It is great to see JOY Promotions start to make use of the Volks as a live music venue as well its primary function as a dirty den of all the right kinds of rave naughtiness, putting on a series of free events with some cracking line ups. We are super excited as we head down to catch a real talked about band of the moment, supported by a Brighton, about whom we have heard good things.
Support act Girl Apocrypha land quickly into a very likeable alt rock groove. “This is a song I wrote about getting blackout drunk at the Volks. So it’s nice to be here not quite so drunk.” Dealer then slows the groove but retains the confident delivery. This is the first time we have caught this assured band whose sound is underpinned by some great guitar playing. Indeed it’s confident enough for Emir to cope with a mid song total guitar failure, ironically straight after she has compared the guitar to being her big penis, and just casually throw it off, continuing the song and the rest of the set in style.
Then we wait for Bathing Suits. Having already witnessed Girl Apocrypha’s guitar struggles, after what feels like a lengthy delay front woman Freja takes to the stage and asks if anyone has a dongle. “We need a dongle. It’s going to be a rough one. Our drum machine broke.” She then explains how she has just re-programmed all the drum parts backstage.
It’s tough being a young band existing on cheap gear from eBay and Cash Convertors!
The ‘dongle doesn’t wongle’ but thankfully amid the drama a solution is found and suddenly a nasty wheezy pulsating groove fills the room. Harsh sounds in a repetitive whirlwind over the staccato drum machine.
Now we see why Cal from Ditz told us we must catch them at The Great Escape and why we have heard so many good things. The Steve Strange award was clearly deserved.
“What’s the next song?” shouts Freja. “I can be a Freak” chant the crowd back to her over and over and over again like a bunch of drug crazed tiny repetitive monkeys hungry for the frenzy. A wild mosh pit, the seems to consume the entirety of the Volks dancefloor ensues as the future deviant disco classic hits home.
Elise highly enjoyable bass playing propels the set forward before they descend the downward spiral very successfully to the territory occupied by early days of Mr Reznor’s Nails.
Alex uses a beer bottle to great effect as a slide. Froth goes everywhere as more nasty noises wash over us and the stomping dance continues.
From start to finish, the show is a dirty messy fun triumph that sticks to fingers up to adversity and makes dam sure we all have a good party.
JOY Promotions Present: Bathing Suits
The Volks – 8th October 2026
Words: Nick McAllister
Pictures: Stan O’Shea
