Review | Porridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea: 'Inventive and enjoyable from start to finish'

After the opening song of Porridge Radio’s set at The Wedgewood Rooms, someone in the audience shouts: ‘You’re a class act!’
Porridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul WindsorPorridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul Windsor
Porridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul Windsor

It was in fact a perfect summary of the band’s entire performance, which was both inventive and enjoyable from start to finish.

Played in front of a full capacity Wedge crowd, which opens with a lively performance by the support band Speed Training, Porridge Radio play a mix of new songs and tracks from their second album – Every Bad, which was received with great acclaim when it was released in February 2020.

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Paste magazine referred to the album as ‘an emotional and instrumental triumph.’ Heady praise for such a young band that formed seven years ago.

Porridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul WindsorPorridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul Windsor
Porridge Radio at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on November 21, 2021. Picture by Paul Windsor
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‘We met at university, I’m from London, but the others are from in and around Brighton,’ says Dana Margolin, the frontwoman who began writing songs in her bedroom before teaming up with Georgie Stott on keyboards, Maddie Ryall on bass guitar and Sam Yardley on drums.

Although the band lost impetus from releasing Every Bad just before Covid kicked in, they are making up for lost time with an extensive tour of the UK and Europe until next year and winning a dedicated following along the way.

With comparisons to PJ Harvey and Karen O, the charismatic Margolin captivated the audience with a series of songs, such as Give/Take, which began with a slow build of repetitive lyrics, which grew in emotional intensity and volume, leaving the crowd wanting more.

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Although there’s an increasing trend for bands to view encores as being a bit ‘passe’, the Wedge audience were not disappointed, with the band returning to the stage to play a cover of Wolf Parade’s You are a Runner, before finishing with a new song Sweet…

A class act to remember for a long time to come indeed.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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