Gigs can be a semi-religious experience, Martial Arts shows are transcendent affairs, with their dual frontmen Jim Marson and Matty Pearce often down on the floor with the crowd. The post-punk fivesome are a lynchpin of Manchester’s new music scene, along with their friends Westside Cowboy and Shaking Hand – a scene drawing national attention as a hotbed of creativity across multiple genres. They are also, in the words of Jim, a band of “direct action”, part of a thriving grass-roots political movement in the city.
