On Saturday the 18th DUSTHOUSE invited Melomaniacs Magazine back for their only hometown headliner of 2026 at Mary St Live in Sheffield. This small venue opened last year, offering a reduced capacity for a more community oriented event, with this space pledging to support youth and local artists, which felt fitting for the tone of tonight’s occasion. Upon arrival the atmosphere was noticeable and inviting, with attendees socialising inside and outside the venue, before the music had even commenced.
The first act due to embrace the stage for the night was Blood Lament at 7:40PM. The room immediately engaged with her performance the moment she arrived, delivering raw angelic vocals against a background of heavy guitar riffs and robust drumming, to produce emotionally powerful and captivating melodies. Her sound feels well established, and offers a glimpse of qualities reminiscent to the most renowned contemporary metalcore artists; a testament of her talent and abilities to perform and create music that immediately entices and feel relevant despite having only been established as an artist as little as two years ago. Her performance was strong and consistent throughout, amplified with the strengths of her own personal tracks such as ‘Farther’ and ‘VICTIMISER’, as well as honing her vocal skills to include a few covers, such as System of a Down’s ‘Aerials’, to feel as if they were her own.
Next up on stage at 8:30PM was Wrex. This band immediately ignited the room with their infectious energy and enthusiasm, making the most of a small stage to feel like a monumental performance. Having debuted in 2021, this Brighton duo have since captured the attention from the likes of Kerrang magazine, BBC music introducing, and are due to perform at festivals such as Bloodstock later in the year. Tonight however they definitely showcased why they have garnered this interest through an exhilarating and memorable set, exhibiting punchy and dynamic guitar riffs and drumming to accompany punky vocals to narrate their anecdotal lyricism, reflecting on personal experiences and wider societal struggles. The audience immediately reciprocated their energy and the flurry of activity throughout the room could have easily made anybody believe that the tiny parameters of this venue space were a hundred times bigger. Additionally their interaction with the crowd was also present throughout their set, sharing the meaning behind their works, as well as reiterating the importance of supporting artists through the purchase of physical media.
Lastly DUSTHOUSE was due to conclude the night with their anticipated set, before which they gave their platform to Sheffield Palestine Cultural Exchange to share the importance of their work in improving the lives of Palestinians in Gaza and other occupied territories, with the band also donating 50 percent of their merch proceeds to supporting the organisation. When DUSTHOUSE finally returned they immediately made the stage their own. They exuded a confidence like performing was second nature for them, and since seeing them last at Yellow Arch Studios in 2025, it feels as if each appearance has only since elevated their aptitude for their craft and performance further and further. They of course returned with the same mindset, enthusiasm and ability to get a room moving, of which the crowd responded to with a chaos of activity throughout their set. Likewise DUSTHOUSE had several happenings on stage planned of their own, including the appearance of Owen Cousins (Displacer) to feature vocals on the track ‘Lead Balloon’, guitarist Dom swapping his instrument for the microphone at one point, as well as vocalist Ethan participating in the crowd, to keep their set exhilarating and to make a statement on why this self described Club Metal trio have always deserved their headlining spot, as they delivered their signature blend of heavy riffs and electronic elements to perform their first 2024 EP This, is Losing, as well as several newer releases such as their latest single ‘Jab’.
It felt like a poignant and celebratory moment in their developing progress, as the set concluded and attendees and tonight’s acts gathered in for a finalising photo to mark the occasion. Each individual performance was a successful and unique addition to the experience of the show, as well as feeling meticulously planned to compliment each other’s sets, through a commitment to delivering a memorable and engaging experience for this small independent venue, as well as reinforcing the importance of solidarity and supporting the local scene in creating these experiences and establishing community. This was a promising performance from all artists, building anticipation in seeing how their next steps evolve, and ultimately finalising DUSTHOUSE as a strong and reliable contender in the heavy music scene.
All the following artists can be supported further with Blood Lament appearing at Grafton Arms in Manchester this month, Wrex making several appearances over the year with festivals such as Hammerdown and Bloodstock as well as preparing to release new music, whilst DUSTHOUSE have announced their spot on Amplified festival coming up in Sheffield later this year, and it is advised not to miss out.
