Come on into the world’s first 3,500 capacity sauna. Wait, no, it’s just Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse. Situated right next to Old Trafford (whereby I’ll say nothing negative to keep everybody happy), it’s one of many, many venues where you become absorbed by the music. That being solely because you have to focus on something other than the relenting heat and the likely chance of passing out.
This is where Permanent (Joy) come in. A four-piece, Liverpool-based band who are here to fill the void between silence and headliners The Royston Club, sharing the slot with fellow support act Overpass. If their name is their manifesto, everything’s going to be just fine…
It’s taken the band a while to get here. In 2023, they were still Blondes (the band, not the hair colour), but after the departure of their lead singer, the next stage of evolution began. Debut single ‘Josephine‘ was released in September 2024, heralding a new era. Two EPs later, the band have no doubt found their feet, evident even more so as they take to the stage.
For those not overly familiar with their work, the short, six-song set was undoubtedly the perfect introduction. Walking on stage with a guise of nonchalance, ‘Nosebleeds’ pushes through with urgency, doing the tricky job of defining atmosphere whilst also saving room for energy. It’s during the chorus that frontman Alex Davison’s vocals crawl through, sitting somewhere between a plea and a melody. You’d hardly imagine they were the same band who shuffled onto the stage just moments prior.
They almost feel like a band who entered a time machine in the 90s and staggered to the modern day, as a haze of scrappy yet somehow defined moments of play clash to form a captivating set. ‘Stressed Out’ and ‘Pick It Up,’ are prime examples of this. The influence of shoegaze glides amongst a slick modern indie sound, to create music which is entrancing to listen to live.
‘Lucky’ offers one of those moments where the spotlight leaves the frontman and finds home elsewhere, this time setting up base with guitarist Dan Stroud. Whilst peering in and out, the groove of the guitar in play commands the song and trails every corner of the room. If you’re one to stand still at a concert, you’re certainly bobbing your head now.
‘Aeroplane’ gives us much needed respite. With a much tamer pace, its melancholy drifts through the crowd. It really is a standout moment – far removed from the energy of what’s gone before, its stark difference grounds it in sentiment.
As a finale, ‘I Wanna Go Home’ gives us one last rush (hoping it’s just a song title and not a declaration.) Having listened to their discography, it makes the most sense as a closing statement. Distortion glazes these drawn-out guitars, the bassline bounces around and drums push the whole thing into place. It certainly sticks, exactly as a closing song should.
I hadn’t heard of Permanent (Joy) before they were announced as openers for The Royston Club, but they are certainly a band who will sit securely in my playlists from now on. Their commanding of the stage goes hand in hand with the genuinely fantastic music they’re creating. It was a stellar set for a band who are sure to be around for a very long time.
Discussion: What did we think of Permanent (Joy)? With music journalists Leah Simons, Izzy Hurcum and Freya Hoare
