By Chris Taylor.
This is my second night in a row at the 1865 (4/12/25). The Joiners Live team have thrown down the gauntlet for those of us who feel like we’re getting too old by putting on a midweek double of Skinny Lister and Pet Needs – two of the UK’s best underground punk bands, with devoted cult followings. Like Skinny Lister, Pet Needs are a band who could easily be described as ‘honorary locals’ of Southampton’s independent music scene, bringing a DIY energy and passion for music that fits perfectly with the spirit of the city’s punk collective. The venue is buzzing again, and I’m sure I’m not the only person who was here last night as well.
I’ve got high expectations for tonight. The last time I saw Pet Needs was when they supported Frank Turner at the Guildhall in 2022, but the 1865 is a much more intimate venue where it’s easier to appreciate the energy of an up and coming punk band, so I’m excited to see them again. And I was lucky enough to discover Carsick (the main support) when they opened up a small show at the Joiners a few years ago, but this is going to be my first time seeing them in a little while – and on a bigger stage.
First up, though, is Samantics. I’ve been aware of him for years, but somehow never had a chance to catch his show. I’m kicking myself, because I’ve been missing out on a fantastic performer. He’s a one-man-band who creates all his own music on the fly using loops of instruments and vocal techniques, and then adds captivatingly-delivered punk poetry over the top with a mix of everything from rap to singing to emotionally-charged yells. He opens with a hard-hitting introduction to his own personal struggles with depression and anxiety which – I think intentionally – shocks us into paying attention, but his charismatic, uplifting between-song banter quickly puts the audience at ease. He soon pivots the set around a satire of pop music (‘Pop Song’) that’s as catchy as it is on point and full of punchlines, and then moves into more hopeful, positive tracks about overcoming struggles. He rounds things out with a song which just uses his ukulele, fully displaying his songwriting skills without any of the loops and effects.
From a musician’s perspective, it’s always interesting watching performers like him build up their tracks, but the way that Samantics engages with the audience and holds the room’s attention is incredibly impressive. Whereas some loop artists make you feel like you’re just waiting while they get the song ready to go, he has a way of drawing you into the performance even while the songs are half-formed, chatting with the crowd, embracing mistakes, and using all his tech to add to the performance rather than as a crutch.
Samantics will be back in Southampton with a headline show at The Hobbit on March 14th 2026 – I will absolutely be getting tickets (on Pet Needs’ orders).
The moment Carsick take to the stage, you can tell they’ve been putting in the work over the past couple of years. Since I last saw them, they’ve performed at everything from tiny DIY shows and charity gigs to festival appearances and supporting Million Dead for their sold out reunion show at The Joiners. They’re completely at ease working the crowd in the 1865, earning themselves a couple of moshpits and even a crowd surfer from an otherwise very well-behaved audience. Their sound has clearly evolved, too, from what might lazily be described as ‘a bit like a punky version of The Streets’ to a bouncy and extremely tight blend of so many influences that it’s impossible to pin down – indie, punk, hardcore, grime, and even a touch of UK reggae punk. It feels like watching a new Enter Shikari or Turnstile as they blast around the stage (and into the crowd), winning hearts and minds with a unique mix of punk, post-hardcore, and pop/electronic sounds.
If you get the chance to see this Salisbury quartet in a small venue, make sure you take it. I can’t imagine them being on the local grind for much longer, especially if they keep winning fans at the rate they did tonight.
And last but by no means least, we’re on to Pet Needs. They emerge from backstage with zero hesitation, launching straight into their blend of poetry-driven skate punk, post-hardcore, and indie punk, before they pause for vocalist Johnny Marriott to remind the crowd that Southampton was the first city outside of their hometown where they sold out a headline show. One of my favourite things about the Southampton music scene is seeing how many bands treat this city as a ‘home from home’, and Pet Needs just played right into that.
The band never lets the energy drop over an hour and a quarter set, which I barely noticed passing by. The interplay between guitar, bass, and drums creates a huge wall of sound behind Johnny’s lyrics, flipping between driving skate punk strumming, the chunky riffs and jangly clean guitars of 90s post-hardcore or indie, and ripping solos. They have a superb control of the pacing of their performance, interspersing the barrage of high-speed tracks with just the right amount of chat and slow songs to break things up without ever losing momentum. And as we hit ‘Scratchcard’ and the set starts to build towards a climax, everything starts to feel more anthemic, with more singalongs, more riffs, more Frank Turner-esque shouts and appeals to the crowd. It leaves us on a high, wanting more, but satisfied by what (in hindsight) was a massive setlist.
Chatting with my friend as we left the venue, I realised that the common thread for the night wasn’t so much the sound of the acts, who are all fundamentally quite different kinds of punk; it’s the level of lyricism and poetry, and the charisma and energy they all bring to the live show. It’s clear from that that Pet Needs wanted to champion acts they care about when putting the touring party together, rather than just setting themselves up as top dog on the night – as Johnny mentioned during the set, it was Frank Turner encouraging the crowd to buy Pet Needs tickets in 2022 that caused the Joiners to sell out (going on to suggest the crowd should help Samantics’ March show to sell out).
I genuinely couldn’t tell you which act was the best – for all the right reasons – and I’d highly recommend them all. There was never a point where I felt like I was watching a ‘warmup act’ and wanting the next band to start; each one deserved their spot on the stage, and each one added something unique to the evening. The room was electric for the whole show, and I think many people would have found at least one new favourite act, if not two. Easily one of the best gigs I’ve been to this year.
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