LIVE: Martin’s Broken Neck – Manchester Retro Bar

Manchester bares its punk-rock teeth, with a staggering 7 band line-up showcasing the city’s burgeoning punk scene.

Opening the night was group Weltz. Providing somewhat of a differing sound than established through the course of the night, the classic rock ‘guitar shred’ was out in full force. Despite not having the same punk-rock edge as the rest of the nights acts they served to warm the crowd up no end.

Further optimising the DIY roots of the night, band Honeybadger’s had their first outing as an outfit in a more than competent set that showed promise within their tracks. Perhaps on a night not filled to the brim with screeching punk-rock bravado they would have shone through brighter.

Act Hurray for Tuesday also suffered the same fate. Although putting on what would be on any other night a blistering set, they too were lost in the noise of the punk-rock shuffle. Blending traditional indie-guitar tones with some more modern poptones as provided by instrumentation such as the keyboard. They admittedly held a transfixed audience but failed to whip them up into the same frenzy as the night’s other acts. Although it must be emphasised, through no fault of their own.

However, the punk-rock tone of the night was cemented by Manchester’s own Jungle Boys. Taking clear inspiration from punk pioneers, the spirit of groups such as The Damned and the Sex Pistols well and truly lived on through the energetic and aggressive tracks showcased by the group. The tracks undeniably juxtaposed in tone, with highly political tracks making way for songs about Calpol. However, they succeeded in holding the crowd in the palm of their hand, with mosh-pits never ceasing from the start to the end of the set. Jungle Boys undeniably encapsulate the strengths of punk-rock in the modern musical sphere.

Headlining the night was Martin’s Broken Neck. Again keeping the punk and DIY flame of the night alive, the band continued to hold the crowd captive. An impressive feat considering the nights 7 band line-up. Frontman Jack Royle-Walter encapsulated the “don’t give a fuck” spirit of the night. Screaming tracks in the face of the moshing crowd whilst in the very Nick Wire-esque garb of a leopard print skirt. Even interference from a crowd-thrown pineapple failed to detract from the bands intensity, opting rather to take a bite and spit it into the audience. They were a more than fitting climax to an already intense and rowdy night.

Martin’s Broken Neck at Manchester’s Retro Bar acted as a great insight into what the future holds for the Manchester music scene. Although some bands failed to captivate the punk-thirsty crowd to a staggering degree, the more intense and aggressive groups served to demonstrate to any deniers that the future music scene is in more than safe hands.

Pictures: Ella-May Dearden