Punk's Still Young - M/X "WEATHERMAN" Release Gig
- Feb 23, 2024
- 5 min read
I was first introduced to M/X back in October at the release gig of their first single "Dress to Impress", and since then, a certain habit has been added to my morning routine.
Every time I check the weather app on my phone, I seem to channel M/X's frontman. I ask myself "what's the weather like?" in that iconic voice of his, and answer with "shiiiiiit!" (usually from the crowd). It's sad, I know but it's a moment from that first gig that always stuck with me, and I've been anticipating this release since then, so I can finally set it as my alarm (stop judging me).
Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long at all, and WEATHERMAN now plays in my dingy abode at 8am every day without fail (I said stop judging me). However, I'm very glad that the second time I heard this tune it was live, and in a dark room filled with sweaty, broke students - just like the first time, but better.
This release show was definitely a step above the last, not only due to the larger venue, but also down to the amazing supports playing. The night was kicked off by Gorz - a band whom I can safely say that what you see is what you get. This lot have stage makeup nailed down, with crazy maximalist hair and garb from every member - they are so individual, and yet clearly belong together. At the front of the stage was a small TV cycling through different slides of logos paired with protests and statements of political change, so it's clear what the vibe is. Straight out of the gate in the first track, lead singer Abyss comes into the crowd and starts screaming in people's faces. In response, I moved straight to the front, wanting to be a part of that experience (of course). This group demand all of your attention every second that they play, which is a hard feat to achieve, and yet they did it by any means possible. All of these elements during songs can make the band quite intimidating, which is what they seem to be going for, but Abyss completely melts any tension as soon as a song's over by talking
about relatable things like being broke and stealing stuff from Tesco, which generates some laughs and makes everyone feel more comfortable in the space. This lot are very good at turning the stage personas on and off between songs, and I love that each member behaves completely differently. Guitarist Ri was completely locked in from start to finish, unshakeable even when their guitar string broke, and they changed it mid-song whilst continuing to sing - some impressive shit! Bassist angel was outwardly having a ball, bobbing everywhere they could possibly bob. Drummer Jem particularly caught my eye because she looked like she was sat somewhere like a doctor's waiting room - completely unfazed by all the chaos. I have to say though, my favourite track was the final one. The tightness of the group really shone throughout that track, and I loved Abyss' maniacal breakdown right at the end - I think they embodied every emotion possible during that small set.
Next up on the stage was a band I wasn't familiar with - Animal Shithouse. These boys brought the energy straight into the space, and although I didn't know what to expect, I definitely didn't expect that level of skill. I love when I see a really tight, talented group tackle a genre like punk, which is so simple at its core - it makes for a great advancement of the style, in my opinion. I loved the math-y elements in there - the time and tempo changes gave me instant stank-face. In my notes, I wrote "if the frontman still has a voice by the end of this, I'll be surprised". I assumed he would start wearing out quite quickly, but I was later humbled when his technique just seemed to be getting better as the set progressed. That kid clearly has a lot of training behind him - a very talented individual. All of this ability, and yet these guys are clearly just having fun - no stress, no nerves, no stiffness at all - and they changed to a swung rhythm halfway through a song? That really got me chuckling in my little corner. Then, they went one step further and the bassist and guitarist swapped instruments mid-way through the set - so many surprises to keep me entertained in just a half hour. My favourite track, however, had to be somewhere in the middle of the set when the bassist started playing a beautiful solo to introduce the song, and the frontman shared some spoken word. Those moves and expressions were clearly well-rehearsed, the diction in that section was perfect, and I can honestly say that the vocalist looked like he'd just come out of an insane asylum, and I mean that in the best possible way. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on.
Now, on to the main event. M/X took my expectations and chucked them out the front door straight away. It was instantly noticeable how much they'd rehearsed since last time, and how much tighter they were as a result. The songs I remember from before have been improved upon tenfold, which means they were able to have so much more fun onstage. Another noticeable refinement was frontman Max's diction, which I'm gonna assume was intentional.
One thing that is consistent with M/X is their engagement with the crowd. Not only do they have a devout following who recited every word to their first single "Dress to Impress", but the back and forth between the stage and the floor was super natural. The crowd was even subconsciously copying Max's movements. When he headbanged, they headbanged. When he jumped around, they jumped around - just another sign of how used he is to conducting their fans, and how many past gigs everyone has attended. Their fanbase also seems to be made up of mainly students and young people (like themselves), and so the relatability wasn't hard to achieve - the references were very well-catered to the demographic. As if that wasn't enough, for new members of the audience, they performed a cover of "I kissed a girl" by Katy Perry - an absolute classic that everyone knows and loves, and it also gave guitarist Liv a chance at the mic. The smiles were infectious, it seemed, as everyone was having a whale of a time - even Max himself, who was letting out these gut-wrenching shouts and still grinning from ear to ear the whole way though it
A few small things to note - I'm not familiar with every song that they played (as I'm a relatively new fan), but I distinctly remember the song that Liv sang the choruses in, because the drummer, Mimi, absolutely popped off on that particular tune. Also, guitarist Liv had the setlist written on her forearm, which is such a practical idea, I don't know how I've never seen it done before - an iconic move.
These guys were just basking in the victory of their new release, and I'm not gonna be one to take that away from them. The feeling of triumph filled the venue from floor to ceiling, and I'm happy to be a part of the upward trajectory that this band's taking. I look forward to the next M/X gig, which will almost definitely be just as entertaining, and just as fun.
A parting comment: my favourite quote from the whole night has to be "Fuck Rishi Sunak... bitch", from M/X's frontman, Max.
Photographer: Ben Hunt (@bhxnt on IG)
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