What’s Next? - Gut Level - 25/02/26

Uncle Junior @ Gut Level, 25/02/2026. Photo by @fotograliaaaaa

On Wednesday the 25th of February I had the honour of attending another evening of exciting, boundary-pushing music at Sheffield’s Gut Level. Hosted by Donovan of What’s Next?, the evening saw the music magazine’s debut venture into the world of DIY gig promotion; a bold entrance into the scene with an incredible line-up of musicians from across the country and numerous photographers and videographers (and journalists like myself I suppose) to make sure that this night-to-remember was not forgotten. Donovan’s clear display of passion and consideration was as high a level as you could hope to see from new promoters.

With a four band line-up, headlined by London’s Uncle Junior, Gut Level were getting their money's worth of their brand new sound system which was a pleasant addition to the DIY, queer-led space; a pleasant addition to the Sheffield grassroots scene. Upon entry, after patiently enduring a considerable queue of eager attendees, I was rewarded with a complimentary What’s Next? sticker - a nice touch and an immediate reminder of who’s boss. 

Sheffield locals Meridian started the night off with an admirable level of confidence for such a new band, especially after missing out on a soundcheck and hence encountering minor difficulties which would shake any more experienced bands’ confidence. Though, with help from sound engineer Will and his evident knowledge and adaptability to the new equipment, they managed to showcase their bluesy, indie rock sound. With a strong 90s britpop influence, choppy drums and crunchy guitar riffs  amounting to an overall warm and fuzzy tone, Meridian eased the audience in for the night ahead.

Following was the unapologetically assertive Omertà, a five piece, alternative, post-punk, experimental, noise rock outfit who were as relentlessly charismatic as they are undefinable. They showed no difficulty in immediately commanding the room and ramping up the energy, exuding so much stage presence that they literally could not be contained by the assumed boundaries of the stage. Their performance was driven by the audience’s engagement, this is something that is evident in the core of their being with their unrestrained music and confrontational lyricism. Their debut single, ‘Gay Hitler’, which was released in January (only one month prior to the gig) was a clear fan favourite and exemplifies their provocative nature with the frontman’s intense vocal delivery, rapid rhythmic movements from all instrumentalists and unique synth effects that gave the band even more edge than they already had. Their set closed with more band members off stage, joining in with the mosh, than were on it; guitarist and keyboardist in, what can only be described as, a cartoonish brawl on the floor; and the entire audience cheering for more.

Omertà @ Gut Level 25/02/2026. Photo by @fotograliaaaaa

Already, the evening had provided us all with sheer, raw energy and we were only half way through. It wasn’t long at all before everybody was shuffling around to find a good spot in anticipation for Sheffield newcomers Charlemagne. After various stints at the prolific Windmill in Brixton, it was clear that there was already substantial hype growing around this band with no released music and very limited online presence. The quartet carried a calm and modest, almost reserved, presence as they set up, untelling of the nature of their forthcoming set which, other than context clues I’d picked up on from my knowledge of Uncle Junior and Omertà, I had no idea what I was in for. Immediately, we were all reeled in by sharp, virtuosic guitar hooks that dragged the crowd closer to the stage. An impressive onslaught of quick, repetitive melodic bursts and ever evolving time signatures and tempos that gave us no opportunity to become too comfortable or relaxed, keeping us on our feet (that were inevitably tapping along out of time). Their tight, math rock and post-punk persuasion would quell any former Black Midi fan out of their post-breakup sorrows, yet Charlemagne's music is still fresh and unique, adding a healthy dose of the NYC early 2000s post-punk revival moment, reminiscent of Interpol’s noir aesthetic. Each instrument’s place in the music was very clearly considered and rehearsed and played off of each other so well to construct a really coherent musical body that can be particularly difficult to achieve within this, often brash, style of music.

Expectations had undoubtedly been set high for the evening’s headliners Uncle Junior, and I’m sure nobody had any lack of faith that these expectations would be met and exceeded - I could’ve sworn there were mosh circles forming before they’d even started. Despite having the sparsest lineup of all the bands they didn’t fail to pack just as much of a punch with fat, distorted guitar tones, uncompromising baselines and tight, tasteful drumming to tie it together; all accompanied by a vocal performance with enough dynamic range to suit anything from their diverse repertoire. The band’s music came in hard and heavy, they wasted no time getting into the meat of their music with song lengths rarely extending beyond a three minute average. When it might’ve seemed as though the energy built by the previous bands couldn’t be ramped up any further Uncle Junior showed no difficulty in doing so with all three members’ sincere display of passion. The catchy ‘Sardines’, the band’s second single, had everybody singing along just as fervently as frontman Oli while its minimal homophonic guitar and bass parts defied any assumptions about what is needed to construct a successful, impactful tune. The crowd’s collective, instinctive movement made the room feel even more full than it already was and the inescapable floods of spilt beer made it almost impossible for anyone to stay on their feet. They closed their set with their first single ‘I Love You, Kenneth Copeland’, an amalgamation of all the evening’s music that preceded it, interpolating unconventional rhythms and tempos, scream vocals, fuzzy guitar and a climax of energy and passion to aptly end the night.

The effort and thought that went into this event was very apparent and it’s great to recognise clearly passionate live music advocates like Donovan get behind DIY events like this in DIY venues with some DIY bands. For their first gig, What's Next? have not only made an unforgettable entrance into underground music promotions but have also attracted even more attention from musicians and fanatics like myself who will be looking out for their next big event. So now I simply MUST ask: What’s Next?