LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: BUDS. AT SEBRIGHT ARMS, LONDON 02/12/25 (+ LUXURY APARTMENTS, FUNNY)

Photo credit: Jake Lewis

Worn Out Tuesday on December 2, 2025, proved that the rawest, most vital energy in London music thrives not just in arenas, but also in the sweaty confines of  Sebright Arms. Featuring the audacious debut of Funny, the pop-punk punch of Luxury Apartments, and the politically charged headliners Buds., the night was a celebratory showcase of the UK's thriving DIY alternative scene.

The evening kicked off with Funny, making their official live debut with a highly unique and deliberately counter-intuitive setup. Whilst a debut, the band members are not strangers to performing and touring. Taz Sindhu (bass/vox) and Lei Burton-Aherne (drums) and production by Kabir Baraky) decided their new project would feature no guitar at all live. Sindhu, known for his time in the commercially successful alt-rock band Bloxx (who released the acclaimed debut LIE OUT LOUD in 2020), had a history of extensive touring, including major UK festivals like Reading & Leeds and support slots for high-profile acts such as The Wombats and Pale Waves. He explained the deliberate shift: "Thank you for coming, this is our first show. We're both guitar players, but we thought it would be funny if we didn't play guitar for this."

This new project, which the band describes as fundamentally as "joy", this alternative punk band was built out of frustration; they put their soul into this band with the intention of being authentic, recording all material in a garden shed studio. Drawing inspiration from a diverse palette that includes stoner, blues, trap, D&B, and house, their philosophy is that anything can come out of Funny because their work is designed to remind them why they started making music in the first place, making this reunion inevitable after years of different projects. This ethos translated into a short, sharp set built on tight grooves and playful self-deprecation. In fact, due to the brevity of their 20-minute set, the band engaged in a significant amount of banter, with Taz joking: "Our set is only 20 minutes, so I have to fill the space."

The set opened with the heavily distorted, low-end pulse of their first single 'Enough' bass intro. The rhythmic 'Riding the Knight' and the riff-heavy 'Snake Tongue' showcased their ability to create engaging sounds without traditional leads. They leaned into the absurdity, joking, "We still have a few songs left, unfortunately," and declaring their mission: "This is not for everyone. This is music for people who want to be free." This political energy surfaced when the statement "No obligation, we live in a free world" was met with a "Free Palestine" chant.

Taz also confirmed their forthcoming single, 'London Bridge', which is coming out on streaming platforms this Wednesday - a track about "literally everything falling apart near you” with the metaphor linked to London Bridge falling down." The set was raw—"I'm sweating fucking buckets"—but concluded comically with a song titled 'You think you're wise because you listen to jazz' which got a few laughs from the audience, and the final words: "We're called funny because we're a joke. Thank you for being with us."

Having made their debut and with the immediate release of 'London Bridge' this Wednesday, Funny is clearly not slowing down. Given their industry experience, which includes major touring success with Bloxx, the band is one to watch closely as they continue to drop new, unpredictable singles from their shed-studio base, determined to define authenticity in the modern punk scene.

Following Funny's stripped-back set, Luxury Apartments injected pure energy into the room. Founded by core member Matthew Turner (vocals/guitar), this London-based post-punk/pop-punk project, known for its chaotic live performances and 2024 self-titled debut album, showed strong stage presence. The band has been a fixture in the underground scene, often supporting popular indie acts like Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and Viji, and playing local festivals such as The Great Escape.

The four-piece band demonstrated a committed intensity, prompting Turner to note the previous band's commitment: "I don’t know how the previous band did it in leather, but fair play." Their sound was instantly familiar and infectious, driven by synths from the keyboard and guitar riffs reminiscent of Green Day, placing them firmly in the high-octane pop-punk revival camp, which immediately triggered constant moshes in the front.

Before one track, they offered a classic punk caveat: "If you are in the police, maybe get a pint or something." before performing a cover by The Dicks 'Dicks Hate the Police', a powerful statement against police brutality and racism, written from the perspective of an unhinged, violent police officer.

They perfectly encapsulated the DIY pub experience: "Nothing like being sweaty in the Sebright Arms on a Tuesday evening".

Headlining the night, Buds. travelled all the way from Southampton and delivered a set they described as "good wholesome" chaos. The core band, known for its blend of punk, emo, and grunge influences, and its constant touring of the South Coast, acknowledged the support of their friend Ben, who helped them fill in on guitar for the night: "Thanks Ben for joining".

The band has steadily built their presence through dedicated gigging in multiple venues across the region, establishing their foundation with their first released track, 'Being a Fish'.  The good wholesome sound they described was quickly showcased through tracks like 'Happy to be here'the latter of which features their sincere, clean vocals underpinned by a promise of the mayhem to come: "There'll be some moshing soon."

Buds. wasn't afraid to dive deep into new material for this set either. The first, 'Time Well Spent,' was introduced as a track with "musical theatre vibe" and addresses "all the shitty things you do to follow your passions", which is certainly something a lot of creatives can relate to. This was quickly followed by another new track, 'Weight of the Wonder.' The inclusion of unreleased material, slated for release in the new year, demonstrates the band's forward momentum and commitment to growth at their own pace.

Before launching into their final, more mosh-inducing numbers, the band paused for a moment of powerful solidarity, delivering a series of urgent, non-negotiable declarations to the audience: "Free Palestine, protect trans youth, Black Lives Matter, Fuck Reform, Fuck Kier Starmer too, big up Zack." This intense social messaging preceded 'Progress,' a track that matched the band’s declarations and intentions for making progress in the world. The political conviction was quickly matched by physical commitment as the guitarist joined the pit, echoing the song's refrain. The band also confirmed their next London gig, telling fans they would be playing The Victoria on the 19th of December.

The final appeal to the crowd summed up the night: "Support your local venues, otherwise we wouldn't exist," and "keep it DIY," just before the vocalist Matt Rich and guitarist joined the pit again for the final beats of the set-closer, 'Building Blocks.' With all of this, Buds. cemented their DIY ethos and their place as a band that blends raw, jumpy energy with genuine, wholesome gratitude: this band is truly "Happy to be here" and perform on stage.

The Worn Out Tuesday show was a powerful reminder of the passion driving the UK alternative circuit. This night affirmed that authenticity, community, and the DIY ethos remain the very heart of live music.

Words by Vlad-Paul Ghilaș (Platform ‘96)

Photos by Jake Lewis

Full setlist below:

Medicinal cathedral
Grit
Happy to be here
Bigger fish
Time well spent (unreleased)
Weight of the Wonder (unreleased)
Picking wounds
Slide
Progress
Building Blocks