Loose Articles | Fig By Four | Ambiere
The Vale, Mossley
22nd February 2025
Loose Articles are a riotous force, crashing into 2025 with unstoppable momentum. Last year saw their debut album Scream If You Wanna Go Faster land in the UK Top 100 and a dream support slot with Foo Fighters, and now, the Manchester four-piece are proving that feminine power punk is as fierce and vital as ever. The Kick Like A Girl Extra Time tour isn’t just about the live shows – it’s an Arts Council-backed initiative breaking down barriers for young women and non-binary people, offering them opportunities in performance, sound, and technical roles. Tonight, that mission lands in Mossley, as Loose Articles bring their defiant energy to The Vale.
Reviewed by Clare de Lune
Ambiere’s opener is a mesmerising fusion of fairytale grunge and ethereal dance, where beats collide with her stunning, otherworldly vocals. Moving across the stage with a playful, unrestrained expression, it’s as though she is swept away by the music in the solitude of her bedroom. Each track builds layer upon layer – programmed beats and shimmering synths intertwining with vocals that are rich, flexible, and deeply emotive. Thea lingers in a dark, brooding undertone before soaring into a breathtaking chorus, her movements mirroring the rise and fall of the soundscape. Sleep has a touch of raw intimacy, gorgeously profound and transcendent, as her daughter’s sampled delicate laughter weaves beneath hypnotic vocals and minimal beats. She closes with an EDM-infused beauty, a slow-burning build that erupts into a euphoric finale. For a fleeting moment, there’s an endearing awkwardness as she twirls across the stage, but the crowd’s warmth lifts her higher, and by the final note, she’s fully immersed. A spellbinding performance from an artist destined for big things.
Fig By Four’s live show is a masterclass in controlled intensity. Sarah Statham commands the stage with the same assured energy that made her album, Capture Reveal, such a striking debut. The band’s eight-song set seamlessly shifts from soft, melodious indie-rock to upbeat grooves that are righteous and robust. Only Skin is a gorgeously subdued indie-folk delicacy, Statham’s expert musicianship ever present in her delivery. Mea Culpa brings a crunchy, rock-driven edge, while Lifejackal drifts into a dreamlike haze. A captivating favourite, Plunge builds from a subtly dark groove, expanding with spangly synths and showcasing Statham’s finesse – her lush guitar is just as melodic as her vocals. Momentum builds with each track, each one leaping out with emotional vibrancy. There’s something magical about it – Statham’s voice glows with warmth, lingering long after the final note fades. Authentic, confident, layered, and utterly compelling.
From the very first note, it’s clear this isn’t just any post-punk gig. And at just a fiver, it’s an absolute steal for a band firing on all cylinders. Loose Articles open with Mr Manager, a track that sees them take aim at a rubbish, micro-managing boss, with some spacey synth whooshes and an unrelenting bass hook. It’s brash and playful, the crowd immediately drawn in. Next up is Buses, with its thrashing and fearless vocal assault that caught Dave Grohl’s attention last year, resulting in them supporting Foo Fighters at their biggest show to date.
Their branding looms large with a massive Stella Artois-inspired logo hanging behind them, a bold emblem of ladette energy and a clear warning: don’t mess with us. Sinead Loves Bitcoin takes a bizarre real-life mishap, with band photographer Sinead Ferguson’s Instagram getting hijacked by Bitcoin scammers. The live result is a punchy, tongue-in-cheek anthem, and right on cue, Sinead ditches her camera duties, leaps on stage, and takes the mic to claim her stardom. There’s a sense of The Fall’s influence on Want, where Natalie Wardle’s unapologetic Mancunian lyrical skill delivery contrasts with Erin Caine’s quirky vocal flicks and a layer of groove. Following the skippy rhythm of Pinball John, the football chant turned feminist war cry, Kick Like a Girl roars in, swinging between edgy comedy and post-punk liberation.
Visually, they’re electric. Erin and orange-haired Natalie parade about in animal print leotards, fishnets and chunky boots, embodying the untamed spirit of powerful sub-Saharan cats. Even Sinead, can’t resist joining in, zipping up and down while snapping away. It’s an inclusive, energised atmosphere – less like a standard gig and more like the best house party you’ve ever been to, hosted by a gang of sassy, no-nonsense punks.
Are You a Welder? smashes in with whirling synth, carrying the simplistic but intoxicating rhythm pulse and echoes of 90s band Elastica. The set drives forward with precision and unruliness, Natalie’s razor-sharp bassline locking in with Abbi Phillips’ relentless drumming. Unpaid Intern kicks off with a dash of math rock before bursting into a full-blown Cuban-style carnival. Louise Rivett’s synth hooks shoot out like fireworks as she springs on an imaginary pogo stick on turbo, laced with 90s rave whistle-blowing chaos. It’s a riotous protest anthem that morphs into a cowbell-fuelled percussive frenzy, with Natalie leading the crowd in call-and-response whoops. Then comes the limbo competition. By this point, the crowd is hyped, limbered up, and all in. It’s an absolute belter of a party.
It’s Art hits and the crowd is fully in their grip. The performance hurtles like a meteor, a dose of sharp-witted social commentary, Erin’s raw guitar energy slicing through the drumbeats, before exploding into a climactic scream. It’s confrontational and a frenetic sensory bombardment. There’s playful banter onstage as they gear up for the next tune. Abbi lifts her pint of ‘Stella’ with a “cheers for having a nice time.” Natalie then sets the scene, declaring that the recent single, I’d Rather Have a Beer, is all about choosing good times with your mates over chasing useless men, because, let’s face it, a pint with your pals will last a hell of a lot longer. Then, boom – it kicks in at full throttle, all fast beats and vigour. Mosh pit madness erupts for their finale, Snake, the room now a full-throttle surge of collective mayhem.
Loose Articles are so much more than discordant guitars and DIY grit, though they’ve got that in spades. Tonight, they unleash a sonic and visual assault, locked in tight, hypnotic in all the right ways, with attention-grabbing tempo shifts that feel both chaotic and totally controlled. By the end of the night, the whole room is buzzing from the sheer power and charisma of this quartet. Loose Articles are a band to experience, and I feel they are ready to secure their place as one of the most defiant bands in UK underground music. They’re not just playing gigs – they’re igniting a movement.
Loose Articles can be found at their website | Instagram | Facebook
Fig By Four can be found at Instagram | Facebook
Ambiere can be found at Instagram | Facebook
Photos by Andrew Twambley. You can find Andrew at his website
Ambiere photo by Sinead Ferguson, with permission. You can find Sinead at Instagram
Words by Clare de Lune.
Check out her Louder Than War author profile here.