Committed to promoting independent music and culture and particularly brilliant at bringing to our attention bands that push boundaries, sounds that we might otherwise miss Louder Than War has, for over 15 years, been the website/social media place to head if you want to know what’s happening in the more alternative music scenes. When I previewed this ‘Louder Than War LIVE’ event I stated that it had the potential to be the best, most exciting one day musical event of 2026. Especially if you love your post-punk/dark electronica/experimental noise and indie music. The day itself did not disappoint. Fifteen bands across three venues within The University Of Manchester. Academy 2, Club Academy and Academy 3. You didn’t even need to step outside to get from one to another meaning the weather had zero impact on the enjoyment of the day. And what a line-up. From long established bands such as Sea Power to a couple some, including myself, had never heard of until carrying out a bit of musical research prior to the day the biggest issue that was ever going to happen was who to see when the inevitable painful clashes occurred.
Brilliantly organised with friendly, helpful staff. Many of the bands playing wandering around the venues before and after their sets, at their merch stalls, chatting to punters. This was a million miles away from the cold, sterile feel of gigs in those mega venues where it seems the only thing anyone is interested in is how much money they can get you to part with. From the moment we walked through the doors it was clear that Louder Than War Live had been curated by, staffed by and would be attended by people with a real passion for music, a deep love for the independent scene and a desire to bring together those who genuinely appreciate discovering something new. Decent bar prices and a ticket price that can only be described as an absolute bargain made this event one that was incredible value for money. £45 for fifteen bands. If you chose to you could have seen songs by every band that played. Me, I like to watch full sets so managed seven with an extra fifteen minutes by a couple more. So, seven quality bands for £45. That’s less than £7 per band. You’d pay almost £30 just to see Sea Power headline their own tour nowadays.
So how did our day evolve. Arriving early we managed to catch the first of a few band interviews by John Robb ( as well as a rather nice goodie bag- quality tote, a great Plantoid album and a signed book from JR himself). The band in question – Immersion who are Colin Newman (Wire) and “life and art partner” Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) – giving a brilliant in depth insight into not only the development of their musical journey together but their feelings about the music industry nowadays, big name promoters and venues and bands who fleece their fans by releasing multiple variations of albums. Hence why Wire’s Pink Flag has never been re-released on pink vinyl.
Bands one and two were no-brainers for me. Opening Academy 3 at 4.30pm
The Dirt provide every reason why you should always get to a gig to see support bands. Or in the case of festivals, the bands on first. Loud, danceable, in your face, unique ‘psycho-punk’. Jack Horner on vocals, beat programming and crowd agitating together with wife Sachiko Wakizaka on guitar producing all sorts of distorted, psychedelic riffs and feedback via her monster sized peddle board. The Dirt are exciting, chaotic, political, disturbing and hypnotic. A perfect start to the day in a venue that even this early in procedings is full of people completely engrossed in what they are witnessing on the stage.
The Empty Page open up Club Academy. A band packed full of energy. Their attitude is pure punk rock – full of social commentary, massive shout outs against depressingly common attitudes that still pervade the minds of too many ignorant people. Their music is a perfect blend of punk, grunge, alt-rock with ample dosings of wonderful leap around beats. Kel on vocals/bass and Giz on guitar dominate the stage, their energy and passion for what they do clear for all to see. ‘Death On Our Side’ is atmospheric, emotional, a noisy gut punch, the rawness of Throwing Muses meeting the delicateness of Cocteau Twins. As for those leap around punk rock beats – it doesn’t get any better than ‘Dry Ice’. By the time you read this ‘A Feminine Ending’ will have been unleashed into the world – a celebration of growing older and a furious, seething attack on the anti-ageing industry. Go and give your ears a treat if you’ve not heard it already. Thirty minutes is too short and once again I’m reminded that I really don’t get to see The Empty Page enough.
House Of All are the first band to bring us up to Academy2 which at 900 capacity is the biggest of the three venues. Featuring key members of The Fall House Of All naturally go down a storm with this big Manchester crowd. And whilst the hallmarks of The Fall’s sound run deep in House Of All’s set they are certainly not a tribute band. Three albums already released and a fourth, Inklings, just days away they deliver a live set of songs packed with intense rhythms full of energy, abrasive guitar work and witty vocals from Martin Bramah. And of course the unmistakeable sounds from having two drummers. Three drummers, two drum kits. Karl Burns joining part way through the set to complement fellow Fall drummers Simon Wolstencroft or Paul Hanley. Front of stage he receives huge cheers when Bramah mentions his name.
Evil Blizzard never disappoint. No matter how many times I see them I still leave with that sense of “Wow, that was f’in brilliant”. This evening is no different. Their sounds are infectious, their presence like some deranged horror show. The masks don’t change but the outfits do. Older songs ‘Sacrifice’, ‘Hello’, ‘Unleash The Misery’ are lapped up by those here to witness the spectacle. A shame ‘Are You Evil Is’ is cut from the set but it’s the new songs that show just how much Evil Blizzard have evolved over the years. ‘Off With Their Heads’, ‘Down Down Down’ and ‘Black Square’ are full on psych prog epics with searing guitar work complementing their trademark multi-bass punch. Word is that upcoming new album ‘Death Songs And Lullabies’ is their best yet. Based on what we’ve heard tonight there’s no reason to doubt the rumours.
Back in Academy3 The Sick Man Of Europe yet again brings a festival highlight. Hypnotic, pulsating, electronic beats, that drone of repetitive bass all combine to produce irresistible, dancey hooks. Vocals are delivered with no expression. Shrouded completely in hazy red light the vocalist with no name pounds round the stage then strides back and forth across the pit in a trance like state before entering the crowd, expressionless as he wanders back and forth creating friction and tension wherever his feet take him. The Sick Man Of Europe’s recorded output is superb but live it’s a different beast altogether. Heavier, more in your face, darker, more sonically charged. Comparisons to Ian Curtis and Joy Division still abound and I still can’t agree. This is much more reminiscent of those pioneering, industrial sounds of the early electro noise merchants such as Fad Gadget and DAF but hauled kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. Brilliant.
Immersion bring a sharp contrast to the other noise merchants witnessed so far. Colin Newman (Wire) and Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) don’t venture out from behind their keyboards, an unassuming couple with minimal interaction either between themselves or with those watching. Their sound is sparse, minimalist, laid back. Electronic beats with the occassional guitar interlude from Newman. There’s certainly hints of Wire in Immersion’s soundscapes and vocals and whilst the grooves and beats are certainly present Immersion lend themselves very much more to soundscapes where introspection and losing yourself in your own deep thoughts is more the order of the day than dancing around.
And so to Benefits. If you’ve seen them before you sort of know what to expect. Or do you? If you thought you were unlikely to ever witness anything more brutal you were probably wrong. You really don’t just go and see Benefits or simply listen to them. You go to a Benefits gig to completely immerse yourself in a sensory, emotional experience. If that’s not your thing then you’re in the wrong place.The noise is deafening, the strobes blinding, the anger palpable. Benefits don’t set out to make you feel comfortable or to allow you to have an enjoyable night at a gig. They set out to destroy your senses, gouge your conscience, make you think, reflect on society and the part we play in it, to poke and prod you in an attempt to see just how much you can take. Making you feel uncomfortable is intentional. So is making you think.
From the opening spoken word and biblical background hum of ‘Constant Noise’, through the sparse, pounding yells of ‘Marlboro Hundreds’ if you’ve never seen this band before you’d be forgiven for wondering what the fuck you’ve let yourself in for before the mesmeric beats of ‘Land Of The Tyrants’ provides some sort of relief. Relief that’s shortlived as the double dose of fury that comes from ‘Warhorse’ and ‘Lies And Fear” is beyond brutal. ‘Blame’ and ‘Divide’ bring more dance orientated sounds but still pack a punch with their raging against systems that constantly seek to keep us in our place, to separate us rather than unite us. ‘Burnt Out Family Home’ is heartwrenching whilst the gut wrenching, throat searing anger of ‘Flag’ and ‘Traitors’ speak for themselves. Political, thought provoking, tormenting, anxiety inducing. As Kingsley Hall later said “When we got it noisy on Saturday it was NOISY”. Welcome to Benefits.
Of course a day of music as good as this one meant some serious clashes. Seven full sets and short but particularly worthwhile 15 minute glimpses of Sea Power and The DSMIV still left me missing bands I’d have loved to see. Erotic Secrets Of Pompeii, Loose Articles, Mouth Ulcers and Heavy Lungs to name a few. But that’s just a reflection on how good the first Louder Than War Live event was.
Louder Than War Live 2027 has been confirmed. If Saturday is anything to go by the 2027 event should be in your diaries now. Sign up HERE.
words/photos: steve white
