It’s my first time to the Rialto Theatre in Brighton, a venue tucked away just off Brighton’s main shopping centre. It’s a slender building with a lounge bar that doesn’t serve the typical treats of canned Tuborg and RedStripe that you usually have to indulge in at gigs. Upstairs is the venue itself; the room is dark and tall and full of atmosphere. It’s not just the anticipation for tonight’s bands, the place itself commands a certain feel. It’s the kind of place where you’d see a great band just before they plant their flag and make their name.

PINS are tonight’s headliners and the tone is set with brilliant supports from Yassassin and Baby in Vain. Yassassin play songs in the vein of Bikini Kill, with sharp style and high energy, while Baby in Vain play thick, heavy guitar riffs over a layer of synthesizers. Both of these combined are vital components of PINS’ sound. They have all the spirit and energy of a punk act but they sound dark and heavy and play incredibly tightly. It’s a mix that makes them a powerful force and a great spectacle live. PINS have been around for six years now, with their first release in 2013 they’ve been building momentum ever since and have been teasing a third album for a while. With each release they’ve become sharper, more refined and it feels like the third album could be the one that’ll earn them mass recognition.

They walk on and seize the room. Opening with ‘Aggrophobe’ their collaborative single with Iggy Pop. In Mr Pop’s place is bassist Anna Donigan taking to the mic and delivering Iggy’s signature snarl with ease giving the live performance the same brooding intensity as the recorded version.

‘Trouble’ is a live highlight. It’s a bold song driven by a droning, heavy bassline which paves the way for a brilliant echoing vocal. Faith Holgate sleekly creeps around the room whilst singing, taking to the edge of the stage, leaning over, testing the waters of the audience.

Holgate delivers the vocal with likeable confidence. There are no barriers at the show, she is at one with the audience and has full control of the room. She regularly comes off stage, working her way through the audience whilst the crowd cuts out a path for her as she comes through. There’s a brief moment where I make eye contact and, for a fleeting moment, it feels like I’m part of the show. Everyone is welcome on the PINS ship and they make that clear from the beginning.

Pulling back for a moment they cover Joy Division’s ‘Dead Souls’ which works beautifully in this most atmospheric venue. They avoid sounding as though they’ve cloned the song. It still sounds like PINS, keeping all their new wave flair and sharp vocals.

There are a few technical problems with the show, particularly with the drum set up. The band joke whilst trying to sort their kit out. These problems are pretty inevitable but the way they play makes them seem invincible: you forget that they are still a relatively new band. It’s moments like this where you realise all their power and intensity hang on somewhat of a fine thread. It shows a degree of vulnerability to the band which in a sense lets you see how truly brilliant they are as players. They sound huge and refined, the production is spot on excepting a few technical problems.

As the show builds to a close they don’t waste a second. Ending on ‘Girls Like Us’ they ask for the girls in the audience to come to the front. As the room reshuffles the crowd gets ready for the closing song, the crowd comes close to becoming a full-blown mosh pit but things don’t go this far. They make their goodbyes but the crowd are having none of it, demanding one more. Indulging us, they return and start bringing the crowd onstage for the very last song, breaking any remaining illusions of a barrier between the band and audience.

PINS really are a band best experienced live. Their recorded output has always been great and I’ll be eagerly awaiting a new album. But live they sound more powerful and all the elements really come together. The droning basslines that carry each song come through, sounding huge and creating tension for each song. Their songs are on fire with intensity and it’s this intensity that makes them hands down the best live show I’ve caught so far in 2017.
Chris Middleton

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