LIVE AT ZEPHYR'S

LIVE AT ZEPHYR'S
Sheffield
8th May 2025

Feral State / Shreds. / 77SPEARS / Class Tourists

The drive along the winding roads that snake from red rose to white rose county build anticipation ahead of a first visit to Sheffield's coolest hangout, Zephyrs. Nestled in a courtyard just a short stroll from Brammal Lane, it's the perfect spot to catch up with friends in the sunshine in-between ear-pummelling sets from tonight's rad cats.

Squealing feedback introduces Class Tourists, self-described raw, frenetic hardcore punk from wakey / 5 Towns. This three piece does what it says on the tin, whilst also mixing in elements of crust, streetpunk and even some jaunty ska-riffs. Set opener Fat of the Land sets the vibe with rapid fire vocals that are spat out across a smeared sonic soundscape. Tracks like N.Y.A and This Is Not a Song follow suit, whilst Time is rooted in bouncy drums and subtly melodic bass. I love the atonal guitar solos and leads that crop up throughout the set, splitting the difference between Kerry King and Thurston Moore. The band are adept at introducing slightly off-kilter moments amidst the raucous riffage, making the aggressive blasts hit even harder.

Next up are 77SPEARS, soul punk weirdos with a penchant for playing very fast and sweating a lot. I won't comment much more given I'm in the band, but we had a bloody good time and will be back in Sheffield in a heartbeat 😎💗🤘

Shreds. (yes, the full stop is intentional) blast off with an 80s hardcore intro before the drums hit double-time and all Hell breaks loose. A monstrous bass-tone underpins their sound, allowing the guitar to thrash about in classic hardcore punk style whilst youth crew vocals amp up the energy further still. The room is well and truly bouncing when frontman Jim whips out his deck (I said deck...) for an impromptu couple of flips during Bored of Skating. Cymbals smash and the snare is beaten to within an inch of its life across K.O. Pills and Stop Talking To Me, with raw backing vocals adding to the general chaos on Micromanager. Slam dancing and two-stepping is in abundance as Shreds. inject the room with a party energy vibe, whipping up the atmosphere ahead of tonight's headliners.

Feral State are a growing concern on the hardcore and adjacent scenes, offering a no-nonsense approach to playing loud, thrashy, balls to wall punk rock. Kicking off with the raging rhythms of Scab, there is zero fat on the set as the gang churn out riff after grinding riff, with roared vocals playing off the tight d-beat rhythms. Songs from their Feral State I album are mixed are mixed in with new offerings that will make the upcoming sequel. It's a relentless and brutal approach, with the thrash of Hate Through Fear sitting nicely alongside the desert stoner-punk of Sick. There is also the added charm of earworm riffs that lend themselves to a bit of early-90s grunge and 80s shredding. If you have a purple Jackson guitar, the Gods state one must shred.  My personal highlight is Bad Time, with a bludgeoning riff that's so good it could be played on a loop for hours without getting old. 

Props to Terraphile Promotions for putting together this raucous bill, to the multi-tasking owner and soundman, the wonderful bar staff, No Gods No Masters Photography for the sweet pics, and of course to all those that turned out to make this an evening to remember.