Thursday 27th November 2024
Fightmilk + Slash Fiction + Post Archives – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield, S1 4RH
MMIS is deliriously happy to bring together this dream bill to Sidney & Matilda’s intimate Factory room. Featuring purveyors of sweaty, loud, shouty pop songs Fightmilk, alongside fuzzy queer emo heroes Slash Fiction and powerpop legends Post Archives.
FIGHTMILK
Fightmilk was formed in 2015 in a Brixton pub garden by Lily and Alex, who had both, separately, just been dumped and thought being in an angry punk band would cheer them up. Then they found Nick and Healey to hold the rhythm down and make them sound good. With three albums under their belt, they’ve perfected their chaotic, melodic brand of joy and rage-filled pop with full-throated yelling and sparkling guitar riffs as their trademark. They’ve graduated from angsty whippersnappers in their mid-twenties to overgrown teenage 30-somethings with mild ongoing back pain.
The band quickly drew attention with their debut album Not With That Attitude (Reckless Yes, 2018) – singled out by Drowned In Sound for its “package of massive, Godzilla-heft hooks”. Gaining support from 6Music and Radio X, the band swiftly hopped in the van to play shows with the likes of Art Brut, Desperate Journalist and Nova Twins, as well as touring Germany.
Not letting a seismic global clusterfuck stand in their way, the band released their second LP Contender in 2021 via Reckless Yes. Described as “a joyous riot from start to finish” by Kerrang! Magazine, it was an album with something to prove, adding stacked harmonies, analog drum machines and even heftier riffs to the band’s arsenal, while still remaining decidedly true to the band’s spiky indiepop sound. As soon as they were released from lockdown they began a near relentless gigging schedule, taking in multiple trips around the UK, support slots with Johnny Foreigner, mclusky and Problem Patterns, plus a sold-out 2022 headline slot at Norway’s Indiefjord Festival, where a sweat-soaked Fightmilk crowd-surfed their way offstage at midnight only to find it was still light outside.
The band’s eighth year in action has seen them writing and recording their third album, to be released in late 2024 on Fika Recordings and INH Records. Fightmilk have turned the distortion up and the indiepop down with rougher and rawer songs about body image, death, and being fired from bridesmaid duty.
SLASH FICTION
South Yorkshire’s premier exponents of “queer emo noise”. Fresh off the release of their second full-length album “We’ll Hold This Line Until Hell Freezes Over”. Expect powerful odes to solidarity, a signature three-way vocal arrangement, and a healthy mix of intensely personal songs with equally anthemic rallying cries.
POST ARCHIVES
Fighting the curse of melancholy as you try and navigate the day to day is never easy when you live with your head in the clouds. Where better to start unpicking things than with your friends in a practice room. This Sheffield four piece play power pop that gets to the point as quickly as possible. Think Elvis Costello writing songs with The Cars and you won’t be far off.
Tickets on sale now (click logos to buy):
Saturday 1st June 2024
MMIS is delighted beyond measure to facilitate a stage in Sheffield for the co-headlining pop awesomeness of Broken Chanter and Mammoth Penguins, alongside the subliminally dreamy Schande!
BROKEN CHANTER
After a decade as the creative genius behind Kid Canaveral – a band that could make you dance, laugh, and weep all within minutes – Glaswegian songwriter David MacGregor set out on his own in 2017 under the name Broken Chanter. He proceeded to win over new legions of both fans and critics with two stunning albums and arrives in Sheffield shortly after the release of the third, Chorus of Doubt, on Chemikal Underground in April. You can continue to despair at the unrelenting shitshow of world events, or you can find hope and joy in the huge, soaring choruses of David’s new songs. Most people will probably do both, to be honest, but whatever. This will be special.
MAMMOTH PENGUINS
You loved Standard Fare and you’ll love Mammoth Penguins. The ecstatic and defiant thread between the two is woven from the unique voice and expansive storytelling of Emma Kupa, whose output remains as adventurous but also as shout-along catchy as ever. Emma is ably assisted by Mark Boxall and Tom Barden aka “the noisest rhythm section in indiepop”. Reminiscent of the pop melodies of The Beths, the indie dissonance of Land of Talk, and the guitar forward slacker rock of Weezer, Mammoth Penguins marry heartache indiepop with spiky guitars and Emma’s frank confessional songwriting. Look out for Here, their fourth album out shortly on the thoroughly commendable Fika Recordings label.
SCHANDE
California bred, London based, Jen Chochinov has been writing songs under the name Schande since the early 2000s, finding home in both UK and US DIY circles with discordantly catchy, melodic indie rock that is in equal parts calm and searing. Since relocating to London in 2013, she has continued playing shows throughout the UK and US both solo and with her full band. In 2018 and 2019, she was a touring member of Thurston Moore’s Guitar Ensemble and played shows throughout the UK and Europe alongside James Sedwards, Deb Googe, Steve Shelley, Jem Doulton and Jonathan Leideker. While Schande initially began as a solo project, the music is very much a collective effort; the instinctive melody of Gio Villaraut’s basslines and the creativity of Ryan Grieve’s syncopation coalesce with Jen’s angular guitar and create something fresh and exciting.