The Molotovs Light The Fuse At Gorilla With Mod-Punk Defiance
- HARRY K
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Gorilla Manchester 8th January 2026
WORDS HARRY K / IMAGES ANDY CALLEN
Lemonsuckr opened the night and raised both the tempo and the temperature. The Brighton-based outfit delivered a gloriously chaotic set that blurred indie, punk and dance-floor tension into something sweaty and irresistible. Their sound — raw, wiry and shot through with hooks — felt tailor-made for Gorilla’s low ceiling and packed floor, drawing the crowd fully into the night before The Molotovs detonated it. There was an air of unpredictability about their performance, a sense that anything could tip sideways at any moment, which only added to the thrill. By the time they left the stage, the room was primed — buzzing, heaving, and ready for ignition.
Up next, Pyncher took to the stage with the kind of swagger that immediately shook Gorilla . The Manchester four-piece tore through a short, sharp set of jagged indie-rock, sounding every bit like a band already comfortable in rooms this size. Their songs lurched and snapped with intent — angular guitars, elastic rhythms and a frontman who knew exactly how to command attention without overplaying it. There’s a sense with Pyncher that they’re part of a growing wave of UK bands re-injecting grit and character into guitar music, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, plenty were already taking notes.
The Molotovs arrived armed with urgency, attitude and a sound that feels both rooted in British punk history and wired firmly into the present.
Still in their teens, siblings Mathew and Issey Cartlidge look the part before a note is even played — razor-sharp haircuts, tailored suits, pure Mod silhouette. It’s less costume than manifesto, positioning them as front-runners for a Mod-punk revival that feels increasingly real in 2025.
From the off, the set is furious, punchy and irresistibly catchy. The influence of The Jam is unmistakable — that taut rhythm, that sense of purpose — while flashes of Buzzcocks-style melodic bite keep everything moving at a relentless clip. This is punk with hooks and pop instincts.
Mat’s between-song banter lands with the same impact weather is telling you to “Don’t let any fucker get you down,” or about Brexit and flagshaggers. It’s blunt, provocative, and perfectly pitched for a crowd packed tight beneath Gorilla’s railway arches.
Yet The Molotovs aren’t all sneer and slogans. they bring a surprising emotional clarity, grounding the chaos in hope and optimism rather than nihilism. It’s a reminder that the best punk has always balanced anger with belief.
There’s also a distinctly British sense of everyday eccentricity running through the set — a lineage that traces back through Blur, Pulp, The Kinks and The Beatles — giving the band character beyond volume and velocity.
Having recently landed a support slot with the Sex Pistols and earned praise from Paul Weller, The Molotovs are already attracting serious attention. On this evidence, it’s fully deserved. Gorilla felt less like a proving ground and more like a launchpad.
Defiant, stylish and ferociously alive, The Molotovs don’t sound like a band waiting for permission. They sound like one kicking the door in.
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