Scatological lyrics, social conscience and a shoutout from Walton Goggins – 2026 is going to be the laptop garage band’s year
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t’s a Saturday night in Camden, London, and Getdown Services’ fans are getting the beers in before “Britain’s best band” play one of their final gigs of the year. The Electric Ballroom is heaving, despite this being their second show here in a month. There’s no shortage of twentysomethings with shag hairstyles to explain why the duo live up to their slogan. “They’re fun, which we need right now – life is bleak,” says Dulcie. “And they’re socially aware,” adds her friend Lotte. “Even though they are quite silly, they’re grounded.”
Across the bar, Dylan, 22, says that he finds Getdown Services and their genre-agnostic beats empowering: “They’re a laptop garage band that are having fun doing what they love, and seeing that makes me want to do what I love as well.” His pal James, 29, has returned for a repeat performance. “I came to the other Getdown Services show and I felt more jubilant than I did at Oasis,” he says.
Move over Gallaghers: Ben Sadler and Josh Law come on stage to Status Quo’s Whatever You Want and immediately begin the high-octane crowd interaction. Everyone on the balcony who got guestlist for tonight is pointed to en masse and told to “fuck off”; the pair stomp wide-legged like sumo wrestlers, egging on the roars and occasionally shredding a guitar. It’s part chaotic aerobics video, part Butlin’s gameshow – and though it’s blokey, it’s also a satire of blokey-ness. “This is what my fat body looks like!” yells Sadler, pulling off his T-shirt to delighted cheers. “This is not LadBible!” Law shouts.
