PANIC SHACK + LAMBRINI GIRLS – LEXINGTON, KINGS CROSS, LONDON 14.2.23 / PANIC SHACK + SNAYX + ANOTHER DAY – THE FORUM, TUNBRIDGE WELLS 15.2.23 / PANIC SHACK + SNAYX – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 16.2.23
Romi Lawrence, Sarah Harvey, Emily Smith, and Meg Fretwell formed Panic Shack in Cardiff back in 2018, where they first set about learning their craft. Covid soon put a halt on proceedings, but past lockdown and the band are out there gigging and spreading the word and gaining many new fans everywhere they play!
The Brighton & Hove News Music Team were fortunate to first witness Panic Shack in a live setting nine months ago at last year’s Great Escape new music festival, when they played the Brighthelm Centre at the very top of Brighton’s North Road from 2:30pm to 3:00pm on Friday 13th May. For once the date was a good omen! Our reviewer Guy Christie stated: “It was obvious that judging by the queue outside that many festival goers wanted to see this band. A huge cheer greeted them and they kicked in with sharp riot grrrl power pop with hooks a plenty…..Panic Shack are obviously making a name for themselves, so I would suggest catching them as soon as possible!”.
Our appetites had been whetted and we wished to have another encounter. We did, a late one, from 12:30am to 1:00am on 5th August on the After Dark & RIS stage at the Rebellion Punk Music Festival in Blackpool. It was drummer Nick’s first live performance with the band and he sailed through in fine colours. This set was witnessed by our Music Editor, Nick Linazasoro who observed: “They are the new sound of punk that write lyrics about annoying everyday happenings and are a band that fit Brighton’s mindset……This was a decent toe tapping set…”.
It was now the turn of reviewer Mark Kelly to witness Panic Shack. He caught up with them at the ‘Ritual Union Festival’ in Bristol on 1st October last year. Mark observed: “They’re a feisty punk band from Wales, overflowing with attitude……A mosh pit quickly develops and doesn’t really subside for the rest of their set……There’s been a buzz about Panic Shack and it really is deserved. They’re a killer live band, and their material is witty without ducking the serious issues. For once, a band who are worth the hype”.
This year, we again caught up with Panic Shack at a festival. This time it was at ‘Rockaway Beach’ at Butlins in Bognor Regis, where they not only performed their allotted set, but also obliged a second set, due to a very late cancellation. They kicked off the festival on the Reds Stage from 3:00pm to 3:30pm on 6th August, where we noted: “They crashed through the UK music scene with a tidal wave of ear-crunching noise. Immediately building up a reputation for their raw, unapologetic live shows and off-kilter songs, Panic Shack prove that DIY does it better. Since their inception it’s been non-stop for this Welsh punk quintet. With support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music, Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders, Radio X, Bob Vylan, and PRS, it’s clear that this band have started something special”. Their second set (the last minute one) was the following day on the same stage from 2:00pm to 2:30pm, where they gave the exact same energy!
Panic Shack had seriously been making their name as festival organisers go-to band, but now they are out on their own 14-date headlining UK tour, with virtually every date a sell-out. Being a finger on the pulse band, they also invited a trio of other rising stars that the Brighton & Hove News have seen live on many occasions, to play certain dates on their tour as support acts. They selected Brighton’s very own Lambrini Girls and Brighton and Seaford’s SNAYX, as well as Shelf Lives which is the brainchild of Sabrina (from Toronto) and Jonny (from Northampton) and they make the type of music that everyone describes differently. It’s a little bit punk, it’s a little bit alt pop, it’s a little bit electronic with a hip hop cherry on top.
We hit on the idea of spreading the Panic Shack love further across the Brighton & Hove News Music Team for this headline tour and thus what will follow below are a trio of reviews from their London, Tunbridge Wells and Brighton tour dates. Mark Kelly (again) was dispatched to the capital with new photographer Emma Austin to take care of the Lexington gig, John Bownas will be reviewing the Kent date in Tunbridge Wells with photos from Sara-Louise Bowrey (reviewers Iona Murphy and Andy Murphy also attended but as days off), and Teddy Webb was on the case for the Brighton date, with photos from Cris Watkins, reviewers Peter Greenfield, David McLean and Music Editor Nick Linazasoro were also present. None of the reviewers have any idea what the other reviewers have written until they read the reports below and there was absolutely no collaborating! Here you go, enjoy……
PANIC SHACK + LAMBRINI GIRLS – LEXINGTON, KINGS CROSS, LONDON 14.2.23 (reviewer Mark Kelly)
In order to demonstrate that romance isn’t dead, I decided to take my dearly beloved to see Panic Shack on Valentines’ Day. The last time I saw Panic Shack at Rough Trade in Bristol (as part of the‘ Ritual Union Festival’) the mosh pit pretty much filled the room. Just my partner’s kind of thing, I thought.
I’d seen the Lambrini Girls once before, supporting Shame (playing a secret gig as Almost Seamus, it being St Patrick’s night and all) at The Prince Albert in Brighton. They’d been pretty anarchic, so I was looking forward to seeing them tonight.
Unsurprisingly, they don’t disappoint. Singer Phoebe Lunny takes her dress off within the first two minutes and remains in her underwear for the rest of their set. Luckily the Lexington isn’t the coldest of venues by a long way. Indeed, I’ve heard the term ‘sweatbox’ used to describe it. Having made herself more comfortable she climbs down into the audience, taking her mic stand with her. She’s claiming territory!!!
The first song ‘F*ck Myself’ is about toxic masculinity. However, the third song ‘Lads Lads Lads’ is an early highlight. This song is about lad culture, which is another form of toxic masculinity. In her enthusiasm to romp around in the audience, Phoebe accidentally unplugs her guitar. Luckily her colleagues are able to ‘hold the fort’ musically until she is able to plug in again.
The bulk of the Lambrini Girls’ material is about sexual politics. In a way it’s a sad reflection on our society that bands feel that they have to sing about this particular subject. On the other hand it’s great that there is a platform from which they can comment so loudly and forcibly.
‘White Van’ is about kerb crawling. It starts with a short drum solo featuring a cowbell. Lots of cowbell. It’s an accepted fact that you can never have too much cowbell. ‘Boys In The Band’ (pointedly perhaps sharing a title with a Libertines song) is about the abuse of women, and the need to call abusers out.
Final song is entitled ‘Craig David’. It’s a simple call and response song: the singer shouts “Craig!”, we shout “David”! Simple but effective. The Lambrini Girls are a lot of fun whilst not losing the gravity of their message. Their set is far too short. I look forward to seeing them headline at some point. Luckily I won’t have to wait for too long, as they headline at this very venue on 31st May.
Lambrini Girls:
Phoebe Lunny – vocals, guitar
Lily Boşgelmez – bass
Catt Jack – drums
Lambrini Girls setlist:
‘F*ck Myself’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘Big Dick Energy’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘Lads Lads Lads’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘White Van’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘Help Me I’m Gay’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘The Boys In The Band’ (from forthcoming 2023 ‘You’re Welcome’ EP)
‘Craig David’ (unreleased)
Panic Shack had been down the front for the Lambrini Girls’ set, and indeed seem to have been energised by it. Opener ‘Baby’ sets out their stall, with its repeated refrain “I don’t wanna hold your baby”. Singer Sarah Harvey’s approach during this song is one of vitriolic attack. However, she’s not a one trick pony and has other vocal approaches which she can employ.
‘Mannequin Man’s protagonist is “from London town”. After the song guitarist Romi Lawrence assures us that no offence was intended. Repeatedly during the song the said mannequin man is urged to “say something”. As far as this audience is concerned the band may as well be asking them to ‘do something’, as there’s certainly no mosh pit tonight. During the song’s middle eight they repeatedly freeze their dancing to look like mannequins!
Whilst Panic Shack can be funny, they can be deadly serious too. ‘I Don’t Really Like It’ is a case in point. Like all good songs it can be interpreted in different ways. It could be about lecherous men making a nuisance of themselves, or it could be about actual abuse. Whichever it is, it’s certainly not anything pleasant, and it has to stop.
‘Jiu-Jits-You’ is more light-hearted: “I do Jiu-jitsu. I’m gonna jiu-jits-you”. The song also features some hilarious synchronised dancing. Well, I presume it was supposed to be hilarious….. ‘The Ick’ is about an ‘icky’ boyfriend, who puts the milk in first when pouring tea. It’s a good job that they haven’t come round to my house for tea. I fear I may disappoint them…..
‘Jelly Baby’ is a very new song. ‘Meal Deal’ is hilarious, prefaced by Sarah asking the audience what their favourite meal deal is. ‘Cash Piggy’ is seemingly about a sugar daddy, the chorus punctuated by cries of “oink oink”! ‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ meanwhile largely consists of loads of brand names of lighters being repeated. It probably wouldn’t get played on BBC radio. However, it’s marked by great playing and a great sense of joie de vivre.
The final song is a cover of ‘Gay Bar’ by Electric Six. There are no encores. I ask Sarah Harvey why, and she tells me that they’ve “played everything”. Really it doesn’t matter. There’s an old belief that an audience should be left wanting more, and we do. Panic Shack were better this time than when I first saw them (and they were really good then), and doubtless they’ll be even better when I see them next. Lush!!!
Panic Shack:
Sarah Harvey – lead vocals
Meg Fretwell – guitar and bv’s
Romi Lawrence – guitar and bv’s
Emily Smith – bass
Nick – drums
Panic Shack setlist:
‘Baby’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Mannequin Man’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘ParTy SD’ (unreleased)
‘I Don’t Really Like It’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jiu-Jits-You’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Do Something’ (unreleased)
‘The Ick’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jelly Baby’ (unreleased)
‘Meal Deal’ (unreleased)
‘Cash Piggy’ (unreleased)
‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Gay Bar’ (Electric Six cover)
PANIC SHACK + SNAYX + ANOTHER DAY – THE FORUM, TUNBRIDGE WELLS 15.2.23 (reviewer John Bownas)
Tunbridge Wells Forum has a real buzz outside on a chilly February midweek evening as three bands complete their soundchecks and the doors prepare to open to a sold-out show. Four Welsh girrlz (and a lad on drums) who are waking up the world right now are headlining – they are Panic Shack. More of them later. The middle slot is taken by two south-coast blokes (and a girl on drums) known as Snayx (stylized as SNAYX) …and if you haven’t heard about them yet we can guarantee you soon will.
But opening the night is the Kent four-piece, Another Day, and it’s gratifying to see that by the time they take the stage the audience is already 75% at capacity – something we applaud, because all too often crowds mill around in local pubs before the headliner is due to come on. Well done, Tunbridge Wells!
Another Day are cousins and brothers Louis, Jonte, Harley, and Charlie – respectively lead vocals (and back flips as he is a professional freestyle trampolinist), bass, drums, and lead guitar.
Their sound is unashamedly born out of those halcyon days of the early 90s, when punk re-emerged into the world as clean-cut standard-bearers for teenage rebellion. Back then it was all skateboards and BMX stunts – but Another Day have gone down the extreme gymnastics route, and their stage show blends great music with athletic displays of the backflips which have become their signature point of difference.
If they aren’t sounding like Weezer or Ash they are taking on The Red Hot Chili Peppers at their own game – and winning.
Here is a band with the looks and the lifestyle – plus the songs and the musical talent – to make a real mark. We’ve seen them come and go, but Another Day feels like the real McCoy, and if in three years we aren’t seeing them knock it out of the park at Reading and Leeds we’d be mightily surprised.
The band are set to return to The Forum on Saturday 15th April, where they will perform a co-heading show with Entropy.
Another Day:
Louis Hillier – vocals, rhythm guitar
Charlie Kish – lead guitarist, backing vocals
Harley Dighton – drums
Jonte Hillier – bass
Another Day setlist:
‘Hours & Hours’
‘Quicksand’ (2022 single)
‘Cyclone’
‘As Time Goes On’
‘Superman’
‘The College Song’ (2022 single)
‘A Sticky Situation’
‘Mellow’
‘Dojo’
And speaking of bands who we would tip for the top – it’s SNAYX (‘snakes’’) who totally blow the lid of this old public toilet venue as they do what they do so well… completely own the stage with gargantuan showmanship, cheeky lyrics, and a sound that you can’t believe comes out of just a drum-kit and a bass guitar.
SNAYX have just completed a sold-out British tour with Kid Kapichi, and now have a slew of fresh dates coming up across the UK and Europe, which we strongly advise you to get out and be down the front for.
Ollie and Charlie are Seaford lads with feet firmly implanted in the Brighton and Hastings indie-punk scene. They emerged around the same time as recent tour-buddies Kid Kapichi and award-winning rockers Nova Twins (both of whom they have shared stages with on a regular basis), and have been ploughing their own deep furrow for a good few years.
Their drummer, Lainey, is a Sheffield lass who brings some Northern grit to proceedings.
Signed early on in their career to Austerity Records, who have released their ‘Weaponized Youth’ double EP on hyper-pink vinyl (find it HERE), SNAYX are already veterans of scores of top-notch venues and festivals, and we would put our life savings on them getting mainstream attention over the next two years.
You don’t get to be this good and stay hidden from sight. The next time you see SNAYX on a plane it may well be their own personal jet.
SNAYX:
Charlie Herridge – vocals
Ollie Horner – guitar
Lainey Nix-Watson – drums
SNAYX setlist:
‘Intro’ (unreleased)
‘Work’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Deranged’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Cigarette’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Body Language’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘False Friends’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Boys In Blue’ (unreleased)
‘H.A.N.G’ (unreleased)
‘Drill’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Doorman’ (Slowthai cover)
‘FAYX’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
And so, to Panic Shack.
Careering out of Cardiff after forming just prior to Covid, Panic Shack are classically cocky rock-chicks on a charge to conquer the alternative charts.
In an industry that seems to struggle to nurture women, Panic Shack simply push through the crowd and wave their brash banner in everyone’s faces to shout ‘here we are – listen to our songs’.
And why wouldn’t you want to listen?
The Panic Shack sound may be full-on ramming speed punk most of the time but it doesn’t rely on lazy three-chord patterns…there is proper musicality in there too.
There are ideas behind the songs as well – so it’s got a foot in the camp of the current new-no-wave movement that is defined by a feeling that as much as listening to a song you are tuning into a spoken word podcast.
Our recommendation to festival bookers out there is to be straight on the phone to this band’s agent to grab them quickly, because we’ve a sneaking suspicion you might struggle to find a free weekend in their diaries after too much longer…
Panic Shack:
Sarah Harvey – lead vocals
Meg Fretwell – guitar and bv’s
Romi Lawrence – guitar and bv’s
Emily Smith – bass
Nick – drums
Panic Shack setlist:
‘Baby’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Mannequin Man’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘ParTy SD’ (unreleased)
‘I Don’t Really Like It’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jiu-Jits-You’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Do Something’ (unreleased)
‘The Ick’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jelly Baby’ (unreleased)
‘Meal Deal’ (unreleased)
‘Cash Piggy’ (unreleased)
‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Gay Bar’ (Electric Six cover)
PANIC SHACK + SNAYX – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 16.2.23 (reviewer Teddy Webb)
Panic Shack and SNAYX don’t seem all that similar on the surface. One’s a ragtag bunch of Welsh misfits bringing gorgeous harmonies and choreographed stage fighting to the indie-punk world, while the other are a duo of shouty SHARPs stamping their basslines into any stage they find in time with a truly formidable drummer. Their gigs in Brighton, however, have proven the two punk rising stars to be a match made in heaven.
Panic Shack first played with SNAYX at The Alternative Escape, The Great Escape’s independent offshoot. With the main festival taking up most venues across the city, they satiated themselves by turning a wee pub up in Hanover into a shimmering palace of messy moshing. Fond but hazy memories of this night may have inspired punters to get their tickets for Panic Shack and SNAYX’s reunion at The Prince Albert well in advance.
Just like that show, Thursday night’s Prince Albert gig was packed to the rafters, perhaps to an ill-advised extent. Forget a pit – there was barely room for crowds to mirror Panic Shack’s grooving when they made their way to the stage. Before this, though, Brighton-based punk outfit SNAYX got the crowd warmed up wonderfully.
Opening track ‘Work’ was tailor-made to get people moving, even on a weeknight gig. Its Oi!-inspired refrain gives even the most reluctant movers and shakers a set of instructions and a killer beat to accompany them. It was their catchy recent single ‘Deranged’, though, that drew approving whispers from new listeners – ps. happy to report SNAYX are with me on my campaign for more cowbells in punk songs.
After a whistle-stop tour of their previous single releases, SNAYX treated us to new material. Their rage on ‘Boys In Blue’, written in the wake of high-profile stories of police officers abusing their power to target vulnerable women, is palpable through frontman Charlie’s steely gaze as he points into the crowd.
However, SNAYX are a smart enough band to know that rants aren’t always enough to capture an audience, no matter how impassioned – you’ve gotta hook your listeners too. You can see this on their newest song ‘Hang’, which left us chanting along to sentiments of revolution in verses not one of us had heard before.
At the end of the day, though, SNAYX make music for the love of it, and they always end their set with a reminder of that. From their Vengaboys sample in the set’s second act to Charlie’s insistence on getting up close and personal with gig-goers grooving to set closer ‘Fayx’, it’s hard to be mopey at a SNAYX gig.
SNAYX:
Charlie Herridge – vocals
Ollie Horner – guitar
Lainey Nix-Watson – drums
SNAYX setlist:
‘Intro’ (unreleased)
‘Work’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Deranged’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Cigarette’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Body Language’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘False Friends’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Boys In Blue’ (unreleased)
‘H.A.N.G’ (unreleased)
‘Drill’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
‘Doorman’ (Slowthai cover)
‘FAYX’ (from 2023 ‘Weaponized Youth’ Double EP)
The break between SNAYX’s set and our headliners (Panic Shack) was half an hour, but in a venue this packed, that only just gave audiences time to get to the bar and replenish their pints.
There was a real joy, though, in seeing people around me all together, singing Panic Shack’s irreverent lyrics at each other with wide grins on their faces. If the cheers that could be heard from well outside The Prince Albert are anything to go by, the high-energy quintet definitely got the warm welcome they deserved. This was the case right from opening track ‘Baby’; trust us, you’ve never seen a crowd so cheerful about threatening to “put a baby-shaped hole in the wall”.
Tracks like ‘Mannequin Man’ and ‘Jiu Jits You’ showed off Panic Shack’s stagecraft the best, with action-figure posing and choreography that really did put a spotlight on the band’s chemistry. They’re so perfectly in sync with each other despite the lovely messiness of their music. Speaking of which, have they gotten heavier, or is it just me?
Panic Shack’s live shows have always been frenetic, but they’ve also had an element of that indie-rock shimmer that I used to love about bands like Dream Nails. At this gig, some tracks truly caught me off guard with their snarling intensity – in the best possible way, of course! Especially at the end of their setlist, they weren’t afraid to properly get the rafters shaking.
‘I Don’t Really Like It’ was the first of some truly fearsome songs. It’s also one of their most complex, with tempo switch-ups that reflect the varied responses women can have to ‘everyday’ misogyny and harassment. The simple refrain of “when you look at me like that, I don’t really like it” grew more and more frustrated with each repetition, culminating in a double-time section that saw the band screech their exhaustions with being demeaned right into the baying audience. The contrast between this and backing guitarists Meg and Romi’s softer harmonies was genuinely quite haunting.
The breakneck pace of their songs kept up as the set neared its end and we heard live favourite ‘Cash Piggy’. A song about demanding rich men’s money isn’t something you can really half-arse, and luckily, frontwoman Sarah Harvey was unshakably confident in her shakedown.
‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ was just as formidable, getting the crowd moving in a way the evening hadn’t yet seen. People who’d been reluctantly spilling out of the room were suddenly peering in, vying to see what all the fuss was about as fists swung about in the air to the heavier end of the Panic Shack single spectrum.
It’s clear there’s definitely an audience in Brighton for Panic Shack’s brand of high-octane punk – no crystal ball here, but I’m predicting big things for these masters of word-of-mouth promo.
Panic Shack:
Sarah Harvey – lead vocals
Meg Fretwell – guitar and bv’s
Romi Lawrence – guitar and bv’s
Emily Smith – bass
Nick – drums
Panic Shack setlist:
‘Baby’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Mannequin Man’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘ParTy SD’ (unreleased)
‘I Don’t Really Like It’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jiu-Jits-You’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Do Something’ (unreleased)
‘The Ick’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Jelly Baby’ (unreleased)
‘Meal Deal’ (unreleased)
‘Cash Piggy’ (unreleased)
‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ (from 2022 ‘Baby Shack’ EP)
‘Gay Bar’ (Electric Six cover)
