 2026. Instagram: @finneganfoto | Facebook: @finneganfoto

From Storm To Spotlight: The Nocturnal Affair & The SoapGirls Bring Contrast And Chaos To Islington Assembly Hall

Crystal Lake @ The Brook, Southampton

Crystal Lake @ The Brook, Southampton (Rebecca Cairns)

Openers Diesect have come all the way from Brisbane, Australia. “It took us about twenty-eight hours to get here, and honestly, we don’t know how we’re gonna get home”, laments frontman Damien Bigara, explaining the extent of their battle to perform their first ever UK show tonight. All flights home are cancelled due to war in Iran.

Despite the dilemma, Diesect are dead set on making the best of the situation – “As you can tell, we like to play big breakdowns. If you mosh in this country, we wanna see it”. The crowd is keen to return the favour. Beginning the night with the title track of their latest EP Hide From the Light, the tone is set by the sound of mechanical clatter and a robotic voice that speaks of inner turmoil and darkness.

This peaks with Four Walls, during which there are unpredictable stabs of squealing distortion, and malfunctioning breakbeats. As the floor rumbles throughout, it is akin to a self-destruct siren, and furious panic as Bigara realises there is no escape from the haunted power plant that is melting down around him. It is about as huge as hopelessness can sound.

According to Ethan Harrison of New Hampshire quartet Great American Ghost, this is as cheery as tonight will get, and the worst of the horror is yet to come – “Are you ready to have a good time with us? That was the last band! Are you ready to have a bad time with us?”. He might be thousands of miles from home, but he is has no issue with finding the next target for his politically-charged lyrics – “This next song is called Kingmaker. It’s about Andrew.”.

Like every other band tonight, Great American Ghost enjoy shaking the room between songs with a volcano-like bass grumble. However, they put it to the most appropriate use with strobing orange and red lights during Kerosene – a horrifyingly direct commentary of universal misery in warfare. Harrison throws the microphone to the ground with the other at the end of Altar of Snakes, having seemingly forgotten that the equipment needs to survive for the rest of the UK tour.

First headliner Miss May I with their more polite name, pride in the most inspirational lyrics, and their dual scream/clean vocals, are perhaps most deserving of the label of “melodic metalcore”. But that isn’t to say that the show wasn’t getting louder still. Miss May I are on their first UK tour since 2018, and it is instantly obvious just how long fans had been kept waiting, as the entire room explodes into motion with everybody punching the air to Masses of a Dying Breed.

Despite the fact that the venue almost seems purpose-built to prevent circle pits, due to its pillars, many fans accept the challenge and run around them like a mosh pit maypole during I.H.E.. After an early evening that dwelt so much on sorrow, it is striking just how much everybody seems to be enjoying themselves. Frontman Levi Benton would agree as he introduces Into Oblivion – “this song is about wanting fucking more!”.

And more everybody gets. There is a big vocal call-and-response during Under Fire, and even at moments when the new material is less familiar (such as new single Die On the Vine, everybody claps along. Drummer Jerod Boyd cannot stop grinning and twirling his sticks, and Benton audibly regrets taking so long to return to the UK – “Thank you for all these years, and cheers to many, many more.”

Second headliners, Japanese metalcore and deathcore group Crystal Lake, must have been well aware of their brutality when they chose their moniker, having chosen to name themselves after the location of the Friday the 13th slasher films. Similarly, with a new album and title single entitled The Weight of Sound, they are well prepared to come down hard and heavy on the UK. Since the departure of previous vocalist Ryo Kinoshita in 2023, new powerhouse vocalist John Robert Centorrino has filled his space very convincingly, even when performing older favourites such as SIX FEET UNDER and Apollo.

“We’ve been touring for four weeks, and I’m tired, but that doesn’t matter. The show must go on.”. Regardless of how weary the band might be, they do not show it for a moment. “Southampton, how the fuck are we doing? Thank you for hanging out with us, but now we need your fucking energy! I need every motherfucker to jump! Are you with me? Jump!”.

If the atmosphere of the night can be defined by one moment, there is a slightly saccharine sense of community, as Centorrino signals to the crowd (or his “hardcore kids”) – “this is not Crystal Lake. We are Crystal Lake. You are the blood.”. He then pretends to mow down the audience with a machine gun, in sync with the punishing double bass drums during BlüdGod.

It is a strange combination that feels as though it could not work anywhere else, and nobody would have it any other way.

Review of Crystal Lake And Miss May I at The Brook, Southampton on 16th March 2026 by Nick Pollard. Photography by Rebecca Cairns.

Slaughter To Prevail Level Birmingham On The Grizzly Winter Tour

A Thursday afternoon at the Gibson Garage in London might sound like an unusual time for a gig, but that didn’t stop the room from filling with energy, storytelling, and some truly unforgettable performances.

Outpost Drive @ Gibson Garage, London

Outpost Drive @ Gibson Garage, London (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Outpost Drive’s Transatlantic Magic

Ahead of their appearance at C2C, Outpost Drive – made up of Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg – delivered a stripped-back intimate set that still managed to feel huge. Their unique UK–US partnership adds an interesting element and authenticity to their music, blending transatlantic influences into something that feels both classic and fresh. With nothing more than two voices and a guitar, they somehow filled the Gibson halls with rich harmonies and emotion. Willow’s voice is simply astonishing, soaring effortlessly and carrying every lyric with a power that felt far bigger than the small stage. Anyone catching them at C2C is in for something special.

Dan Byrne’s Captivating Storytelling

Joining them was Dan Byrne, a self-admitted “non-country” artist, but genres quickly felt irrelevant once he started playing. His powerful voice and narrative style drew the room in, turning each song into a story that unfolded right in front of us. It was a captivating set, and with a tour on the horizon, Dan Byrne is definitely someone worth keeping an eye on.

Jack Browning’s Moment of Connection

Closing out the afternoon was Jack Browning, bringing another powerhouse combination of vocals and guitar. Between songs, his easygoing storytelling made the room feel personal and connected, but it was one particular moment that truly stuck with me. A song about battling imposter syndrome and the feeling of never being enough hit in a way I wasn’t expecting. I arrived at the Gibson Garage anticipating harmonies and western vibes, but I left deeply changed – for the better – by Jack’s performance. And if anyone ever doubts the power of music and how it can change you, just send them to a Jack Browning gig.

A Perfect Antidote to a Grey London Afternoon

But it all comes full circle back to Outpost Drive. Their effortless harmonies, heartfelt songwriting, and that unique UK–US blend set the tone for the afternoon perfectly. In such an intimate space, their ability to captivate the room with nothing more than voices, guitar, and genuine connection reminded everyone why moments like this matter. If this performance is anything to go by, their upcoming C2C appearance is set to be something truly special – and it proved to be the perfect antidote to a wet Thursday afternoon in London.

Live review & photography of Outpost Drive, Dan Byrne and Jack Browning @ The Gibson Garage, London, by Henry Finnegan on 12th March 2026. Instagram: @finneganfoto | Facebook: @finneganfoto

Liam Price Stakes His Claim At London’s Water Rats

mgk @ The O2

mgk @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

It’s a rare pause in what is otherwise a relentlessly high-energy, often chaotic celebration of the artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly. And chaos is very much the point.

The scale of tonight’s production is clear from the outset. A towering faux Statue of Liberty dominates the stage, complete with a nose ring and an oversized cigarette clutched in her outstretched hand. As the opening bars of outlaw overture rumble through the arena, mgk emerges through the statue’s mouth, grabbing a guitar dangling from above. “London, let’s go! Are you ready for the best night of your fucking life!” he roars.

Flame boxes scattered around the criss-cross stage erupt as the band launches straight into starman, mgk bounding across the stage with microphone in hand before swapping seamlessly to guitar. It’s a pattern repeated all night: outfit changes, guitars appearing and disappearing, dancers weaving through the performance and bursts of pyro punctuating the spectacle.

“London, get on your feet, jump!” he demands — and the arena obliges instantly. “So this is what it looks like when you sell out The O2, huh?” he grins.

Musically, the show darts through the many eras of mgk’s career. Video interludes — featuring a tongue-in-cheek vlogger dissecting the different phases of Baker’s genre-jumping catalogue — provide breathers between segments.

A rap-heavy medley of maybe, Wild Boy and El Diablo reminds the crowd of his early hip-hop days, while Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker drives the band with thunderous precision throughout.

Travis Barker with mgk @ The O2

Travis Barker with mgk @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Barker’s propulsive rhythms underpin much of the set, particularly during dont wait run fast, even when mgk briefly loses his place. “I’m so sorry, I fucked that up,” he laughs, before powering through the rest of the track as guitarists Sophie Lloyd and Justin “Jus” Lyons shred beside him while flames shoot skyward.

Justin "Jus" Lyons & Sophie Lloyd with mgk @ The O2

Justin "Jus" Lyons & Sophie Lloyd with mgk @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

“We’ve got a two-hour show for y’all tonight — that’s 38 songs. I need to see if those voices are ready!” Baker shouts before the rapid-fire medley arrives. The crowd clearly are.

The show frequently leans into the pop-punk era that transformed Baker’s career. Acoustic guitars frame the evolving lost americana-tinged arrangements scattered throughout the set, notably during starman that slips into large swathes of Third Eye Blind’s 1998 hit Semi‑Charmed Life — a playful nod that sends the crowd into a nostalgic singalong.

The Tickets To My Downfall portion of the show hits particularly hard.“To one of my favourite cities in the world, can I play this pink guitar” he asks, appearing behind a mic stand enclosed in an oversized prop cigarette, brandishing a his signature Schecter PT electric guitar as title track from the 2020 LP shifts from sparse slow-drive to beat-driven rousing. drunk face, bloody valentine and forget me too ignite huge reactions, with the latter featuring pre-recorded vocals from Halsey shimmering over the PA. Cigarettes are the theme throughout, the musician will undoubetdly face fines for smoking himself throughout the high-energy show.

mgk @ The O2

mgk @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

But it’s during bloody valentine, with fans invited on stage, that an excited audience member falls foul of the unique stage shape by stepping into a gap in the stage. The fan unhurt, mgk continues with the song before later gifting her a hat: “I wear this hat every fuckin’ day. My friend Icky made this hat for me, it’s special. It’s yours” he says placing the hat on her head.

“I like this view, but I think I’m gonna go over there,” mgk suddenly declares before diving off stage and sprinting through the arena floor toward the B-stage near the sound desk. From the smaller stage he strips things back with Glass House, rapping alongside the recorded voice of Naomi Wild. “This song is a song I wrote at one of my lowest times,” he tells the audience.

He soon pivots again, introducing new single times of my life with a heartfelt dedication: “I’m gonna remember this night for the rest of my life. This song is about nights like these, because I hope when you go home you’ll include tonight as one of the times of your life.”

In a spontaneous moment he segues into Fix You by Coldplay and Hey Jude by The Beatles, thousands of voices filling the arena. “We just decided to do that right before the show,” he shrugs. “Just wanted to show some love to a country that’s made some beautiful music that’s really lifted the spirit of my soul.”

Opening act Julia Wolf returns the to stage for a heartfelt cover of Goo Goo Dolls’ hit 1998 tune Iris, the pair rising above the stage on separate platforms. It’s an emotional high point before mgk cheekily follows it with treading water, which borrows heavily from the same chord progression.

Julia Wolf @ The O2

Julia Wolf @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

Then things swing wildly back to chaos. DAYWALKER arrives like a sonic sledgehammer before comedian Pete Davidson wanders on stage for roll the windows up. “Pete’s shooting a movie in your town,” mgk jokes. “He said he wants you to bother him, find his hotel and just stay outside and annoy him all day.”

“I’m in Mayfair, bitches!” Davidson grins.

Amid the spectacle, the most personal moment arrives during play this when i’m gone, as home videos of Baker’s daughter Casie fill the massive screen. “I miss when you were that old,” he says softly as a clip of her as a toddler appears. “This song is for those here with their loved ones, or anyone who’s ever loved something or someone.”

The mood doesn’t last long. During papercuts, his guitar spits sparks from the headstock as flames roar behind him — until the pyrotechnic briefly malfunctions. “It’s going wrong dude!” he laughs nervously before the effect finally dies out. “Hell yeah, if I’m gonna be burned alive I’d rather it be at this motherfuckin’ place.”

mgk @ The O2

mgk @ The O2 (Kalpesh Patel)

The final stretch keeps the crowd roaring: the country-leaning Lonely Road, featuring recorded vocals from Jelly Roll (“Sing my buddy Jelly’s verse” mgk asks), followed by cliché, sweet coraline and the closing anthem vampire diaries.

For an artist who has spent much of his career shifting identities — rapper, rocker, provocateur — tonight feels like a milestone. Selling out The O2 for the first time clearly matters to him. And despite the genre hopping, the chaos and the self-deprecating humour, the sense of triumph is unmistakable.

For mgk, Thursday night in London isn’t just another stop on a tour. It’s a moment he intends to remember — and judging by the roar inside The O2, so will everyone else in the room.

Live review & photography of mgk @ The O2 Arena, London by Kalpesh Patel on 5th March 2026.

Third Eye Blind Bring Chaos, Charm And Catharsis To London’s Islington Assembly Hall