DITZ, Gallus, and Cosmorat bring the energy to SON Estrella Galicia's 'Soundhood Hackney' micro-festival review • DIY Magazine

Having hosted a number of live events in London and, more recently, Brighton, last week SON Estrella Galicia returned with their first ever multiple-night affair. Dubbed ‘Soundhood Hackney’, the self-styled micro-festival took place over two days and two venues, returning to Paper Dress Vintage on Thursday 13th June before Hackney’s Two Palms hosted Friday’s installment, where we were in for a night of raucous rabble rousing and unrestrained energy.

There might be barely enough room for ringleader Taylor Pollock to swing her pigtails among the sheer amount of gear stashed on the already very cosy stage, but that doesn’t stop Cosmorat from getting the party started. Among showcasing tracks from March’s ‘Evil Adjacent’ EP – standouts being peppy pop closer ‘Backseat Baby’ and a soaring ‘Something in the Rain’ that would be right at home in Hackney Empire’s main room next door – there’s room for a couple of new numbers, the first of which features a gloriously sludgy riff.

Next to take to the stage, Gallus are riled up. With three of the band wearing Scotland shirts, it’s hard to tell whether this energy is down to the Glaswegians’ stage time clashing with the national team’s Euro 2024 debut match, or the unfortunate score itself; the band’s already fiery set steps up a further punk notch when frontman Barry Dolan spots a mobile phone notification alerting him to the then-4-0 scoreline. Theirs is a set of two halves: channelling frenetic ‘70s pub rock in the first (think London rabble-rousers Chubby and the Gang, or Aussie noiseniks Amyl and the Sniffers); then, save for a nod to Adele’s ‘Hello’ performed on the venue’s bar itself, a second that leans more towards dance-punk, albeit still with pints flying and a brief crowdsurf.

Headliners DITZ, meanwhile, clearly prefer to be the calm within the storm of their own creation. There’s a steadiness to vocalist Cal Francis’ presence, as if nonchalantly flicking a lit match backward into a crowd doused in petrol. They’re barely on the stage itself: instead, they meander around the mosh fuelled by the band’s clanging, menacing post-punk; venture upstairs to perform from the upper balcony; and take an anxious cameraman’s GoPro for a trip into one unsuspecting gig-goer’s (thankfully mostly empty) pint glass. The band behind pummel almost methodically, drummer Sam Evans’ under-the-weather status only made obvious by reference to the bucket at his side and note of a set change: “But we gave you some new songs, so…” offers Cal in exchange. As the last feedback rings out across the room, there’s barely time for the last spilled pint to be mopped up before the lights change, the disco ball lights up, and the evening’s DJ sets kick off in earnest.

Tags: Cosmorat, DITZ, Gallus, Reviews, Live Reviews