REVIEW: Heavy Lungs at Sidney&Matilda
The last time I saw Heavy Lungs was not long before we were plunged into the deep, dark covid-era, at Sheffield’s Record Junkee on 10th November 2019. Back then, the Heavy Lungs hype was electric - helped along by their pals IDLES who had recently blown up. As we had witnessed IDLES go from playing a matinee meet and greet show to 100 odd people at said venue, to a sold-out Ally Pally show just over a year later, Heavy Lungs didn’t ‘blow-up’ in quite the same way. I am glad of this fact, however, and I’d like to imagine the band are too.
Fast forward to 2025 and Heavy Lungs still hold a special place in my heart. Let’s not disregard the fact that the band have been doing bits. The release of their debut album All Gas No Brakes in 2023 was well-received, and most recently their second album Caviar came into being this April to grace us with some truly delicious and sonically rich tracks that capture that ‘live’ sound that the band do best. I love that, despite their popularity, there’s still an air of mystery and excitement surrounding their existence. All these emotions mixed with pre-covid memories and nostalgia made me even more excited to reignite some of those feelings from 6 years ago, but this time, Heavy Lungs would take on Sidney and Matilda - the popular venue in town that has steadily become 'the place to be' for some of the best local, national, and international independent artists alike!
When entering Sidney&Matilda, you are greeted by the post-industrial charm of the courtyard smoking area. Although not as heaving as I’ve seen it in the past (this is a Thursday evening after all) the place was slowly filling up with gig-goers, and first stop was to grab a refreshing tipple to complement the crisp October air. After a momentary bout of disappointment due to the lack of Schofferhofer behind the bar (the pineapple cans have become a personal favourite of mine), I overlooked the extensive array of flavoured Hooch and decided to plump for a pint of ‘Mango Unchained’, because why not? (this is a Thursday evening after all.)
Armed with my light, fruity pint, my drink was a contrast to the dark, dingey gig room that is ‘The Basement’ of Sidney and Matilda – the perfect place for some dark, dingey tunes. Starting off strong with the first ‘lung’ of the night, Sheffield’s own Lunghorn appeared, but unfortunately a member down. With tonight’s three members taking a pew – frontman Joe and bassist Richard treated themselves to a sit-down set alongside drummer Joe; this arrangement on stage was in keeping with their abnormal, toned-down performance and helped to complement the more casual, cosier vibe that they were reluctantly having to pursue. Their sound however was far from cosy - complete with juicy basslines, confident drum fills, and melancholic vocals laced with angst, Lunghorn presented themselves as a stellar lineup that one can only imagine is improved with the guitarist in attendance. Stand-out track ‘Heroes’ saw Joe’s raw vocals dripping with emotion that overspilled into the crowd, creating a moment of realisation in which you could tell they were trying to break free from the self-imposed constraints of the 'stripped-back' set. Their toned-down appearance still wielded enough power to give you tinnitus – and if that's them as a three-piece, it just makes you yearn to see Lunghorn at full capacity!
Photo: Ollie Franklin
With a moment to compose ourselves after Lunghorn had decided to take our breaths away, the basement started to fill up for the next band. I had never heard of Joe and the Shitboys until now, but despite their name suggesting a hard-core element, they brought a set that I, and others in the crowd, weren’t quite prepared for. They have been all over the UK supporting Heavy Lungs for this tour, and I had been told to expect a hearty dose of wholesome punk. The trio entered the stage with lead singer Joe Shit introducing the band, before the self- proclaimed 'Bisexual vegans' descended into chaos. I think I’m also right in saying they were a member down tonight, but despite this, the band were pros at igniting the crowd. Their ‘Shitboys Theme’ brought top-tier audience participation with the help of Heavy Lungs’ drummer George. His invitation on stage to partake in the chant - “Shitboys in the house” evoked the corresponding and enthusiastic “SHITBOYS” response from everyone.
Photo: Ollie Franklin
Joe didn’t shy away from getting up close and personal with the crowd throughout the set as the band brought a unrelentless and infectious energy through songs that conveyed political messages, swept away amidst their chaos and quirk. After learning that the band hail from the Faroe Islands, located in the North Atlantic and home to just under 55,000 people, it made sense that the band have not just grown from a furiously DIY music scene, but born out of frustration, with their anger at the conservative Faroese rock scene fuelling their politically charged lyrics. Such anger was evident in songs such as ‘Kill Your Darlings’ which referenced abortion laws, with ‘If You Believe in Eating Meat Start with Your Dog’ providing a punchy 20 seconds to ‘paws’ for thought (sorry!) As the set drew to a close, Joe managed to coax a number of people, some enthusiastic, some reluctant, on stage to finish the set to shouts of the now familiar call-and-response ‘Shitboys Theme’. Despite Joe’s inclusion sparking fear in the eyes of the introverts – (if you think you can hide, think again) having everyone on stage turned the gig into a proper community vibe which ultimately is the message of unity that Joe and the Shitboys are aggressively trying to convey; ending the set by lighting up the basement with laughs, smiles, and a feeling of unified power.
After finding friends in the mixed crowd that were in awe of what we had just witnessed, it was time for a quick toilet stop. The woman's toilets at Sidney&Matilda are always a chaotic experience. Pissing in the dark is an experience in itself, as is the communal attempt at waving on the motion sensor activated light for your fellow pissers of which they will be very grateful. A major design flaw, we all agreed, or maybe we’re just missing something (the light switch perhaps.)
Before we knew it, the time had come for the main event. Kicking off the set with their speedy little ditty ‘Cushion The Blow’, Heavy Lungs did not even give us chance to do such a thing to prepare ourselves for the blow that was next track ‘All Gas No Brakes’. The band encapsulated this titular raucous and accelerated energy showing no signs of slowing down and after exuding such a powerful introduction, I feared that they were at risk of losing this momentum. Frontman Danny Nedelko has always been a captivating performer but unfortunately he wasn’t feeling his best this evening. To say he felt ill and also very guilty for feeling ill in Sheffield, he still managed to harness the power from somewhere deep within, matching the energy of the rest of the band, and putting on one hell of a show for what they pointed out was their ‘favourite city’ (and I sure do hope this is true.)
Photo: Ollie Franklin
Darting around the basement with admirable agility, Danny lost himself in the crowd and kept popping up when you least expected. It made the gig an interactive experience – forget ‘Where’s Wally?’, ‘Where’s Danny?’. As the band continued to deliver some forceful punches of post-punk through a mix of old and new tracks, Danny continued his little escapade into the crowd every now and again, evoking smiles and hugs all around. Joe Shit even returned to the stage to make an appearance in ‘Stutter’, conjuring another final round of “shitboys in the house” over the track’s moody riff. As the set drew to a close, Heavy Lung’s finished on popular song ‘(Bit of a) Birthday’ in which its cathartic energy summoned a mosh-pit from the crowd and also some questionable floor work from Danny reminiscent of *that* Saltburn scene, but he can get away with most things. The closing track was extended to the max, but we still didn’t want it to end - as much as I’m sad we didn’t hear ‘Unfaithful One’ (such a bop), it made me realise why Heavy Lungs choose this track to create an unforgettable finale.
Worried that Heavy Lungs had potentially fallen off people's radar - how wrong was I. The crowd may not have rivalled that of their Bristolian brothers, but every person there tonight was in awe of the band before them. As we left the dark, dingey and now very sweaty basement, our own lungs heavy with the fumes produced by the band’s fast and furious tour through some of the best post-punk mayhem, echoes of “I forgot how good they are!” surrounded the venue. If they're not on your radar, you need to get them back on pronto!
Words: Megan Wood
Photos: Ollie Franklin
