I could spot people heading to the Big Special gig at Roundhouse in Chalk Farm from afar. The hoodies with “NOT THAT BIG NOT THAT SPECIAL” on the back were a dead giveaway, but it was also in the general air – the post punk / post industrial duo have put themselves firmly on the map for anyone who is not quite – how to put this lightly – content with the state of affairs in this country right now.
The London date was one of the last ones on their huge tour that took them across Europe in the tail end of 2025 and concluded in the UK in early 2026, with the Roundhouse date being their biggest headline show to date – and from start to finish it felt like a good time. What made it extra special (pun unintended) was the appearance of Bradley Taylor, the acclaimed and award winning poet as the night’s MC. Before each act he performed a handful of his spoken word poems that instantly resonated with the crowd and set us up for the night ahead.
Good Health Good Wealth
Opening the night were the London duo Good Health Good Wealth, who instantly gave me Anthony Szmierek vibes – cutting social commentary served up with a slice of rave. Fresh from releasing their 7-track album This Time Next Year We’ll Be Millionaires (one track per day of the week), they got the crowd going from the word go, with a healthy dose of self-deprecation: “We’re Alright Health right now” the band’s vocalist, songwriter and producer Bruce Breakey said while pointing to the (beautifully branded) sling on his left arm, while the guitarist, producer and model Simon Kuzmickas served beats that I’d be happy to listen to in the last days of impending apocalypse.
GANS
Birmingham’s GANS have been making the name for themselves on the underground circuit and all the footage from their gigs made them a must see before I even heard a single note. But then I found out that the Black Country punk rockers add a touch of flute and saxophone to their rave-infused punk and that’s what musically makes me as weak in the knees. They’re fast gaining reputation as the most exciting band to see live in the UK right now, and it’s not surprising to see why – they create a live show that entirely consumes the audience.
As their album title foreshadows – GANS is Good For The Soul and the relentless drumming from Euan Goodman laid the foundation for the cathartic chaos that soon unravelled at the Roundhouse. Opening ‘IN TIME’ set the tone for their set and reminded me of a cross over between Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs and Tiny Fingers – a rhythm that is restless, exhilarating and makes your limbs move whether you like it or not. I was entranced from start ti finish and made precisely zero notes. But I eagerly awaited the well documented finale of their (too) short set when Euan left his drum kit and crowd surfed while their last track ‘THIS PRODUCT (DUB)’ descended into a mini techno rave, which as I am learning is my happy place. Give me 2 people angry with the state of the world and making apocalyptic techno-punk about it and I am on board.
Big Special
And finally the time has come for The Peaky Blinders of punk, the harbingers of Postindustrial Hometown Blues and the guys who projected a breakfast of fried eggs and chips onto Buckingham Palace – Big Special. With the release of their sophomore LP National Average, their poetry-fuelled punk rage gained some basslines and anxious tempos – both supporting bands as well as Bradley Taylor’s poetry perfectly complimented the comprehensive set that unfolded after the audience was showered with red roses thrown from the stage by Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney.
From punk bangers like ‘HUG A BASTARD’ made familiar to any regular BBC Radio 6 listeners to heartfelt songs on an acoustic guitar like ‘DRAGGED UP A HILL (and thrown down the other side)’ and a duet with Rachel Goswell from Slowdive on ‘THIN HORSES’, the West Midlands duo entirely captivated their loyal fans. Known for their familiar chat in between songs (including a gag to boo their manager because “they are paid per song and not per chat”), they made sure to commemorate this biggest headline show with some top tier banter on late stage capitalism: “You all think we’re here being liberalist woke nice guys – [honk] WRONG!!” [ABBA‘s ‘Money Money Money’ comes on to a sea of laughs].
After we sell our shit we will sell your shit – money talks but it can’t sing.
You do get that we were ironic ’cause I want you to know we’re not capitalist cunts, but we are hypocrites – you spent good money to be here and we are selling merch.
Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney segued perfectly into ‘PROFESSIONALS.’ by saying how they quit their day jobs to do this and when announcing “the last song [wink wink]”, they also extended a huge thank you to the packed venue for being there that day. Before returning for inevitable encore, Hicklin delivered a heartfelt speech:
We’ve been doing this for 4 years now we’ve been around the world twice over – there’s one similarity – the whole world is absolutely FUCKED ladies & gentlemen’s and it fucking hurts me that we don’t have any answers, but sometimes all you’ve got to do is to gather in a room and scream together.
And this is what draws me to what I started to call ‘broad spectrum of punk’ these days – from the bleak noise-techno of Benefits via GANS to Big Special, there is no denying that we are all tired of living through history, but gathering in rooms with like minded people and letting ourselves go to the sound of music and screaming together provides a great release. It might not be that big and not that special, but it’s all we have.
Big Special
Set 1
- BLACK COUNTRY GOTHIC
- HUG A BASTARD.
- GOD SAVE THE PONY.
- DESPERATE BREAKFAST
- THIS HERE AIN'T WATER
- MONGREL
- BLACK DOG/WHITE HORSE
- SLUGLIFE
- DRAGGED UP A HILL (and thrown down the other side)
- THIN HORSES.
- SHOP MUSIC.
- PROFESSIONALS.
- YESBOSS.
- SHITHOUSE
Encore
- TREES
- FOR THE BIRDS
- DiG!