London’s Sebright Arms played host to a blistering set from art-punk sextet Man/Woman/Chainsaw, with a little help from a well-known beer brand. Cheers, SON Estrella Galicia!
At the intersection of UK gig culture and Spanish nightlife sits SON Estrella Galicia, a musical offshoot of the flagship beer brand belonging to family-owned brewery Hijos de Rivera. Specialising in live show experiences since 2009, they’ve established immersive events, including the integration of trademark beer culture workshops, in Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Mexico, Uruguay and the US. For two years and counting, they’ve been busy letting loose around independent music venues in East London. 2025 sees their biggest expansion yet — May’s team-up with Oslo in Hackney spotlighted post-punk duo Big Special for a Dot To Dot Festival warm-up show.
Most recently came a debut takeover with Sebright Arms, the wood-panelled East End pub with pool tables, Alby’s pizza slices and basement live music. It’s a small-cap venue, only managing to fit around 120 standing gig guests in the intense heat of its intimate downstairs space. But don’t let its size fool you, this underground is raucous – felt at best in exquisite DIY fashion during the headline Man/Woman/Chainsaw happening. Welcomed by a packed crowd of half-drunk Londoners, the six-piece’s set was to serve as evidence for the exuberant presence of one of British art-punk’s most promising forces.
Between catching up with mates over pints in the bar, and checking out SON Estrella Galicia’s lanyard and t-shirt offerings up for grabs upstairs, the hot air of Sebright Arms grew thick quick. Taking centre stage first were support act AtticOmatic, a five-piece from Brighton with all the experimental makings of your favourite 90s alt dream pop bands. In the vein of Mazzy Star, or even Cocteau Twins, dual vocalists Kamran Kaur and Lorcan Forder are a delight. Harmonious and hazy over fierce instrumentals – particularly on “Tended Ground” and closer “Wait” – the pair perform their debut EP “Fold the World” like natural pros, a tight link informed by their shared experience of late-diagnosed neurodivergence.
“Happy to be shredding”, announces guitarist Ollie White at about the halfway mark, who commands sonic tonal shifts throughout with ease. Soft to hard, quiet to loud, in sync with bassist Marie Freiss and drummer Kai Raghunath. On all accounts, AtticOmatic’s ambitious folktronica set delivered the primer goods for what would soon follow. At around 9pm, Sebright Arms’ basement now full to the brim, Man/Woman/Chainsaw weaved their way through the audience and into plain sight – 50 Cent’s “In da Club” declaring their arrival out the speakers.
The band’s sold-out booking opened with “The Boss”, a splendent rock number from their debut EP “Eazy Peazy”, defined by thrashing guitar riffs courtesy of Vera Leppänen (vocals, bass), Billy Ward (vocals, guitars), and Billy Doyle (guitars) – the latter habitually jumping in the air in a perpetual state of high-energy. Fast and frenzied, it’s a lavish introduction to the eclectic sextet heightened by a gripping interjection of strings from violinist Clio Starwood. Leppänen and Ward, together with Emmie-Mae Avery (vocals, keys/synths), yell and distort into their mics in an impressive display of organised chaos.
“Adam & Steve” ensued, the first of two singles released this year that presented a restrained change of pace. Both “Adam & Steve” and “MadDog”, in fact, added a complimentary flavour to the palette of Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s EP-focused setlist – although “Grow A Tongue In Time” did veer into tenderness. Leppänen is searing, capable of somewhat stripped-back moments of alluring balladry that should, but do not, sound out of place among more aggressive heavy hitters. Her voice often runs rabid, like the titular “MadDog”, before quickly slipping back into a bright, acrobatic groove of versatile registers and tones. It’s evocative of Hayley Williams, while looking the part of “post” era Björk.
“Ode To Clio” was the culmination of a winding spectacle, playing parallel to “The Boss”. Again, spirited and bouncing with angst and adrenaline, Man/Woman/Chainsaw closed out the night with a cut that started off delicate and lustrous before descending into beautiful madness. Lola Cherry’s pulsating drums were given full reign to reach a crescendo, at the same time Starwood’s violin melody piercing in accordance with the song’s tumultuous tale of heartache. It was a sudden affair, wrapping up an hour’s worth of DIY splendour with cheers of satisfaction. For those who wanted to stick around, London post-punk band Warmduscher provided entertainment for the rest of the night in the form of a DJ set.
Fusing the coolest up-and-coming talent with a crisp Spanish beer, SON Estrella Galicia’s takeovers continue to be a recipe for success. Turning a local gig into something more memorable, their sweat-soaked debut at Sebright Arms is proof of the cross-cultural power that small venue programming can possess. If growth and expansion is desired, it’s vital they keep fulfilling their promise to champion the best independent entities around to welcome them. You can catch SON Estrella Galicia again for their second Soundhood micro-festival across various Hackney venues, including the esteemed Oslo, on September 27.
Words – Douglas Jardim
