The mark of a truly great support act is when they feel less like a booking agent’s afterthought and more like a carefully selected running mate. Birmingham’s two-piece powerhouse GANS (Euan Woodman and Tom Rhodes) felt utterly essential to the night’s proceedings at the Electric Ballroom, injecting a vital, abrasive energy that perfectly primed the crowd for PWEI. Their presence suggested the headliners had personally selected a band that embodies their own spirit of industrial intensity and dark humour.
GANS’ sound is a glorious collision, best described as a brutal alchemy of “Death Metal Doom Disco Indie.”
Rhodes manned the bass and synths, conjuring a wall of wobbling, pulsating sub-frequencies that was less a groove and more a physical force. Meanwhile, drummer Euan Woodman’s percussive assault was far more ambitious than simple punk thrash. He delivered patterns (requiring the innovative addition of a high hat to the kit inventory – Soft Play could learn a thing or two), showcasing a complex, rhythmic depth beneath the sheer volume. Signed to Pete Doherty’s Strap Originals, this duo doesn’t just make noise; they engineer soundscapes that are both suffocatingly heavy and brilliantly danceable.
What truly defined the set was the duo’s magnetic, demanding stage presence. Sporting on-point short mullets, they commanded attention with the kind of playful aggression necessary to wake up an early London crowd. “Move closer you miserable bastards… I’m gonna keep going until you do!” was the opening salvo, setting the tone for a relationship built on forced participation. This culminated in a famous order: “I’m gonna count to four and I want everyone to jump otherwise I’m coming down there and gonna have every fuckin’ last one of you. But trust me again… jump… it’ll feel lovely.” The crowd, initially hesitant, submitted to the instruction, resulting in the pure, cathartic chaos the band demanded.
Amidst the frenetic energy, GANS maintained an endearing, human touch. It was a rare delight to hear their merch guy, George (tall, single, and likes climbing) get a loud name-check—a small moment of warmth quickly subsumed by another wave of sonic punishment. The set ended as intensely as it began, only to be followed by a wonderfully incongruous big hug from Youth in the wings of the stage, confirming that beneath the demanding stage antics lies a real connection with the royalty of rock. GANS are not just a band to listemn to; they are a live experience you must submit to.
Oh – and they guested with PWEI during the headline set… a memorable moment for all concerned!
