The Bouncing Souls @ The Cathouse, 21 Jun

An unknown rapper supporting punk rock legends seems like a bad joke. Those fears materialise when several punk elitists begin chanting insults. P.O.S. defies the negativity and stomps through the heaviest tracks from Audition and Never Better, winning over one crowd member at a time. Within three songs the few remaining hecklers are swiftly told to shut up by an appreciative majority. The Minnesota rapper gains their respect by taking every opportunity to interact with the crowd and interjects each song with endearing sarcasm. P.O.S. cements the crowd’s appreciation with a duet featuring Bouncing Souls frontman Greg Attonito that leaves them reeling.

When The Bouncing Souls emerge on stage, it looks suspiciously certain that lead singer Attonito is drunk. It may be down to the fact that he is smiling like an idiot, waving at the cameras and swaying violently. Once the distortion kicks in, all is forgotten and the frantic flurry of assorted coloured Mohawks and black leather jackets thrash around and scream along to every word. The Souls back catalogue spans over two decades and is savoured by those old enough to remember when it was first released and those young enough to embrace the timeless power of raw energy.