IST IST, Albert Hall. 1st May 2026

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched IST IST live and I’m pretty sure I’ve said something along the lines of them getting better each time too. If you don’t want to read further, I’ll just state the obvious, they’re a fantastic live band. Probably the best Manchester has produced in recent years. We’re teased into ‘Encouragement’ with members taking to the stage in waves, the frontline all sporting black sunglasses as the tension builds and the first verse explodes. Watching them 10 years on is a much different experience. Andy and Mat are throwing shapes and looking fuck off cool, as Adam reaches his hand to an adoring throng during ‘Warning Signs’. The sexy swagger of ‘Burning’ is next. It’s still dark and brooding but that riff is pure filth. It’s the rawkest sound in their cannon to date and a sign of all things new from the lasted record. Seriously good stuff and heads bob en masse. It lights the touch paper for ‘Lost My Shadow’ that gets the arms flailing in the centre of the room. Although enthusiastic, IST IST crowds of old have occasionally been a bit calmer with many advancing in age, but there’s more youthful faces tonight which is encouraging. Adam has become quite the hype man too in recent years, happy to whip up the crowd, punching the air, arms aloft, egging the crowd on and suping up his vocals with a vitriolic energy. The room is bathed in ominous orange, as they rip through ‘The Kiss’, with the energy beginning to surge. They’re often a bit more sedate on pace and darkly reflective, but they know when to hit the gas. ‘Black’ is perhaps more typical, but it’s rock solid and monolithic in stature. It’s perfect inside this warmly gothic surround and feels like Albert Hall was built for this moment. ‘What I Know’ is magnificent and one of my favourites. Lines like “Although  I miss you, I’m never coming home” are brutal and brilliant and it’s gloriously chilling to hear live, alongside Joel’s tub thumping drums and added synth clout. That vocal though. Adam is one of the best deep tone monsters out there. Pair him with Andy’s darkwave postpunk bass and really they can do no wrong. Coming to the end of the tour, they’re tight, they always are, but this looks and sounds effortless and they appear to be having a ton of fun, Andy swinging his bass around on ‘The Echo’ as purple spotlights probe the stage. The Cure bassline rolls and soars on ‘Makes No Difference’. It’s a bit of a banger and the head bobbing breaks out now into full dancing. Being just shy of sold out has its benefits, there’s pockets of space and it’s used effectively by bald heads in leather jackets and youngsters in crush velvet dresses. The lyrics are still on the bleak side, but ‘Dreams Aren’t Enough’ is them at their most bright and spritely and as Mat takes to the piano for ‘Mary in the Black and White Room’ it’s clear that tonight marks a new era for the band, confidently curating an evening to showcase what a varied catalogue they really have. The balcony can be seen fanning themselves, as we try to cool off in these lighter moment. It’s hot down here, it must be stifling up there. It’s just Adam, a ticking drum machine and Mat’s gothic synth stabs that lead us in to the teasing ‘A New Love Song’ for something of a mid-set interlude. They seem much more comfortable taking their time, building an atmosphere. Be it layers of guitar or the synths that now underpin a supercharged ‘Emily’ with the expected mass singalong. ‘Something Has to Give’ cranks the heat up once more as strobes detonate and the bloke next to me absolutely loses his mind. It goes off for the dystopian ‘Nights Arm’. The crowd surges, bodies bounce, it’s what I imagine everyone was hoping for when they bought the ticket and I’m starting to lose track of time, space, where we are, nothing matters but the music. The fella next to me is now using his wife’s back as a drum on ‘Fat Cats Drown in Milk’ as he sings along “Do you love me anymore”. She seems okay with it, so I’m assuming the answer is yes. ‘Repercussions’, ‘I Remember Everything’, ‘Ambition’ all blur, the line “Forget that everything’s on fire” making perfect sense in 2026. ‘Under Your Skin’ hits the cinematic button as the dimpled lights of the mirrorball sweep the room and Adam, free from guitar duties, stalks the stage with just the right amount of menace. “Time to dance Manchester” declares Andy. God I forgot just how bouncy ‘Hope to Love Again’ is. Scrap what I said earlier about pace, they can do it all and so magnificently. The explosions of arms on the “Again”s is beautiful, a crowd and band locked together wonderfully. Closing with ‘You’re Mine’ takes us back to the beginning. There’s a clear sense that this crowd, although it’s now swelled to larger venues, is still built on the bedrock of those fans that have followed them through the city’s basement venues. We might be a little further away from the stage (although I’m not), but they’ve lost none of the connection and it’s these older songs that hammer that home. Returning for the encore though, they opt for a new one. Big mistake at this point right? Nope, ‘I Am the Fear’ is the song of the night, it’s fucking furious. This is what I’ll wake up with ringing in my ears tomorrow. If you’ve not yet dug into ‘Dagger’, have a listen, it’s amazing. It’s been a celebration tonight. Adam and Andy playfully bumping into each other as they work the stage on ‘Stamp You Out’. Mini mosh pits break out and smiles are etched into every face. IST IST’s rise has been slow and steady, confident and solid like the band and tonight’s set. They fill this grand space with a trustworthy ease, yes we’re on home turf, but they could and should play rooms this size all over the country and beyond. I’ve no doubt at all that they’re still climbing and tonight is just another step, they still have a way to go, I’ll be watching.