In a recent interview with Exposed, Cabbage lyricist Joe Martin told us: “We want to ruffle people’s feathers” – and without a doubt the Manchester five-piece have done just that. Unapologetic and at times hilarious, their lyrics are glazed with satire and stomp around austerity-based injustice, Kim Jong-un and the state of the NHS.
Born out of a neo-punk resurgence, their anti-establishment stance is often undercut with the bizarre – and beneath the floorboards of a once disused cinema eager punters leap around as a group of young Mancunians hammer through a track about having a wank into a quiche.
With ‘Dissonance’ Cabbage quickly set the tone. Gingerly stumbling around the stage, intoxicated or just getting used to life outside the straight jacket, they are here to anarchise. Rickety riffs lead garage vibes that are meshed together with an indecisive mix of genres that see surf guitar accompanied by plenty of black humour.
Their live antics are suitably chaotic, much in the same sort of league as The Fat Whites; and while they thrive in the more intimate settings, the five-piece are anything but limited to it. Supporting slots with the likes of Milburn and Blossoms have seen them batter the bigger stages, and with a live repertoire that continues to grow stronger, it won’t be long before they’re topping the bill themselves.
