Ahead of their debut album, the self titled 'Panic Shack' due out on July 18th, the Welsh band hit the good ship Thekla with an all-action live show and an after show DJ set to get Bristol bouncing.

First up were The Pill , a punk duo from the Isle of Wight. This really was a fun start to the night, Lily and Lottie blending their 'jank' punk with humour, satire and plenty of raw energy to get the Bristol crowd moving. It was great to see a band having such a good time on stage and their enthusiasm was contagious as the punters turning up early got to witness.

Released on 22nd May, their debut EP, fittingly entitled 'The EP' contains six tracks, bundling together their string of singles plus a couple of new tracks that forms a snapshot of where they are as a band and the live show gets to showcase those tracks in a lively, fun environment. Expect lots from them in 2025.

And then we have the main act, Panic Shack. Known for their exciting live shows, and their upcoming album sees a set full of new material greeted with joy from the ecstatic crowd. It’s been 3 years since the four piece's 2022 EP 'Baby Shack' and with tonight's opener 'Gok Wan' teasing their fanbase a couple of months ago, its going to be a busy 2025 for the Cardiff 4 piece.

I don't think I have seen Thekla so full, I took my life in my hands getting from the front of stage to the rear of the room and the enthusiastic, partisan crowd were lapping up every note. With more than 50% of the set containing songs from the new album, as well as some of the staples like 'Meal Deal' and 'Who's Got My Lighter' the crowd got a fantastic introduction to the new material. And the circle pit didn't stop throughout the set and the end came far too soon for the gathered masses.

A wild night on the good ship Thekla in Bristol and some cracking new tracks to look forward to in July.

Words and Pictures Glenn Morrison