Since impressing their small audience at Stag and Dagger earlier in the year, Stevenage’s Bad Breeding have gone from strength to strength, since releasing their debut self-titled album independently to a wave of high praise and plaudits.
Not that this post-punk four-piece really care what you think, of course.
Bad Breeding are an exciting prospect, tonight just as on form as they were in Broadcast in May, seamlessly blending industrial sounding electronic flourishes with their explosive, energetic punk rock.
While they are unmistakably punk, they manage to bring something fresh to the genre with their inventiveness and relentlessly oppressive and cynical sound.
One only needs to hear tracks like ‘Corrupting Fist’ and ‘Shame’ to understand this band’s power.
Charlie Rose (bass), Matt Toll (guitar) and Ashlea Bennett (drums) all hold steady like the well-oiled machine they are, while vocalist Chris Dodd rampages around the stage and crowd in equal amounts, making sure the audience is fully paying attention to his ramblings.
Bad Breeding flash through their set in the way any true punk band should, i.e. in half an hour maximum.
Closing off with the two tracks which set them apart from many of their peers, singles ‘Age of Nothing’ and ‘Burn This Flag’ are where the band’s real uniqueness shines through, proven by audience’s appreciation, response and reception.
After their second appearance in Glasgow in 2016, there is now no doubting that Bad Breeding are serious business and are here to stay.
Word/Photos: Adam Turner-Heffer
