December in Birmingham. Storm Darragh was an absolute mess, heavy rain, strong winds, and all-around chaos that made leaving the house feel like a bad idea. However, I’m battling gale-force winds and sidestepping puddles that are basically mini lakes, all to get to the O2 Institute3. Why? Because Dead Pony was headlining, and there’s no way I was missing them.

This was a band I’d been dying to see live, and even a storm of biblical proportions wasn’t enough to stop me from heading to the O2 Institute3. Sure, the storm made me miss the opening act, Soapbox (RIP to what I’m sure was a killer set), but Gallus and Dead Pony more than made up for it.

Image by Dead Pony on Facebook

After finally thawing out and finding my spot in the crowd, Gallus took the stage, and boy, did they know how to wake everyone up. The anticipation was high.

These Glaswegian punks know how to make an entrance. If you haven’t heard of Gallus yet, you really should. From the moment they took the stage, you could feel the energy shift. The band hit the ground running, playing with a fire and intensity that immediately grabbed your attention. I knew the night was in good hands. Picture the off-the-wall energy of a five-year-old after three cans of Monster, but with actual talent and charisma. The Glasgow-based band came out swinging with punk-fuelled bangers that had the whole room buzzing.

Image by Jeff Pitcher on Facebook

Gallus is loud. I mean, really loud. But it’s the kind of loud that makes you want to jump straight into the action, not the kind that leaves your ears ringing in a bad way. Fast, punchy, and unapologetically loud. Gallus have this raw, unpolished sound that makes you feel like you’re right there in the thick of it. From the first note, they had the crowd in the palm of their hands.

The lead singer was on another level. His banter was casual, cheeky, and full of charisma. That is… I think it was. With an accent that thick I picked up maybe 50% of what was going on.

What really made them stand out, though, was how in it you felt the entire time. They had this ability to pull you right into the chaos, to make you feel like you were part of the mayhem.

Gallus felt less like a warm-up act and more like co-headliners. Their set was tight, energetic, and genuinely fun. By the time they wrapped up, the room was primed and ready for Dead Pony. Gallus had set the bar high, and Dead Pony had the task of following up a set that was already full of so much raw power and charisma. But if anyone could do it, it was them.

Then, the moment we’d all been waiting for: Dead Pony hit the stage, and it was like a switch flipped. The energy shifted, the anticipation was palpable, and the crowd went from hyped to full-on feral in a heartbeat. If Gallus had been a whirlwind, Dead Pony was the storm that followed, taking everything to a whole new level. They wasted no time, jumping straight into their set with a ferocity that left no room for hesitation. From the first song, it was clear that Dead Pony wasn’t here to play it safe; with an unpredictable setlist, each song more intense than the last, keeping the crowd on edge and begging for more.

Dead Pony had really opened the floodgates. Their setlist was a ride from start to finish. What really set Dead Pony apart was their ability to make the room feel intimate, despite the growing intensity of the performance. They weren’t just up on stage playing, they were sharing the experience with everyone in the room. Songs like “Bad Girlfriend” were a perfect example of this, especially when the band invited two fans on stage to perform the Macarena – apparently, a tour tradition that I am HERE FOR. I need to be throwing shapes up there when I see them again…

But it was during “X-Rated” that the crowd truly exploded. The energy was off the charts, the music was at full throttle, and it was impossible to stand still. The pit opened up almost immediately, and bodies began colliding in the most chaotic, exhilarating way possible. The mosh pits were textbook. While I didn’t jump in myself, I had the rather interesting (and surprisingly physical) role of being the pit wall, which, to be honest, turned into a bit of a workout. The crowd’s energy was relentless, and holding my ground wasn’t easy. The only casualty of the night was one lone acrylic nail from my right pinky finger. Anna, if you’re reading this, Dead Pony owes me a new nail – Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

People were diving into the madness with reckless abandon, and Dead Pony didn’t let up for a second. They were in the moment, and the crowd followed their lead, feeding off the energy, getting lost in the music. The pit was a storm of its own; unpredictable, intense, and completely wild. I probably got just as battered inside the venue as I would’ve done outside stood in the middle of the road in Digbeth (totally worth it). People were moshing, jumping, and pushing, completely absorbed in the music.

By the time they reached “MANA,” the closing track, it felt like the room was about to explode. The energy was at its peak, the crowd was drenched in sweat, and Dead Pony had taken them on a rollercoaster ride of punk chaos. “MANA” was the perfect way to close out the night, loud, intense, and cathartic.

As the night came to a close, there was an undeniable sense of satisfaction in the air. The storm outside may have been relentless, but inside the O2 Institute3, it was all about the music, and Dead Pony had made sure that every single person in that room would leave with their adrenaline levels at max. Gallus had set the stage perfectly, bringing a raw, electrifying energy that paved the way for the headliners to take it to the next level.

There was no question that the chaos of Storm Darragh had been worth it for such a performance. The soaked clothes, the wind-whipped hair, they were all a distant memory, replaced with the rush of an unforgettable live experience. It’s rare to see a show that feels this electric, and after experiencing Dead Pony live, I can’t believe I hadn’t seen them sooner. The energy, the intensity, the connection with the crowd, everything about their performance was unforgettable.

It’s clear that this band has something special going on, and I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on them from now on. If they haven’t made it to your city yet, do yourself a favour and grab a ticket as soon as they announce a show near you. Trust me, you won’t want to miss the chance to experience this in person.