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It's not often a three-band lineup can deliver pure fun with every act, and it's not often a Monday night gig has such a high-energy crowd. More importantly, it's not often that heavy metal is allowed to be silly—in the best way possible You already know the crowd will be on top form when you overhear someone outside the venue say, "Can't wait to hit the Macarena in the pit." This playful energy sticks with the audience all night.
The first band to hit the stage is Street Soldier, hailing from Yorkshire. Whilst the best way to describe them is, 'imagine Limp Bizkit as a hardcore band from the North', their short set was packed with high-intensity metal. The pit opened as soon as they started playing, with spin kicks already in full swing. Street Soldier knew how to work the crowd, from constantly encouraging the pit to showcasing great chemistry on stage. One highlight was watching their drummer run into the crowd to hype up the pit, then sprinting back on stage to keep playing. The perfect way to kick off an evening of fun, energetic metal.
Next on stage was Pintglass. It was clear they were a firm favorite with the crowd, as their fans proudly wore the official hi-vis vests. Pintglass stand out in the metal scene with two vocalists on stage, both of whom get their time to shine and work brilliantly off each other. Instead of offering two distinct vocal styles, they focus on keeping the energy consistently high by collaborating throughout the performance. The crowd goes wild for every song, with circle pits moving faster than you’ll likely ever see. The band's personality is best captured by their on-stage banter, centered around the concept that they're are on shift at a construction job. Their conversations are full of workplace-style banter, adding to the fun. One highlight was watching the drummer get angry, only to be calmed down by the crowd singing "Wonderwall"—a perfect example of why they're such a joy to see live. The band was in top form, nailing every note of their nastiest riffs while pulling off equally impressive dance moves. Two-stepping while shredding is no easy feat! Pintglass are clearly already favorites in the scene, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them headlining venues of this size in the future.
Headlining the evening are Scottish slam legends Party Cannon. Best known as one of the silliest bands in the genre, their set is pure fun from start to finish. As soon as they hit the stage, they're accompanied by their mascot for the evening—a guy wearing a giant papier-mâché skull with a party hat. From the first notes, you’re surrounded by sheer metal joy, with everyone in the pit pulling off insane moves, from cartwheels to lightning-fast two-stepping. The band’s mascot holds up a variety of cardboard signs to complement the excellent playing, the most iconic being a giant thought bubble reading “My IQ Hurts.” Balloons and beach balls are tossed into the pit, quickly getting flung around the entire venue. The crowd receives every song with the same enthusiasm, and the band works them into a frenzy. No one in the venue is standing still—everyone goes wild for every track. Party Cannon is known for their interesting audio choices for song intros, often using clips from comedy movies and TV shows.
The most famous intro is for their song “Duct Taped to a Flag Pole,” taken from the movie Superbad. As this second-to-last song played, the crowd erupted when they heard the iconic line, “old enough to party,” over the venue speakers, knowing it was time to go all out. The night ended with Party Cannon’s traditional “press-up pit,” where the band encourages the crowd to do push-ups in the pit. For a group that might be seen as a gimmicky joke band, they have the songs and talent to back up their silliness. Every member excels at their instrument and knows how to have a good time. Party Cannon are legends for a reason—they make sure everyone at their gigs has fun.
Words: Will Freeman
Photos: Ellie Jones
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