Wargasm, Lido, 17.Jun.2026

Support: Blake Harley Some artists exude presence, some command the room from the get-go, still others have an overpowering energy. Although none of these descriptions apply, there is still an allure here and there are interesting things happening on stage, despite a lack of guitarist and some questionable knitwear (a glove for the singer, a balaclava for the bassist). Blake Harley comes across with an endearing vulnerability while delivering a genuinely nice montage of songs, talking about her hobby drawing monsters, nervously laughing and shyly asking for the audience to join in. The set lacks speed, despite the full-on ear defender toting drummer’s basic beats, and in acknowledging she’s way less heavy than the next acts she carves her own path and pre-empts any criticisms, but it must be clear that such an audience is there for the shouts and screams and not just her lovely voice (whether talking or singing). The track “Wasteland”, about Berlin, is the zenith and belongs on a TV or film soundtrack.

Support: Mimi Barks Alt. Alternative. Progressive. Modern. Avant-Garde. Experimental. There are quite a range of epitaphs in the heavy music sphere for artists that simply do things differently, trying to push the envelope. One common thread is the mixing of existing genres and influences into a new harder-to-define palette. Mimi Barks subscribes to this school of thought, blending everything from rap (not only audio influences, but perhaps the inspo for her sick fur coat) to metal and back again into her show, under club-like lighting and in-front of a DIY hand-painted backdrop banner. Aside from the show (further edgy mentions to her cool cropped hair and the “effigies” thrown into the crowd) the music was out there too. A sassy badass guitarist with game, though more volume and more limelight would be welcomed; Super bassy backing tracks; crashy cymbal-heavy drums, almost too much for the mounts which tried to break free at one point; lyrics all but impossible to hear but delivered with an overdose of attitude. The last ended completely abruptly, having delivered her last screams while crowd surfing. How to leave ’em wanting more.

Headliner: Wargasm Demonstrating that verses can be secondary and a hooky singalong chorus, even directly ordering action a la “Bang Ya Head” or “Circle Pit / Bad Seed”, and attitude will take you far, this duo fronted band bring riotous energy to their biggest ever headline European show, going off song after song. Milkie may be rocking new hair and focussing more on screaming and shouting than playing bass, but nothing has changed in terms of Wargasm’s frenetic delivery. The guitarist (the one actually playing his instrument) is an enabler of the chaos and the drummer gives space too, when not a blur of sticks and crash cymbals. The electronica edge and wild strobes feel like a nice nod to Berlin nightlife as well as a cap doff to the Prodigy, no bad thing by any means. It might be ever so slightly less muggy than their “sweatiest show ever” when they were last here, but everyone earned the extended encore pause before one last, fast and hard song. Fight but with love.