On the 15th of February, we stumbled back down to the Victoria for another incredible night; this time, spotlighting upcoming punk talent. Put on by Do Yourself A Favour Promotions, the line-up featured Transistrrr and Grail Guard as support for Cuffs, the heavy Bristol based punks.
Transistrrr were the first to hit the stage, and yet their energy resonated with me long after the gig. Transistrrr pack a punch with their gritty punk sound, bold stage presence and spirited dance moves. The duo is almost enchanting to watch on stage; they put their heart and soul into their music, and the passion they possess is unmatched. Transistrrr’s sound blends harsh hardcore punk, with industrial metal, exploiting their fury towards UK politics, healthcare and societal struggles. The duo’s set kicked off with their cover of ‘Outcast Stomp’ by G.L.O.S.S, moving into their original tracks ‘Fuck That’, ‘Bacon Rage’, ‘The World Is a Scary Place’, and ‘Capitalists Always Lie’. Transistrrr then followed their run of original songs with an impressive cover of Idles’ ‘War’. The outfit’s set came to a close with ‘20 Years on an NHS Waiting List’, and ‘Piss Off’.
Favourites from Transistrrr’s set had to be those final two tracks. Transistrrr took a moment out of their set to dedicate their performance to Brianna Ghey. In a short emotional speech, Transistrrr’s lead vocalist spoke about the gross injustices that torment the lives of trans people, as well as outlining her frustration towards journalists and the media regarding their coverage of the tragedy. Following the heart-wrenching invitation to Brianna’s vigil, Transistrrr choose to dedicate their final song ‘Piss Off’ “to all fascists, TERFs, and Nazis”. ‘Piss Off’ drew out the pent-up fury within the entire audience, and for a moment it felt as though the entire audience was connected through their anger and frustration. On the 2nd of December Transistrrr released their debut EP The World Is a Scary Place, you can listen to it now on all major streaming platforms.
Next up was Grail Guard. Grail Guard are a 5-piece hardcore punk outfit hailing from the Midlands. Grail Guard’s set was jam-packed with original tracks covering an eclectic mix of themes, from the heritage of the band’s lead vocalist to the current chaos that is our country’s political and financial state. Grail Guard even managed to fit in a track about Mars and Elon Musk.
This band had a huge and vibrant stage presence, and their energy powered the entire venue. My favourite thing about seeing this group live was being able to experience the true energy of punk. Legs and elbows flying everywhere, with Grail Guard’s lead singer making his presence known in the centre of the floor. Grail Guard’s setlist was as follows: ‘Cruel Britannia’, ‘Weather the Storm’, ‘World’s Gonna Die’, ‘All Tories Are Bastards’, ‘Still Fucked Up’, ‘Our Streets’, ‘Sleep Well’, ‘The Rotten’, and finally, ‘Die on Mars’. Currently, Grail Guard have 2 EPs released, the most recent being ‘Weather the Storm’, which is now available to stream.
Finally, the wonderful headliners. Coming all the way from Bristol, and on the 5th day of their UK tour, Cuffs showed no signs of exhaustion and brought unfathomable energy. Hitting the stage with utter confidence and professionalism, Cuffs delivered a perfect set immersing the audience in their brutal, angsty punk sound. Cuffs approached their set with a traditional punk mindset, their sound breaking through with vital political perspectives and explosive anger. Their UK tour comes after the release of their debut album To Hell and Back released on the 10th February. To Hell and Back has thrown Cuffs into the UK punk scene, spotlighting them as an intense, provocative outfit with immense potential and fresh perspective. Cuffs’ set focussed on showcasing their debut album combined with their unfaltering energy and stage presence.
Favourite tracks of Cuffs set include ‘OCD’ and ‘Cash Cow’. ‘Cash Cow’ is insanely catchy, dragging you fiercely into the mosh and forcing you to become fully immersed in Cuffs provocative and pumped-up performance. Whilst ‘OCD’ still evokes a brutal mosh and vicious headbanging, there’s something so emotional and relatable about this track. For me, it felt like Cuffs put their heart and soul into this song, it seems to have a cathartic effect, acting as a release of anger and frustration. The track explores themes of mental health, medication and isolation using insightful and captivating lyrics. Ultimately, the night was a perfect way to celebrate the release of To Hell and Back, and excellently captured the essence of the album.
You can now listen to Cuffs’ debut album on all major streaming platforms.
Comments