Here at Dork, we don’t stop. Following a packed February of shows across the country, Dork’s Night Out rolls into the Sebright Arms for an evening that screams ‘exciting’. Three bands pointing towards what comes next and making their mark – tonight’s show would be impossible in a few years’ time, purely because each act will have become a staple in their respective scenes. Tonight’s Dork’s Night Out does what it does best: takes the mundane and throws it firmly to the kerb for something more vital and essential.
Punchbag are exactly that. A glorious indie-pop bubblegum explosion that plasters across the walls of the Sebright Arms from the first note of ‘I’m Not Your Punchbag’. What follows is infectious fun that pulls you into a neon-soaked 00s house party. With smiles across their faces, it’s a full throttle dunk into Pop Nonsense in the best way possible. ‘Pretty Youth’ feels plucked straight from an electro-pop classics playlist, capturing what’s brilliant about their set. Commanding the room like their own birthday party, their sole single ‘Fuck It’ is an in-your-face call to arms that lays their marker in the ground. The sky’s the limit, and Punchbag are already launching the firework display that’s going to get people very excited, very quick.
Showcasing how to command a packed stage in a completely different manner, Slate arrive and transfix immediately. With echoes of post-punk greatness – whether that’s the fizzing rush of early Fontaines D.C or the hypnotic chimes of Echo & The Bunnymen – there’s something undeniably standout about this band. In frontman Jack Shephard they have a leader ready to enrapture – erratically jolting across the stage one moment, standing still in a trance the next. It’s a presence which fits everything they do, the unstoppable propulsion of ‘Tabernacl’ capturing what makes Slate so essential. Veering from a runaway-train beat into an ending which finds Jack alone, repeating the same chant to a room silenced in awe – it’s a set that sends shivers up your spine, reminiscent of The Murder Capital’s early days. Debuting new tracks amongst it all, this isn’t just a band destined for heavyweight levels but one that will mean something more. Poetry in motion, tonight is but a flag in the ground for Slate. They’re a must-see, and a must-see right now.
Headlining a night like this takes something special, and Nightbus are that something special. Since emerging, their journey has been soaked in awe and wrapped in mystery. “We played this venue two years ago and it was our first ever gig,” lead singer Olivia notes one song in. “This feels very full circle, because we’ve got an album recorded. It’s ready, and tonight we’ll play some new songs off it.” What follows is an intoxicating showcase of their world, waiting for the rest of us to dive into.
‘Exposed To Some Light’ echoes with that knowing dark-tone, but what makes Nightbus exceptional is their uncompromising drive to experiment. Dubby electronics merge with earnest acoustic songwriting and dizzying synth-punk breakdowns that evoke Joy Division, Sorry and everything between. At its core lies a dancefloor-pulling urgency, with new tracks debuted tonight pointing firmly towards that energy.
The result is a commanding statement of intent and an enthralling glimpse at a record that promises to be among the most fascinating of the next few years. The spiralling ‘Loveless Boy’ and ‘Mirrors’ close an evening that places Nightbus firmly among bands who’ve captured their identity – and do so in a way that’s impossible to resist. If two years ago at the Sebright Arms was their debut, tonight marks the first of their unstoppable new chapter. “We will be about for one hour,” announces Olive, “and then we are going to get a kebab.” Sounds like a plan to us.
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