Yee Loi Keep Punk-Rock Energy Running In The Family At B.R.A.T.

Hidden away in the basement of the Yungblud-founded retail and community hub lies a dark, graffiti-embossed basement that must have been designed precisely for nights like these – to showcase the punk energy of Yee Loi, an up-and-coming sibling trio from the Wirral who bring raw energy, edge, chaos and bite in a way that belies their youth.

Yee Loi @ B.R.A.T. Denmark Street

Yee Loi @ B.R.A.T. Denmark Street (David Angel)

Yee Loi is derived from a phonetic translation of the Cantonese phrase “two girls”, an enduring family nickname for the founding sisters, Matilda and Rose, a reference to their English/Chinese heritage.

With a musical education steeped in their dad’s vinyl record collection, laced with classic 70s punk like The Ramones, The Stray Cats, The Sex Pistols and Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, the sisters founded the band during the 2020 lockdown and were later joined by their younger brother, Donnie.

Having supported Adam Ant after their first headline gig and, ahead of supporting Transvision Vamp on their upcoming UK tour, Yee Loi played a thumping set to announce the launch of their debut album, Flick, Licks, Party Tricks, which is being released on 15th January 2027.

The room was packed, very sweaty and became very loud as Matilda, Rose and Donnie delivered a thumping, high-octane set, showcasing their talent and showmanship. Yee Loi played six tracks, covering already released tracks including Why Ask Why, Down in the Bunker and Social Suicide, an insanely brilliant cover of Elvis Presley’s Mystery Train, and two new tracks from the forthcoming album – Picture Perfect and Miraclist.

One of the many interesting aspects of Yee Loi is their ability to blend edge and modernity with neat storytelling in their lyrics, largely written by Matilda. Social Suicide, for example, is a cutting diatribe about the pressure emerging musicians face to chase views, likes and follows, often at the expense of being judged purely on their music and talent.

Down in the Bunker is a gothic tale about a bully and a body in a basement that stems from a family holiday spent in a bad-smelling apartment, while Why Ask Why is a rapid-fire and deliberately confusing tale between two protagonists, one sensing danger and the other seeking proof that there is anything happening beyond some invented melodrama. The songs are catchy but punky, with singalong punch and plenty of imagination.

As the siblings delivered the set, it was clear that there is a genuine level of trust and affection between Matilda, Rose and Donnie, which seems to enthuse them with a confidence and freedom that is hard to fake. The family ties bring warmth and togetherness to a live performance, and the entire audience was swept along on the high-intensity ride.

Matilda is the lead vocalist whilst also being the drummer, a dynamic that works for a three-piece band clearly comfortable with each other’s personalities and talents. The additional prominence of the drumming brings extra punch to the songs and allows Rose and Donnie the freedom to express themselves as guitarists.

Rose clearly loves this freedom and brought a compelling physical presence to the set, filled with all the hair flicks, backbends and jumps that you would expect from someone so expressive. Rose’s calmer moments, as supporting vocalist, create space for Donnie, clearly the quietest of the siblings, to enjoy his moments to shine.

It was hugely energising to see Yee Loi play in a venue of this size. Their talent and energy were almost too much for the packed-out basement, a sign that Matilda, Rose and Donnie are more than ready to embrace the larger venues that are just around the corner as they support Transvision Vamp on their UK tour.

Their relentless spirit leaves them hard to categorise as, whilst punk dominates, there are unmistakeable nods to Americana, classic rock and rockabilly. The band delivers fast and noisy punk-infused melodies with edge, lyrics with impact and a freshness of sound that all combine in an original and unique way.

The cleverness and authenticity of their live performance mean they somehow manage to pay homage to the 1970s whilst also being ready-made for 2026. Each of the band members wore a T-shirt paying homage to their mixed musical heritage – The Stranglers (Rose), The Ramones (Donnie) and Elvis (Matilda) – and perhaps this blend of legends is the ideal way to summarise the uniqueness of Yee Loi.

Yee Loi are going places.

As the set ended and the final chord echoed across the basement, the energy stayed in the room. With Yee Loi, punk-rock energy lies in the family ties, and you can hear it in every lyric and every note.