DUDS are a band that captured an intense level of excitement among my friends. After what I hear was an incredible set at End of the Road Festival this year, they made it clear missing their Brighton show would be a fool’s move. A band that can capture that level of excitement and adoration from a 30 minute set from a line-up as strong as this year’s End of the Road are definitely going to be worth seeing. The Manchester band are the first UK group to sign to John Dwyer’s Castle Face Records and released Of a Nature Or Degree a week earlier.

The show tonight is sold out from the looks of it and the room is rammed with half the audience just hanging outside the live room. Support came courtesy of Brighton band Squids, who were absolutely stellar as a warm up act. The bands have the same quality of disjointedness as Montreal band Ought but slightly less tight and a bit freer.

By the time DUDS are due to come on the crowd is compact and dense. The band rush on and rip into their set. DUDS are a seven-piece and, as a result, are packed on to the stage. They look great as well, all uniform in navy blue military shirts. From the off the show palpitates with energy from both the band and crowd. An easy label to apply to DUDS is post-punk, but it’s not a sound that’s easy to pigeonhole. It’s got the familiar disjointedness and distorted unsung vocals but DUDS are an anomaly. They sound loud and frantic but it’s more controlled chaos. There’s a passive rage behind the sound too, it sounds like ripping off plasters with short bursts of concentrated vitality. Their heavy use of percussion and trumpets make their typically under two minute songs sound full and frenzied. There is so much packed into DUDS’ music and yet their entire discography is only around 40 minutes long.

Onstage they are clearly putting everything they’ve got into the live show and the band are flailing around, packed onto the stage. They are every bit as exhilarating to watch as their music is to listen to. There’s very little exchanged between the band and audience, they barely take a breath between songs. Undoubtedly, with their songs being so short, the majority of their discography gets an airing tonight.

Whilst their set is brief it packs a punch. When they finish, it’s like being able to exhale for the first time. I’ve never seen a live band play like DUDS do and it seems that they are starting to gather a reputation with a loyal fan base. Seeing them live really was second to none. Combined with the fact that their music is in a league of its own there really is no contest. After being convinced by friends to go see DUDS live, I extend the same invitation to you and you won’t regret it.

Chris Middleton

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