An album and live review all rolled into one, it is hard to discuss GANS without talking about their phenomenal live presence. Good For The Soul is released on September 19th on Strap Originals.

Last week was all about GANS for Reading Indie Life. We braved the London Tube Strike to see their sold-out show at The Lexington on September 9th. The trip in was a nightmare, with multiple full buses sailing past before we finally found an approach that worked. We missed most of the support, luckily/unluckily it was Hungry. Lucky, because we had seen them recently and unlucky, because they are quite brilliant.

I had really wanted to see GANS live as people have been raving about their shows for months. I also hoped to get more of an understanding as there are a range of different influences running through their recorded work.

Seeing them live helped fit all the pieces together. The first thing to say is that the energy levels of this Black Country band are completely off the scale. They are a duo of Euan Woodman, on drums and vocals, and Tom Rhodes on guitar, vocals and keyboard/backing track button pushing. Their energy level is so off the chart it feels like the 200-capacity crowd can barely absorb it, that the floor of The Lexington might give way under the pressure. Performances like this could have energised a crowd of a 1,000, or 10,000. They give it absolutely everything from start to finish. Live, there is a bit more of a comparison to punk duo Soft Play than comes across on record, another blisteringly intense live act. There is also a hint of that playfulness and wit of the other Black Country duo, Big Special. Gans are supporting Big Special on their February 2026 UK tour and that promises to be quite a set of shows.

There are a lot of people wearing GANS t-shirts in the crowd. This is a band that people can definitely fully climb on board for and watch multiple times. Musically, they are a melting pot. There is punk, rock, bits of New Wave style synths, at times a switch into almost full-on dance and techno. It all hangs together on a vibe and an energy that drives the entire project. Some bands are almost apologetic when asking for audience interaction. Woodman demands everything, marshalling things like a general not afraid to send his troops over the top. Open up a pit, bigger, BIGGER. Everybody jumping. EVERYBODY JUMPING. He frequently flies off into the crowd to ensure the levels of carnage are increased. He reemerges, hot, sweaty but satisfied by the upped level of crowd response.

So how does the album compare to the live experience? ‘A FOOL’ starts with voices in a range of languages stating that ‘GANS is good for the soul’ before Woodman’s pounding, driven drums kick in, the guitar quickly joining. There is both an intensity and a groove here. The duo create all the sounds that are heard on the album, employing a range of instruments and keyboard tricks between them. ‘IN TIME’ keeps that energy going at an even higher tempo. The synth lines are deceptively simple, almost like a tiny piece of a Gary Numan track. It is a high energy riot.

The name GANS comes from the German for ‘goose.’ Woodman paints and writes poetry. It was from one of his pieces of art that the name of the band arrived. Rhodes grew up listening and playing in Big Band jazz bands. The first album he purchased was The Libertines “Up The Bracket,” a moment that came full circle when they signed to Pete Doherty’s Strap Originals label. Doherty has been a big supporter of the pair, and they have played in his live band for his solo work.

‘IT’S JUST LIFE’ almost feels more-like pop. It is a clever trick as actually it has a punk-rock vocal and ferocious guitar and drums. The energy and intensity bleeds into the dominating synths to create something closer to high-tempo pop music. Latest single ‘NIGHTWALKING’ starts like a more soulful Kid Kapichi. There are depths here, a real understanding of how to produce a track and evoke a mood. ‘FAR AND WIDE’ is the track that vocally most recalls Big Special, but the music it is set over is hard to pin down. It starts off with a funky line that could be Ian Dury and the Blockheads before merging into something almost LCD Soundsystem.

Just when you think the whole album is going to maintain high intensity along comes ‘EVERYTHING IN EXTREME.’ It slows the tempo down and takes out the drums. A gentle acoustic guitar melody duelling it out with synths that gradually go full on Depeche Mode. It gives you a glimpse of their range and talent. They might enjoy providing you with a high energy onslaught, but they can do whatever they turn their minds to. The vocals and harmonies are properly tuneful.

‘I Think I Like You’ lifts the energy again before ‘THE KINGS HEAD’ goes close to full on dance speed backing. Lyrically the album covers a lot of ground. There are ruminations on mental health. The issues and complexities of modern life. There are simple chantable lines that you could imagine hearing in a football stand. The pair take great pride in their working-class upbringing. ‘THIS PRODUCT’ deals with consumerism whilst ‘OH GEORGE’ touches on full on mental illness. Whilst it could all be rather heavy the intense pace of the music keeps things ticking along, not allowing you to really consider there might be heavier themes at play. Things quieten down again for ‘WELL DONE.’ A simple piano line plays while fragments of what I suspect are audio of Euan and Tom as children and their families plays over the top.

Back to the live show and Woodman is an absolutely phenomenal drummer. By the halfway point they are both shirtless and dripping in sweat. By the end Rhodes is on the floor, spent. Woodman indulges in a spot of crowd surfing. They pull it together to take a well-deserved bow having blown away the newcomers like ourselves and reminded the faithful that their devotion is well warranted. This is a great band and they have produced a great statement of intent in their debut album.