Gig Review: Lambrini Girls at Bristol Electric

It’s a wet Sunday in Bristol—the kind that seeps through your socks and settles in your bones—I step inside Bristol Electric and feel the temperature spike. Any lingering damp evaporates the second Lambrini Girls hit their stride. What unfolds isn’t just a set, but a sermon delivered at breakneck speed: blistering riffs, sharp-tongued monologues, and lyrical gut-punches aimed squarely at the systems that grind down marginalised communities—inside the scene and far beyond it.

In a city synonymous with resistance, the Brighton trio prove that punk isn’t a relic; it’s a live wire. Fronted by Phoebe Lunny and Selin Maciera, with Misha Phillips detonating the drums behind them, Lambrini Girls barrelled into 2025 armed with their debut album ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ and a world tour, sounding less like a band on the rise and more like a riot already in motion.

Whenever we talk about energies within live performances, there’s a focus on the music, theatrics, AV and many other technical aspects. What we forget is the power music carries when there is a deep connection between the artist and crowd. Sometimes this is forged through their anthology, but in this case, their connection was forged in the moment.

In the western city known for its uniquely fortified activism, punk outfit Lambrini Girls stormed on stage to deliver a sold out, twilight performance oozing with challenges against imbalanced social norms, a scattering of ‘fuck Reform’, anecdotal monologues on their strong values together as a band and unfiltered, unapologetic, pure punk power.

3 songs in. 2 walls of death in the mosh. 1 leader in the room. Gracing the stage with hardened, brazened attitude, Phoebe Lunny initiated the ruckus shouting 4 words;

‘NO MORE BABY SHIT’

Maybe I’m looking into this too much, but to me that sums it all up. The heart of the band’s message, the ignition of UK’s punk scene in response to social pressures, tiptoeing around what needs to be said. Lunny embodies it, and of course, as do Selin and Misha.

Since their beginnings, the group have received a lot of criticism and pressure from the outside world. It seems being vocal and outspoken is deemed as ‘problematic’ but do they care?

No.

Of course they don’t, and why should they?

What is remarkable is a band like this receives so much critique for reasons above yet through the evening the band put profound attention on trans awareness, calling out SA perpetrators, creating FLINTA safe spaces, supporting sufferers of mental illness, pro Palestine, importance of immigration, anti Reform and delving into the minute minds of flag-shaggers.

I was re-educated, eyes opened wider to these discussions - topics I believe I had a strong pre-existing understanding of. Whilst the mosh was bouncing, crowds circling the venue or charging at each other, it was uniquely touching in many ways, whether it was with the Palestine flag as a backdrop, Misha’s monologue on trans healthcare inequalities, Selin’s ode to a dear friend or Lunny’s direct punchy statements.

When artist dialogues are mixed with live performances it is a challenge to keep the room engaged, not to go overboard, bring down the vibe or ramble on. Often the audience can be unforgiving in these ways, however Lambrini Girls managed the evening unbelievably, they had us in their palms, puppets of their mischief, soldiers in their army, heartfelt believers of their words.

This year has been one to remember for the band, with debut album ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’ receiving positive feedback across the board. The monumental riffs and sharp humour combining to create this aura of feminist rage dowsed in politics but fun? Their punk prowess was proven by how this record was replicated and heightened on stage.

Keeping to the running order of the release, they opened up with ‘Bad Apple’ and ‘Company Culture’. LG had doubled the heat and humidity within Bristol Electric, then they flung us into their renowned ‘Help Me I’m Gay’ and ‘Mr Lovebomb’.

What followed was a demonstration on how this album is a full bodied, freneticism of punkiness. Lengthened outros or breakdowns where Lunny would command another wall of death, crowd surf or become the centrepiece of moshes. All whilst Selin and Misha held down the instrumentals on stage, trawling through their plethora of martial cadences.

Ending on ‘Cuntology 101’ was beyond fitting, at this point if the trio took us outside Bristol Electric to march into battle, we all would. The shared sentiments, commaraderie, mutual respect and empowerment in unison was truly extraordinary.