Live Review | Panic Shack @ The Garage, London

Panic Shack | The Pill

The Garage, London

28th May 2025

Photography by Matt Wellham (@mattwellham)

Matt Wellham

After years of photographing and filming the London music scene, Matt’s now based in Sydney, Australia. A lover of the post-punk and alternative movement, he can usually be found in the grassroots venues, camera in one hand and a beer in the other.

Panic Shack tear through London with furious punk energy and Cardiff charm

With the return of grey skies on a sweaty London Wednesday, the city was desperate for a punk pick-me-up. Luckily, in Islington, that came in the shape of Panic Shack. This Welsh punk quintet, ideal for fans of Amyl & The Sniffers, are known for their off-kilter lyrics, unpredictability, and chaotic live performances, something I got to experience at The Garage, a venue that has recently become my second home.

Opening the night were the Isle of Wight’s very own The Pill. Could Panic Shack have picked a better opener? The similarities are clear. They’re a punchy punk rock duo who’ve built a following by blending humorous lyrics (calling out every other man and his mullet) with sharp wit and satire that challenges gender stereotypes and social norms.

The energy delivered in their short 30-minute stint was raw and refreshing. The pair clearly love what they do and that bled into the audience, now starting to pack out the 600-capacity venue. Celebrating the launch of their debut EP ‘The EP’, Lily and Lottie will be playing a launch show at The Grace, London, on 18th June. After witnessing tonight’s performance, I suggest you grab yourself a ticket and I’ll see you in the pit.

As the sold out crowd squeezed into the old Temperance Billiard Hall, it was time for Panic Shack to make their appearance. You barely had time to soak in their unique punk outfits, lead singer Sarah Harvey donning a sick PVC top emblazoned with ‘Ych a fi’ (Welsh for “ew”), before they whirled into recent single ‘Gok Wan’, a track that critiques the toxic culture of body ‘improvement’ shows that dominated our TV screens in the early 2000s.

As the track ended, Sarah took a moment to welcome the crowd. As someone who grew up in South Wales, I was stoked to hear the band’s Cardiff accents in full force, even amping the crowd into a “Waaaayals, Waaaaaayals” chant. Their personalities and humour reminded me of hazy nights out on Womanby Street, listening to South Wales’ emerging talent.

Making their way through the setlist, the band played the opener from their upcoming album ‘Girl Band Starter Pack’, before heading into one of their formative singles, ‘Jiu Jits You’. This is where the audience really got to experience Panic Shack at their finest. Quirky, coordinated dance moves appeared as the guitars thrashed out short, sharp punk riffs. Bassist Emily Smith, in particular, was an absolute joy to watch, riffing off bass notes as if they were her last, all while shouting harmonies down the mic and joining in with the aforementioned dance routines. Try doing all of that yourself in front of 600 people – I’ll be impressed if you can.

As the lights pulsed in pinks and blues and the mosh pits grew sweatier, Panic Shack kicked off ‘Thelma & Louise’, an unreleased song from the album. “This is the only love song we’ll ever write,” shouted Harvey, before adding, “but it’s about each other.” Nick Doherty-Williams established the track with a pacey classic punk beat before distortion heavy guitars came in. The track was an opportunity for the band to jam together. They were a riot on stage, writhing and jumping around as the guitars clashed and soloed away. The fun was infectious, you couldn’t help but crack a smile as you tried not to spill your beer in the pit.

Fan favourites ‘The Ick’ and ‘Who’s Got My Lighter?’ made an appearance, along with an unexpected reworking of ‘I Don’t Really Like It’, which was remixed with ‘That’s Not My Name’ by The Ting Tings, a track with as much relevance to today’s punk crowd as it had with indie fans 18 years ago.

The set ended with Harvey giving the crowd a chorus to sing back to them: “VAPE, PHONE, KEYS, LIP GLOSS,” before launching into a final, thrilling unreleased song. With that, this Welsh group left their mark on a crowd of Londoners. Panic Shack are a ferocious act to watch live, with punky, choreographed dance moves, sharp guitar solos and a set of vocals ready for a fight. Some songs may seem obscure on the surface, ‘Meal Deal,’ comes to mind, but underneath lies a smart, poignant message that tackles the toxic cultures and societal pressures today’s young punks are facing.