GIG REVIEW: Aerial Salad + Split The Ticket @ Zerox, Newcastle, Saturday 21 June 2025
Somehow, it’s seven years since I first saw Aerial Salad, on the Introducing Stage at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool back in 2018.
I was immediately impressed by the energy the three lads from Manchester put into their impassioned punk rock. Young, snotty and brimming with attitude (what else would you expect from Mancs?), I loved them immediately, and bought their debut album Roach from their merch stall afterwards.
I’ve followed their progress on the DIY punk scene closely ever since, watching them grow, experiment with a more indie ‘Manchester’ sound, and, eventually, come full circle back to that loud, brash punk rock sound that I fell for.
I don’t know what they’ve done to offend the Rebellion bookers, as they’ve never been invited back. Bass player Mike proffers after the gig that it’s maybe because there’s so many good new bands out there, which is great for the scene, but not so good for Aerial Salad.
Make no mistake, these lads deserve a much bigger audience than the one which saw them play this sweaty club show on the hottest day of the year so far. While a thunderstorm was brewing up outside, they were creating a storm of their own indoors.
Lack of promotion could be partly to blame for the poor turnout – I only found out about this show three days before – plus the plethora of other gigs on the same night in Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton, as well as the Sex Pistols all-dayer in Glasgow.
The audience would have been twice as big if those who came along to watch opening act Split The Ticket – a promising young indie-rock four-piece from Newcastle who recently released their second EP, Cornerstone (check it out on Bandcamp HERE) – had stayed for the headliners.
Leaving after your mates play seems to be a thing among Gen Z-ers. I wish they wouldn’t; it’s disrespectful for a start, kills the vibe you’ve helped build and you might just be missing your favourite new band. Rant over,.
Back to the Salad. They’ve released two more albums – 2020’s Dirt Mall and 2024’s R.O.I. – since I saw them, and they have a new five-track EP, Roi De L’Herbe, out any day now. Dirt Mall had the misfortune to come out just as Covid-19 reared its ugly head, and I’ve no doubt that not being able to get out and tour it cost Aerial Salad precious momentum.
Tonight it’s like they are trying to make up for lost time, and they absolutely smash through 15 songs in a 45-minute set. They start with Telekon 5, the closing track from R.O.I., and the faithful down the front are immediately swept along by their vim and vigour.
Jamie (guitar and vocals), Mike (bass and vox) and Jake have been doing this since they were teenagers and it shows. They’re a tight outfit, and they soon hit their stride. L.A., from the new EP, is tossed in as the second song, and by the time they get to the third, Tied To Pieces Of Paper, the crowd are moving as one.
Sadly, nothing from Roach makes the cut tonight, but there’s plenty of other gems; Lazy from Dirt Mall and Big Business from R.O.I. slip down nicely when played back to back midway through the set, while Such A Pity slows things down a touch and shows these boys can groove as well as they rage.
King Of the Grass, the opening track of the EP, goes down a storm, setting up a home run of full-on punk rock bangers, including two more from Roi De L’Herbe, before they close with a frenetic Romance. There’s no encore, just sweaty hugs and handshakes all round.
Aerial Salad are a must-see band, much better live than on record. Catch them if you can on this short UK tour, which also includes dates in Glasgow, London and Sheffield.
AERIAL SALAD SETLIST @ ZEROX, NEWCASTLE, 21.6.25
Telekon 5 (ROI)
L.A. (RDLH)
Tied To Pieces Of Paper (ROI)
All Your Dreamin’ (ROI)
Same 24 Hours (As Beyonce) (ROI)
Temp (DM)
Lazy (DM)
Big Business (ROI)
Wires (RDLH)
Chances (ROI)
Such A Pity (DM)
King Of The Grass (RDLH)
Inject Your Blood (RDLH)
My Girl (RDLH)
Romance (DM)
