Theo Verney brings the party to The Old Blue Last

The downstairs bar of London’s The Old Blue Last is a sea of coats. Upstairs, a baying throng of people are shedding whatever clothing they can as Theo Verney’s thrash pop turns the room into an excitable sweatbox. Pockets of movement jostle with a capacity crowd as music wrestles showmanship. Dance or spectate; it’s Sophie’s choice.

Kancho kick start the evening. Their upfront drum and bass pairing is a deliberate celebration of their limitations; sticking to the shadows, they start with a simple rolling climb before a clenched fist rhythm beats against whispered secrets and impassioned cries. Rowdy, and dedicating songs to Subway sandwiches, Kancho are relentless in their attack. Swapping instruments for the penultimate track, the Oxford two-piece manage to up the ante even further with a furious, yet melodic wall of noise.