Once again, I find myself venturing East across the mountain tops of South Wales to the beautiful, picturesque setting that is Slugfest 2025 to witness the finest free punk rock n roll festival anywhere in the UK, possibly the world. To be fair the effort that goes into putting this multiple-genre festival over four days is remarkable and for the bands to play and be on board with the fundraising is heartwarming in 2025 when the world is heading to hell in a handcart Slugfest is a shining beacon of hope that at least some people understand community and mixed with having a good time. I wanted to catch Pizzatramp, but once again failed in my attempt to arrive mid-afternoon, so I settled for arriving fashionably later in order to catch Manchester’s Bruise Control. Having reviewed the album and not managed to see them live yet, it was a must-capture set, and they didn’t disappoint, not for a second.
Bruise Control goes at it like it’s going out of fashion, and it needs a good seeing, too. Bruise Control write banging, rapid punk rock n roll tunes. Bruise Control are fucking shit hot. Now, some might say all those are subjective, but anyone who’s heard the album and seen them live can easily testify that the quotes are in fact correct and true. They live it at breakneck speed and do it with a smile like a Cheshire cat. They are tight as fook and tonight they kicked off with ‘Be Like You’ and it was the jump off for a short but oh so sweep Slugfest debut. We’ve reached ‘Useless’ and ‘Strength’, and before you know it, the frontman has only a pair of daisy dukes on and is climbing in and out of the window, barking at people on either side of the frame like his life depends on it.
They go down a storm and wind their set up with a triple treat of ‘Taxman’, ‘Jumping Ship’ and ‘HMRC’ before they leave the stage having found a new set of fans who now adore them and spread the word of Bruise Control a little further south and into deepest darkest Wales. Please come again, chaps. South Wales needs more Bruise Control – Job done – Fantastic stuff.
Time for some refreshments and a wander into the bar to catch some Thrash Metal titans running through a version so tight it was like some heavy metal rizlas on a large doobie doing ‘Madhouse’ by the mighty Anthrax. Joyo. Nailed it, you metal bastards.
Outside, it was time to catch Sunderland’s finest, The Diaz Brothers, who are out and about supporting their brand new sophomore album ‘The World Is Yours’. They sound fantastic, tight as fuck and the harmonies get absolutely nailed even at breakneck live speed with all the possibilities of getting fucked up in a nice tight dark room and its a first time for me seeing the band who’ve impressed me no end since hearing the new album and its ‘Hourglass Full Of Quicksand’ that’s up second hammering home how damn good this band are. The riffs are sharp, and they glide effortlessly through the set, it’s followed in quick fashion by its bedfellows on the LP, the restrained ‘As I Tear’.
After the polite introductions, we get treated to more from the debut album with ‘Empty Bar Stool’ sounding like a fuckin giant as the intro twists and turns before going off like a rocket. ‘I See No Justification’ is like a juggernaut it’s at this point, a few handbags are thrown on the dancefloor, but things are quickly calmed down, and we can finish the set with a blistering ‘Hating Nation’, and we are done. The two bands I came to see had delivered in spades exactly what I wanted and reaffirmed my love for punk rock n roll in fine fashion. Two very different bands, but two of the best bands I’ve had the pleasure of hearing for quite some time. The UK is alive with the sound of music, and Slugfest once again delivers some of its finest. I make myself the promise that next year I will do more days and will get there earlier to see more bands. Long live SLugfest, and hopefully it won’t be too long before I clap eyes on Bruise Control and The Diaz Brothers again. My advice is if they are playing and you can by any means make it – treat yourself and fill up on Punk Rock it’s good for you.
Diaz Brothers – Serial Bowl Records
Pics: Veej / Johnny Hayward
Author: Dom Daley
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