WORDS AND IMAGES DESH KAPUR
Fat Dog‘s rise to prominence has been fast, very fast. With the release of their debut album “Woof”, the London-based band has gone from strength to strength, building a fierce reputation for their chaotic, genre-blending live shows. Their 2025 UK & Ireland WOOF tour has seen venues upgraded to larger capacities, and tonight at Manchester Academy, it’s easy to see why. The venue is packed to the rafters, with a buzzing atmosphere of anticipation hanging in the air.
As Fat Dog takes to the stage, the crowd erupts with excitement, and the opening notes of “Vigilante” set the tone for what’s to come. The song builds with spoken-word tension, and before long, the room is in full mayhem. Mosh pits explode across the floor, beer flies in every direction, and from the very first song, it’s clear that everyone — the band and fans alike — is in for a wild ride
Frontman Joe Love is an electrifying presence throughout the show, alternating between wielding his signature flying V guitar and standing on the barrier like a man possessed. His hypnotic, commanding stage presence is somewhere between a rock god and a maniacal preacher. His vocal style, a blend of shouting and singing, provides a perfect match for the band’s unique concoction of punk, techno, trance, and metal. Love delivers sharp-edged social commentary through a combination of charisma and sheer energy, keeping the crowd in the palm of his hand.
The band’s sound is a sonic assault — a cacophony of industrial beats, raw guitars, and jagged synths. Their genre-defying mix creates a high-octane atmosphere, and Manchester Academy is transformed into a swirling mass of dancing, moshing bodies. Fat Dog’s punk-rave chaos evokes memories of the early days of The Prodigy, where punk energy collided with danceable beats. But while there are comparisons, Fat Dog’s sound is wholly unique, blending trance-like rhythms with grinding guitars, pounding drums, and off-kilter saxophones. It’s loud, intense, and utterly thrilling.
Throughout the night, Fat Dog keeps the intensity dialed up to 11. The band members revel in the chaos they create, whether it’s pulling off some kind of “crab dance” routine on stage or dropping to the floor for impromptu press-ups mid-set. There’s a sense that they’re having just as much fun as the audience — and that energy is contagious.
The relentless drive of tracks like “King of The Slugs” and “Bad Dog” whip the crowd into an absolute frenzy, while the band’s erratic and eccentric performance style keeps everyone on edge, wondering what could possibly happen next. The show is a punk-fueled rave like no other — a perfect marriage of guitar-driven energy and explosive beats that leaves the crowd in awe.
By the end of the set, the entire venue is drenched in sweat, and the energy levels remain at their peak. Fat Dog has proven once again why their live shows are the stuff of legend. They’re crazy, erratic, eccentric, and utterly unlike anything else on the scene. It’s a goth-techno-metal-punk acid trip of a performance, and the sheer chaos of it all is worth the price of admission alone.
In a live music scene where it can often feel like we’ve seen it all, Fat Dog is a breath of fresh air. Their Manchester Academy gig was a night of perfect chaos, a spectacle that anyone lucky enough to witness won’t soon forget.
SET LIST
1/ Vigilante
(with Neil Bell)
2/ Show Me the Way
3/ Angry Duck
4/ All the Same
5/ King of the Slugs
6/ Call Me if you Want Brat Psy
7/ Clowns
8/ Pray to That
9/ Bad Dog
10/ Closer to God
11/ Peace Song
12/ Wither
13/ Fuck Urself
14/ Running
FOLLOW FAT DOG
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
