Opening with unruly force, The Menstrual Cramps carved out a space where humour and politics sparred in perfect rhythm.  They sang about gender identity, kissing footballers and class wars, referencing Judith Butler and women’s rugby with as much cheek as conviction.

Songs like ‘Tinder Girl’ saw the bassist and drummer rotate mid-set, while ‘Body Politics’ and the riotous ‘Neo Nazi’ had the crowd cheering, dancing and even celebrating with a small pit. It was the perfect primer: fun, furious and definitely tongue-in-cheek.

When The Linda Lindas appeared, the room erupted. Children clad in oversized ear defenders lining up along the barricade & perched on parents’ shoulders, older fans nodding and jumping at the back - it felt like a family gathering disguised as a punk show. “Everybody come closer, don’t be afraid,” urged bassist Eloise Wong, her words met with instant cheers. Alongside her, Lucia de la Garza and Bela Salazar on guitars and Mila de la Garza on drums painted the stage in bright colours, each song lit to match their sound.

‘No Obligation’ set the tone, parents swaying despite themselves, while ‘Talking to Myself’ drew out a heartfelt “I love you!” from a child at the front. By the time ‘Yo Me Estreso’ rolled in, the crowd was moving as one, lifted by the band’s confidence and warmth.

There was a looseness to the night that felt like a living-room jam - crowd claps folding into ‘Nino’, voices shouting back names on cue, hands raised to the sharp punch of ‘Oh!’. Yet beneath the fun ran precision: Eloise’s basslines steady as heartbeat, Mila’s drums crisp and relentless, guitars from Lucia and Bela cutting clear and bright. Songs like ‘Resolution/Revolution’ and ‘Fine’ hit harder, with jagged riffs and scream-laced edges, before the band opened into wide smiles with covers of Talking Heads’ ‘Found a Job’ and Los Prisioneros’ ‘Tren Al Sur’.

The energy never dipped. They spoke of being grateful, of family as much as music, of safety in community. Birthday wishes for a fan at the front turned into a full-room chorus, while lines like ‘Nothing we knew has stayed the same’ (from ‘Never Say Never’) resonated with a rare honesty. By the time ‘Racist, Sexist Boy’ exploded into its cathartic chant, Manchester’s Academy 3 felt like it belonged entirely to them.

They closed with ‘In My Head’, a final burst of dancing and defiance, before gathering for a dance and a photo against the sound of Katy Perry’s ‘California Gurls’. A long merch queue snaked out afterwards, testament to the impression they’d left: a refreshing breeze of colour, fun, and quiet revolution.

It’s no surprise people in the audience travelled from as far as Ireland & Sunderland to see this show, with one parent explaining that they “knew it would be a safe place” for their children’s “first ever concert”. The Linda Lindas are the band you wish you’d had in high school - playful yet powerful, radiant yet razor sharp. In Manchester, they didn’t just play punk-rock. They made it feel alive again.