LIVE REVIEW: Punk Rock Factory @ O2 Ritz, Manchester
On a stereotypically rainy evening in Manchester, the O2 Ritz finds itself jam packed to the rafters. Full of punks, emos and metalheads alike, they’re all here for a sold out show by the Welsh troupe; PUNK ROCK FACTORY. Giving us a show unlike any other, they offer a wave of various Disney, musical and TV theme songs done in the style of bands like BLINK-182 and GREEN DAY, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the gimmick would run out of steam fairly quickly, with PUNK ROCK FACTORY however, it does not as they deliver a set of punk rock mayhem, joy and most notably nostalgia, which is what the entire evening was centred around in the best way possible.
Before any bands had even taken to the stage, the audience was in fine fettle. Singing along to every song played by the night’s compere and DJ; Matt Stocks who played banger after banger to a crowd buzzing with a Friday feeling and ready to sing and dance the night away. The main support of the night was from TikTok stars; ADAM AND THE METAL HAWKS. Taking to the stage and bursting into a raucous rendition of the Time Warp had them winning the audience over instantly. Frontman Adam Ezegellian bounced around the stage for their whole set with his infectious Jack Black-esque energy and incredibly impressive vocal skills.
Throughout their short set; ADAM AND THE METAL HAWKS displayed impressive musicianship without ever missing a beat. However their strongest moments during the set come whenever they perform covers which understandably wins the audience over for a short while. Unfortunately there was a lack of substance when it came to playing original songs which saw the audience’s attention to them waver somewhat, with them turning away to chat rather than fully paying attention.
Rating: 6/10
Up next were the headliners of the night; PUNK ROCK FACTORY, who put on an absolutely blistering performance. It would be easy to write them off a few songs in as the schtick of playing Disney songs would wear pretty thin after about three or four tunes. However, it was the exact opposite. It was the perfect crowd that were watching them too. It’s safe to say that the entire crowd will have all grown up watching and listening to these songs being performed. It was like looking back into your childhood, if Disney and Stephen Sondheim had written these songs after several cans of monster and used power chords instead of a piano.
Taking to the stage, PUNK ROCK FACTORY rolled back the years through various Disney and musical anthems with the odd TV theme thrown in. What was one of the most impressive was the band’s display of endurance as they went through their set at a blistering pace, rarely giving the audience a moment to breathe before moving onto the next punk rock offering. They’re able to make the intimate nature of the O2 Ritz feel more like they were playing over at the AO Arena, the audience held on to every word and sang each song back being what felt like twice as loud as the band. Opening the set on The Lion King hit; I Just Can’t Wait To Be King showed just how fun the evening ahead was going to be.
What added to the fun nature of this gig is that it 100% isn’t supposed to be taken seriously. It’s also a surprisingly diverse set of songs they decided to play too. They managed to balance the right amount of Disney songs with musical numbers which was able to keep the audience guessing at what was coming next which brought plenty of humour to the show itself. It’s not everyday that you can say you’ve been in a mosh pit to songs like Mamma Mia and Under The Sea, but seeing hundreds of gleeful adults screaming and dancing along to each song just added to the pleasant and fun nature of the evening. The main highlight of the evening though was when the band went into the hit song by The Rock; You’re Welcome which had the best reception of the night. With the crowd already in fine voice, they were ready to show off their surprisingly impressive rap skills (giving KENDRICK LAMAR and KILLER MIKE a run for their money) when it came to a particular part of the song. For this bit, the band stopped briefly to take a second and admire the crowd before launching back into the chaos.
Throughout the night, PUNK ROCK FACTORY are able to keep up a playful banter with the audience, teasing them before going into each song. The one time they stop playing is to have an interactive section where the crowd is allowed to pick what song they played next, in a Countdown-style moment of comedy. The real comedic moment came when everyone realised there was no signal and they were unable to vote.
PUNK ROCK FACTORY do show a hint of self-awareness throughout the night, referencing the fact they’re in their mid forties and playing Disney songs every night. A true symbol of their ethos that you never truly grow up and just enjoy yourself. Overall, if you go and see PUNK ROCK FACTORY, you’re in for an incredibly fun night. Leave your worries at the door and dance the night away to songs like Defying Gravity, the theme to Spongebob Squarepants and many more from your childhood. Overall, the night itself is a nostalgic punk rock fever dream and in all the best ways possible. Instead of shelling out hundreds of pounds for theatre tickets, then you should take a chance on PUNK ROCK FACTORY instead. It’s one hell of a party.
Rating: 9/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Ellie D Photo here:
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