For one night only, Punk Off: The Sounds of Punk and New Wave (Ged Graham, Ross Mills, and Adam Evans) crash-landed at the Dominion Theatre. Punchy and attention-grabbing, it demanded to be noticed, rolling punk culture into a neatly packaged show. It got people moving—sort of. The audience, though engaged, remained too polite, caught between the urge to dance and the grandeur of the venue.
The house band (Ric Yarborough and Phil Sherlock) tore through a setlist featuring punk and new wave’s biggest names: The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, and… Bowie? The blurred genre lines were intriguing but raised questions about focus. Kevin Kennedy guided the audience through the timeline, shifting between narrator and participant, but the show leaned too much on nostalgia without a strong narrative thread.
It felt more like a well-rehearsed theatre café set than an immersive experience. Perhaps an interactive element, like a space for audience stories, could have added depth. And then there’s the venue. The Dominion Theatre? A jarring contrast to punk’s raw energy. The irony of staging a rebellion-influenced show in such a polished space was acknowledged but not fully embraced. A sharper self-awareness could have turned this contrast into a strength.
Visually, the show impressed. The Vivienne Westwood scene was a highlight—interactive, eye-catching, and a great nod to punk fashion. But some elements missed the mark, like the starkly modern white clothes rails, which felt un-punk. Choreography, however, stood out. Contemporary yet authentic, it brought fresh energy. The opening scene, with Adam Evans, Lazy Violet, and cast, nailed the uncoordinated, carefree chaos of punk dancing. Messy in the best way, it captured the rebellious spirit of the genre.
Lighting and sound design captured the live gig atmosphere well. Strobes and shifting color palettes set the mood: classic red, white, and blue for the British flag, moody pinks and purples for ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart,’ and seedy yellows for a dive bar feel. It didn’t wow but did the job.
The audience was a mix of older fans who lived through the ‘70s and younger newcomers. Kennedy’s quip about “40 people at that Manchester gig, but 40,000 claiming they were” got a big laugh. The crowd was encouraged to heckle and jeer, but despite these moments, the show lacked the unpredictability punk thrives on. It felt too structured and polite.
The cast and crew clearly put thought into the show, perhaps too much. The structure was overly refined, missing the reckless edge that defines punk. As a feel-good night out, it worked. Scheduling it on a Sunday was a smart move, sending people into their week with an extra bite. For newcomers, it was an easy introduction. But for lifelong fans, those in tartan trousers, chainmail, and patch-covered jackets, it was a polished homage rather than a raw experience.
Punk Off! capitalizes on the genre’s resurgence, offering a stage show to match TikTok playlists. But for all its energy, it still felt a little too polished and choreographed. Punk should be messy. Here, the characters weren’t characters, just vessels for the music, making the whole thing feel one-dimensional.
A good night out? Absolutely. But a truly punk experience? Not quite.
★★★☆☆ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Steven Niblett
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