Live Review: Punk Rock Factory - O2 Ritz, Manchester, 03/11/2023
Being one of the more surprising rising acts of the 2020s, Welsh comedy punks Punk Rock Factory embark on their biggest tour yet. This tour brings them to their largest Manchester show to date at the famed O2 Ritz, and with their own original take on other creators’ music, their humorous self-awareness has brought them to a full house and a full room of laughter.
Coming with them on this journey for their very first tour across the pond is American rockers Adam and the Metal Hawks (abbreviated to AMH). Not one’s standard rock band, these guys bring the talent with a healthy helping of humour: for example, no other heavy musicians will strike lightning with a glam-rock-like rendition of Rocky Horror hit ‘Time Warp’ as their opening number. It got the crowd moving, jumping, hopping and thrusting along, even if they were unaware of who these men were or why they were entertaining everyone with a musical theatre track straight out of the gate. Whatever the magic was, they worked it and didn’t even need a magic wand.
Following on would seem to walk a fine line between an improv troupe’s skit and a genuine rock performance, as the hilarity is subtle but works alongside their brand of heavy rock. The main source of comedy was coming from the unchallenged charisma of frontman Adam Ezegelian, who brought stellar vocals to perfectly balance his unserious side while on stage. From shouting out his fellow bandmates repeatedly, to giving over-the-top dance moves to the group’s cover of Donna Summer’s ‘Hot Stuff’, to lifting guitarist Johnny Barry on his shoulders during a fantastic guitar solo midway through their cover of Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’.
With the crowd ready to rock and definitely ready to laugh, the tour’s DJ and narrator for the night Matt Stocks introduced the main men of the evening: Punk Rock Factory.
This would possibly be the most random gig anyone in that room would attend all year, and the band stormed onstage after a short audio skit, going straight into The Lion King’s ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’. To witness hundreds of people dancing, headbanging, screaming along to a Disney classic - a song of many of those in attendance’s childhoods - was a sight to behold as it was a blending between nostalgia and current interest. The old good and the new good, coming together at the hands of Punk Rock Factory and their talent of reimagination.
The gig would play more as a comedy show between songs, as the members would have short-lived conversations teasing upcoming tracks to be played. This included asking the crowd if they were cat people, which flowed into performing the theme to classic kids’ cartoon Thundercats; then asking if there were also dog people, which brought them into the theme for recent children’s television phenomenon Bluey. This also captured what was entertaining about the covers the Wales-based group indulged their fans in: it would be of times gone by and times to come, and there was always something for everyone.
Some of the most enthusiastic audience reactions came from the shorter tracks, which were primarily theme tunes. This ranged from the short but fantastic burst of rock energy for the SpongeBob Squarepants theme; to pitching their microphones for Alvin and the Chipmunks’ theme; to getting every single person in the room buzzing and yelling every word with their entire heart and soul for the iconic original Pokemon theme; the latter of which they brought Adam Ezegelian back onstage to exude the pure punk rock energy that it not only needed, but deserved. This was also alongside other unexpected covers, such as the theme tune for 90s hit show Friends as a tribute for the recent loss of star Matthew Perry, and it was a highlight of how many people discovered Punk Rock Factory in the first place. Finding the majority of their fanbase through their virality on social media, particularly TikTok, these shorter and more memorable covers are what introduced these attendees to this band before them and that itself is a happy memory to relive in the moment. Combine it with childhood nostalgia and the rose tint is not all that bad for an hour and a half. It’s what many people need sometimes, and kudos to Punk Rock Factory for giving that in the most fun and relevant way they can.
Disney flows through the band’s veins however, as that was what united everyone of all ages, backgrounds, in every demographic one can think of. From The Lion King to Frozen, The Little Mermaid to Moana, the standout was the Encanto hit ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’. A soundtrack song that was loved and admired around the world in its original format, it was only natural it was going to be given the Punk Rock Factory treatment and it was the most excitable the crowd became throughout the entirety of the show. There is a reason that song became a chart hit when the movie first released last year, and this rendition is just another reminder that Disney is not just for kids and never will be.
Winding down with a cover of Moana’s ‘How Far I’ll Go’, the show did not feel like a real experience. It was akin to watching the band’s videos on their social media pages, or streaming through them on one’s dedicated service. This is not a bad thing; it simply means the minutes slipped away in a mix of laughs, chords, singing and cheering, in a way that is rarely seen in such a capacity at a rock show. Yes, punk rock will always have a tongue-in-cheek element to it - that’s what makes it punk rock - but this was something else. An acquired yet popular taste; one that sees the band announcing their return to the northwest in 2024 at the Manchester Academy, and more people are getting the appetite for it.
They may constantly self-deprecate about covering other musicians’ songs and making adjustments to their chosen genre, but it’s working and it’s one of the best gifts that keep on giving as they grow bigger and rise higher among the stars.
It’s never a dull moment in the Punk Rock Factory world. Just let loose, have fun, and remember that it’s all songs that everyone knows in a style the community enjoys. If there’s nothing broke about the formula, there’s no need to fix it.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
