A View From The Back Of The Room: Mother Vulture (Jack Norris)

Mother Vulture & The Sprats – Satan’s Hollow, Manchester, 27.02.26

There’s something about walking down those steps into Satan’s Hollow that always feels like entering another world. The air was thick with fog as we stepped inside, lights cutting through the haze, anticipation hanging heavy before a single note had even rung out. I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since discovering Mother Vulture at Radar Festival last year, and tonight. Their headline show in Manchester, felt like it had been a long time coming.

The Sprats (7) kicked off the night in a blaze of colour. Bright, vibrant lights flooded the smoke-filled stage, giving their set an almost kaleidoscopic feel. From the first song, they sounded tight and confident, filling the room with a punchy, energetic sound that immediately grabbed attention.

Their lead singer brought serious energy. Constantly moving, hyping the crowd, and refusing to let the pace drop. A cover of “pump it” went down especially well, getting heads nodding and voices joining in. A strong support slot that warmed the room perfectly.

And then it was time.

Mother Vulture (10) came out swinging. No slow build, no easing into it. Just straight into chaos from the opening moments, it was clear we were in for something special. The guitarist was already running off stage within the first few songs, the band throwing kicks in every direction, heads banging relentlessly in unison. There wasn’t a second where anyone stood still.

They moved like absolute maniacs, jumping, climbing amps, launching themselves back down, barely pausing for breath. At one point, the music cut out and the guitarist vanished entirely, only to return carrying a crate of San Miguel. In true Mother Vulture fashion, it only escalated from there — at one stage attempting to play with a beer box on his head, failing spectacularly but somehow making it even more entertaining. The chaos wasn’t just for show either. Percussion instruments were layered in throughout the set, adding intensity and a raw edge to the sound.

Hearing tracks from the new album Cartoon Violence live was immense. heavier, wilder, and somehow even more explosive than I’d imagined. Having seen them at Radar Festival, I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong. This was bigger, crazier, more hyped, more unhinged. A band completely in their element, commanding their own headline stage and owning every second of it.

Satan’s Hollow was the perfect setting — dark, sweaty, chaotic. The kind of night where you leave slightly deaf, slightly stunned, and already checking when you can see them again.

Mother Vulture didn’t just play a headline show. They detonated one.