Oi! from the heart, with creative twists aplenty!
Plymouth, UK street-punk crew Riot City Radio released their sophomore album ‘Spitting Teeth‘ on 27th March 2026 through Sunny Bastards Records. Devonshire Oi! may seem like a niche concern, but the South West has kicked out some of the finest street-punk of the last decade. Picking up the baton and charging into the melee with it are Riot City Radio: a band whose personnel have served time in such local luminaries as Arch Rivals, Hostile Minds, Hard Wax and The Bus Station Loonies.
Forming in 2019, Riot City Radio established themselves quickly throughout the UK and Europe (Covid notwithstanding), thanks to the success of their 2022 debut album ‘Time Will Tell‘ and a fervent desire to play stages across the continent with kindred spirits like Gimp Fist, Crown Court and Fatal Blow. German punk rock label Sunny Bastards were certainly impressed enough to take them under their wing.
Sonically, Riot City Radio occupy that sweet spot between the melodic crunch of ‘Wolves’-era Rancid and the defiantly working class camaraderie of Booze And Glory. And with a staunch anti-fascist slant, the band are determined to set out their stall and continue the legacy of forward-thinking Oi! bands such as The Business, Cockney Rejects, The Oppressed and the Angelic Upstarts.
Riot City Radio are:
Sam Sharp – vocals, guitar
Matt Colton – vocals, bass
Tom Murphy – guitar, vocals
Tony Hopkins – drums, vocals
Opening with short riff-riot instrumental, the appropriately-titled ‘Intro‘, Riot City Radio clearly demonstrate they have the musical chops to send us on a fascinating punk journey! The title track follows, celebrating soilidarity in the face of those out to destroy us (and themselves). A solid Oi! anthem with a powerful and positive push to keep fighting our opressors. “The underdog makes history.”
Single release ‘Underground‘ “was written in tribute and in celebration of the unity and pride within the punk and skinhead subcultures. The working class is fed up, they go out, start the revolution – dance and sometimes fight to the beat of RIOT CITY RADIO! So raise your fist and sing it loud… “WE ARE THE UNDERGROUND!” We love the official video, featuring the band’s Rebellion experience last summer:
In the best Sparrer tradition, the band are out to take ’em all in ‘Bigger They Come‘… the harder they fall, of course! Drummer Tony Hopkins’ superb timing so evident in this song is a highlight!
It gives us hope to hear a top-notch song calling out the vicious, divisive and untrue narratives of the ‘mansphere’, written by an all-male Oi! band! ‘Alpha Fail‘ is shown up to be the pathetic, snivelling little shit he actually is. The guitars going full Led Zeppelin on us at the breakdown is a stroke of genius!
A terrace-themed anthem for all true football fans and supporters, ‘Still Singing‘ calls out all the ‘fair weather’ supporters who turn their back on their sports team when times get hard. “We’ll still be singing, No matter what the score” sums up the spirit of the genuine supporter!
The ska-infused ‘Spitfire‘ is a fitting tribute to our grandparents who fought against the fascists during WWII. Battle sounds from the guitars and drums mid-song reinforce how dangerous it was, and how many gave their lives for the freedoms we all enjoy today.
From the moment the bass kicks in on ‘Going Nowhere‘, we can tell that this is going to be mighty mosh pit anthem! An Oi! party song written for the hardcore gig-goers and the venues that we love.
‘Scars‘ opens with a gentle guitar into which may lull you into thinking that Riot City Radio have snuck an acoustic track into the album… but of course they haven’t! It’s a full-on, heavy number, both musically and lyrically, a warning about choosing the path of destructive and bitter thinking – “We have to live with the scars we create”. Its soft piano outro contrasts perfectly.
‘Saved My Life‘ is a warming and upbeat song. Tomorrow is always worth fighting for, no matter how bleak things look, and we love the group roar in the chorus! Finally, we all stand together as one in ‘A House United‘, in solidarity against those who are sowing hate and division. As for the biased media – “They don’t speak for me!” The boogie woogie piano solo midway is an unexpected treat in this phenomenal final track!
Riot City Radio will be hitting the road to coincide with the album release, dates include:
9-11th April – Benidorm Punk Weekender
5th June – Junction, Plymouth w/Rust
6-9th August – Rebellion Festival
More dates to be announced!
Gret your copy of ‘Spitting Teeth‘ on vinyl from HERE, on CD from HERE, and streaming HERE!
- Intro
- Spitting Teeth
- Underground
- Bigger They Come
- Alpha Fail
- Still Singing
- Spitfire
- Going Nowhere
- Scars
- Saved My Life
- A House United
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