Chris Earl
Not long has passed since the release of Spanish Love Songs fourth record No Joy and though the LA folk may be opening the show, they approach it with the intent and passion of a headliner. With new UK dates already announced, this show has the feeling of an appetizer, a mere taste of what the band has to offer. Playing to a nearly full crowd, they open with ‘Routine Pain’ to a fantastic reception. What follows is a delve into the human spirit, resilience and tragedy. All four songs released as singles from ‘No Joy’ get an outing, with ‘Haunted’ and ‘Clean Up Crew’ proving the most well received of the new tracks. However, the pinnacle of the set is ‘Losers 2’ (Which is played before ‘Losers’, in a little setlist quirk) which gets the Yorkshire crowd roaring the “don’t you know you were born to die poor man” chorus back at the band. The level of catharsis during the set is palpable, but the band wouldn’t have it any other way.
Frontman Dylan Slocum cuts a tall, awkwardly endearing figure with his unforced stage banter and cheeky ‘Fuck the Tories” remark, which gets a massive cheer from the crowd. Only one song from breakout album Schmaltz (Buffalo, Buffalo) is a slight letdown, but one that will surely be remedied when they return to these shores in January. By the looks of tonight, they’ll be given a hero’s welcome.
For Hot Mulligan, the age of utterly ridiculous song titles never ended. With a setlist spanning their career, including their 2023 release Why Would I Watch?, *Equips Sunglasses* sounds as big as a modern pop punk anthem can, singer Nathan Sanville never stops moving, becoming a blur of hair and limbs. Despite stating early on that he’s ruined his voice with screaming, he sounds absolutely fantastic, possessing a unique voice in a scene filled with endless soundalikes. The rest of the band look ecstatic as they belt through a setlist that takes in their whole career. This is what a true headline set should be, a journey through the band’s career. “The Soundtrack to Missing a Slam Dunk” from their 2018 album “Pilot” is one example, as it gets a brilliant reception.
The energy levels rarely let up, as the sardonic group blast through some of the best modern pop punk tracks of the last few years. “This song is called what it’s called” slows things down and as per, the phone torches come out, a welcome reprieve for those in the pit who’ve been moving non stop since the band took to the stage. Knocking out a near 20 song setlist like it’s nothing, by the time closer “John “The Rock” Cena, Can You Smell What the Undertaker” ends things in a sea of bodies, voices and furious applause.
Sadly, the show ends on a sour note, as an errant balcony diver, in a failed attempt to perhaps crowd surf, knocked out some people who were below him. The band cut their encore short as they were attended to by medical personnel, and we wish them all well as thankfully nobody was seriously injured. Even though the band were in the UK earlier this year, by this reception it appears that the UK has really taken to the band, and hopefully they’ll be back again soon.
