For a blustery Monday night it’s busy in Portsmouth. Slaves sold out headliner at Portsmouth’s Pyramid centre is perhaps responsible for this, as even half an hour after the doors have been opened there are still people smoking, drinking, and singing loudly all around the venues grounds. After dropping their album ‘are you satisfied?’ back in June, the band have been eating their way up the charts and have even been nominated for a Mercury award.  

 

As we are pretty late coming in, first band Spring King start playing as we take our place carefully at the front, in the middle, where all the carnage will take place later on. Compared to Slaves hard, in your face riffs and lyrics, Spring King start off with a more mellow approach. They are a good choice for supporting a band such as Slaves, their grunge infused sound adds a variation in the music played this evening, and their heavier songs fit right in. While playing, the band are always interacting with each other, every harmony and each section is played with great ease. Considering they are all holding instruments they have an energy that feeds back to their audience, and creates a chilled out environment.

 

After being impressed with the opening act, we decide to take to the merch to discuss the second band. The guy selling shirts tells us they are ‘punk, no really punk, if you like punk, you’ll like them’. And he’s not wrong, Wonk Unit arrive on stage and take no time in tearing up Spring King's unique chilled sounds. Every song is it’s own glorious form of mayhem, but it sounds amazing. While I’m never sure if vocalist Alex is talking to himself or the crowd, his strange rhymes that then flow into songs crack everyone up. They have a different sort of energy to Spring King, but it translates none the less, and everyone is starting to move around and get excited with them. They have a very individual sound, while it is chaotic and punky, it’s somehow different to everything I’ve ever heard. And I could happily hear it time and time again.

 

Going to a gig and not knowing the supporting bands can sometimes be risky, but in this case the acts were so well chosen we had no complaints. Both bands flowed smoothly and fitted in with the night. After a very short wait, it’s the moment we’ve been waiting months for, Slaves finally take to the stage. It's utter madness from the first word that is sung. We're thrown from one side of the room tot he other and back again, all th while Isaac and Laurie make enough noise for an entire room of people, despite only being a duo. Only three songs in and the room is already a shower of swear, beer and I hate to think what else, but when the band start playing Sockets the crazy somehow goes up a level. The energy breaks beyond a normal limit, like a sink that's entirely overflown and continues to flood across the room. There are no ‘up’ or ‘down’ songs. No songs that are even slightly naff, the spirit never drops for one moment between moshers, crowd surfers, and someone who has made a rather impressive effort at a mantaray costume.

 

When the band begin to play Cheer Up London, the crowd makes a ring in the middle, someone even manages to throw in a fully smoked fag butt. It’s clear this track is a favourite amongst many of the crowd. After the first verse has barely begun, I’m hoisted onto my friends shoulders, where I can see all of the crowd. I wish there was a word to describe just how eccentric the feel of the room was, but no words seem enough. Slaves have an amazing relationship with the crowd, which seems to come naturally from song to song. Much to everyones excitement the duo even play their cover of shut down, originally by Skepta. We made a point to keep an eye on the time, but having gotten so involved in the aura of the evening, we forgot phones and train times were even a thing. Before we knew it the lights came back on, and we joined a very sweaty crowd spilling into Portsmouths rainy streets. 

If you're not familiar with Slaves, check this: