20 awesome photos of Slaves' intimate gig for Record Store Day, 20/03/17

Fresh off the plane from SXSW, Slaves plunged headfirst with unhinged feral punk energy you'd expect for their tiny set underneath Ace Hotel, Shoreditch. The Kentish lads were playing to the size crowd that some unsigned bands would be disappointed to attract - there were about 150 people, max. But it's always a treat to see a band who’ve outgrown the small venues back somewhere more modest.

It allowed a more interactive experience with the crowd than ever. Isaac Holman (drum) and Laurie Vincent (guitar) would regularly tell charismatic, entertaining anecdotes about the band's history, and shout out to his family who were all gathered around alongside record shop owners, industry heads, and competition winners.

Particularly amusing was Holman's story about how they ended up a two piece because they couldn’t get anyone to play in the band, and how the fans, while looking for faults with their two piece set up, would always call him out for not having a hi-hat on his kit. As they launched into a minute long burst of a song called 'Fuck The Hi-Hat'; the staged crowd banter part felt honed, and helped realise that a sense of humour is key to their success.

But it's not all reliant on that. Heightening the sonic impact was the ferocity with which Holman beats his drum, like a tribal warrior hypnotised by the task at hand - it's thrilling to watch. While the Vinvent does two people's jobs at once with octave shifters and switching between bass and guitar. Impressive stuff to see happening close up and probably the last chance to see them somewhere this small for a while.