Gig Review: Funhouse at The Swinging Arm Birkenhead with Los Coyote Men, Fallen and The Dry Retch - Saturday 13 December 2025

Words and Photos: RBY

The Dry Retch blaze onto the stage, its full throttle and crowd invasion material. Their groove based allegedly punk sound is huge and feral. They orbit the darker ends of rock, flying the flag for MC5 and The Stooges as a template but veering off into a massive wall of noise with every member of the band tight as hell. The crowd respond more than enthusiastically and the banter from the stage is two way. You might see moments of The Damned or if you look deep enough some 60s and 70s garage noise bands, even Cream are in there along side a load of Australian influences fro the Cosmic Psychos to Radio Birdman but they are distinct and their pulverising riffs set them apart. A noise fest beyond compare.

Fallen have a stand in drummer and a recently acquired guitarist but they plow on hitting a cross between the Sex Pistols for earnest vocals and forays into a more bass led Joy Division sound. Its loud and fast but moments when they let it slow and they groove along to some clever bass lines give a greater depth to the overall sound and I wanted to hear more of this style. Political and honest sounds keep it all alive and they never let up from beginning to end. A young outfit and starting to make waves locally, a band to watch.

Then Los Coyote Men hit it up and these sons and daughter of the Sonics resplendent in wrestling masks and a blaze of colourful stage gear just don’t fucking stop. They take the audience with them on a rock n roll journey back to the most raw era of music and play it all so bloody well that the crowd is just dancing from start to finish. The only criticism that could be aimed at them is that after the best part of an hour its over too soon. This is a top class performance from a band that are totally convincing, songs that melt into your head and leave you breathless. A non stop blur of top quality music that is thrown out at the crowd almost haphazardly but is concise and every note hits a nerve. Probably one of the best bands I’ve seen all year.