Epic performances by NINE punks bands succesfully launch 'Suspicious Package'
Reading, UK punk band Tape It Shut just released their first full length studio album – ‘Suspicious Package’ – on 27th November 2025, and to celebrate its release, they arranged an album launch gig with a rad lineup of bands, including themselves! The celebratory gig was held at The Butler in Reading, UK via Shadow Promotions.
What an absolutely awesome gig it was! A whole afternoon and evening spent watching nine top bands play. Tape It Shut really know how to put on a fun gig! And I have to say, the album is sick as fuck! Go check out Ruth Rae’s review of the album and listen to it for yourselves too!
Starting off this afternoon’s album launch gig was Reading band Skinhawk. They have come a long way since their first gig back in October 2024, which I reviewed, including a kick-arse appearance on the Rebellion Festival Introducing Stage in August this year! They have so many tracks to sing along and dance/mosh to, while also proving a point. Their set included their first single ‘Killer Robots’, which is about hating AI and how much it’s taking over. I agree with the band, I hate AI too!
Next to play were heavy band Get Fucked. This was my first time seeing them and what a unique band they are! They’re a two-piece band, a drummer and bassist, with the bassist occasionally shouting some lyrics and screams, but it is mainly music. They have to be one of the loudest bands I’ve seen, very heavy and fast, with some screeching sound effects making it sound almost like it’s in an old school horror film.
Then we enjoyed a great set from three-piece melodic punk band Everyone Lies. They reminded me of a mix of Blink 182 and NOFX, which is definitely a compliment! They got the crowd involved, making them sing along to some lyrics. The band are fun and fast and had some very catchy tracks to sing and dance along to.
Next up we had Brighton’s melodic skate punk band Making Friends. They have so much energy, jumping around on stage, and getting the crowd excited and dancing. Their songs may be short but they are still brilliant. They’re a fast, loud, and entertaining band to watch, and I couldn’t stop myself dancing!
We then had another Brighton skate punk band, Old Chase, whose latest album ‘At The End Of All the Thrills‘ I reviewed. They played their singles ‘Wile Out’ and ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Romance’, both from the album, which made the crowd go absolutely mental, including myself of course! They are another entertaining band to watch who also gets you dancing and moshing hard!
Six-piece Skacore band Contraptions from Manchester, UK were the next band to perform, and what a great band they are. This was their first time in Reading and what a show they put on for us! Heavy basslines, fast drumming, epic riffs, and rough and heavy vocals. This band are hardcore with the saxophone bringing out the ska side. They got the crowd headbanging and moshing so much, I even did a lot of headbanging myself!
Local Reading band Missing The Scene were next on the lineup to play. They were a man down, but still played well as a four piece, making it work. Rachael has an incredible voice and the whole band were just so entertaining to watch, with both vocalist Rachael and bassist Jim jumping around on stage. They played my favourite song ‘Me And The Girl’, which I obviously sang along and danced to, and dedicated their last song ‘Last Time’ to their friend Phil of Phil and The Blanks who very sadly passed away a couple weeks ago. It was a great performance of the song with a lot of emotion and passion from the band.
Next to last to perform was another female-fronted punk band, Blagged. With such fun and catchy songs they soon had the crowd dancing. This band have lots of energy, and both the vocals and backing vocals harmonised so well. Both the bassist and vocalist came out into the crowd at least once each which made the performance more enjoyable and unique.
And last but by no means least, the people of the hour, Tape It Shut! They treated us to a performance of their whole album, making it an hour-long set, which I am definitely not complaining about! It was so incredible to hear the whole album played live. The band have so much energy, bouncing around on stage, and creating a fun experience for the crowd. Mosh pits, circle pits, sing-alongs, dancing, what more could you ask for?! They were joined on stage by Rachael from Missing The Scene for ‘Logical Sense’ and Niki from Skinhawk for ‘Parasites Inc’. Dan even stepped into the crowd for the album title track ‘Suspicious Package’, with someone in the crowd holding the mic for them so they could still sing while playing guitar.
The whole gig was so much fun, enjoyable, and sick as fuck! There’s not much else I can say except that I didn’t want it to end. I was exhausted afterwards because it was a long day, BUT it was totally worth it, and I would happily do it all over again!! Please go check out all of these bands – and listen to Tape It Shut’s new album too!
Main Photo Credit / Al Photos: HANNAH CALVER
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