The Dollyrots / Don’t Panic / Royals – FAC251, Manchester, UK, Valentine’s Day 2023

Valentine’s Day, a day of romance, a day of being with the one you love, smooching and maybe taking them out for a ridiculously overpriced meal, or, maybe, just maybe, you can go to a punk show and leave tokens of your affection for your beloved. I’ve obviously taken the latter approach as I don’t need to be told when to be nice to someone, isn’t this something you’re supposed to do every day, well maybe not the flowers and cards as I’m not Elton John, but you get my point.

There’s also the fact that The Dollyrots are a living breathing pop punk romance, the high school sweethearts, accompanied with a steady flow of drummers, have been together for over 20 years as a band, slightly longer as a couple. They don’t just perpetually tour the world and record together in their home studio, but they even bring their kids, The Dollytots, on the road with them. Tonight is a family friendly punk show in the truest sense of the term, an ongoing romance and an upbeat fun punk show from one of the happiest bands on the planet. This is also, to the best of my knowledge, their debut headline tour on this frozen island.

But first up on the Valentine’s menu are Southampton’s Royals, who are here to prove that those sunny pop punk vibes are still possible, even when it’s perpetually freezing. Royals are pop punk in the finest traditions of New Found Glory and the poppier wave of the genre. Vocal harmonies, big catchy choruses and breakdowns aplenty, all delivered with the effervescent spirit that defines the genre. Whilst they aren’t delivering anything groundbreaking or new, if pop punk is your bag then Royals are an act you need to check out. An onstage barb was aimed at someone “fucking about with their phone”, this may well have been me making notes, not the first time, probably not the last, and I agree with them in principle, but my memory isn’t what it was and this would be a very short review if I didn’t. 

Don’t Panic step things up a gear on their first ever UK show, with the emphasis more on the punk rather than the pop element. But this is still pop punk delivered in short sweet instalments with catchy as fuck hooks, just with a harder edge and less theatrics. Initially one song bleeds into the next just as the Ramones used to do, but as they relax into the night they start interacting with the crowd, as ever English words and habits are strange and alien to outsiders, although in the case of kebabs and dogging they have a good point. The crowd responds as they warm up and the night starts to kick in as FAC251, the old Factory Records office, starts to fill up after the early midweek start, for some clearly the start was a bit too early. Don’t Panic made a lot of new friends tonight, hopefully they will come back again, maybe the offer of a kebab will secure the deal?

Finally it’s time for The Dollyrots to hit the stage, for the Factory this is decent turnout as I’ve been to very sparsely populated gigs here, but there’s no concerns on that front for a rare UK headline tour. Appropriately walking onstage to the looney tunes anthem before they kick into a set that reflects the Valentines theme of the tour, tracks such as I Do and My Best Friends Hot are warmly received amid a few squalls of feedback. The relentless fun pounding pop punk soundtrack never relents, rawer and heavier than they are on record, but without losing that infectious appeal that draws fans to them.

The set covers every era of party soundtrack that is The Dollyrots, although this is more of a brief midweek romance. Four songs in and the sound has miraculously and suddenly cleared for a rousing I Know How To Party, complete with Andrew WK intro, and things are in full swing. I Got A Brand New Key is introduced as a “a cover of s song you know that’s done differently”, if you’e of a certain age in the UK the words combine harvester will probably have automatically inserted themselves into your mind, if you aren’t of a certain age then just stick with this version.

Dance Like A Maniac contains a reference to their former tour mates Buzzcocks with an affectionate nod to the late Pete Shelley. Of course there is cultural confusion between their home and the UK, this is a given but unlike their tour mates there is less emphasis on deviancy and junk food. The Dollytots make an appearance and do some stand up, genuinely charming and not lacking in self confidence in front of a welcoming Manchester crowd, although his later jokes got a stern look from Kelly Ogden before they are ushered safely back to the band’s nanny, Dolly Poppins. Of course Because I’m Awesome closes the night, and I can’t think of better closing word to describe this fun irreverent punk pop / punk rock show. 

This is a rare headline tour and one they felt their fans deserve as previously shows I’ve caught have been support for Buzzcocks and Bowling For Soup, tonight we finally get a full set from one of the happiest and most life affirming bands you’ll ever see. This is a band who clearly love what they do, this is what I think is The Dollyrots secret ingredient, it just feels like pure unfiltered joy. If you needed any proof, a look round the venue reveals that everyone in FAC251 is smiling, and I mean everyone. In the dark and unsettling times we live in, sometimes you just need a blast of positive energy, and tonight The Dollyrots & Don’t Panic delivered this, and for a few short hours all was right with the world again.