Private Function in Oslo: Pie, mash and jellied eels
On the second night of their EU/UK tour, the Australian punk mischief-makers Private Function hit Oslo in Hackney for what was also their first-ever headlining show in London. The result? A beautiful, blistering mess of sweat, satire and power chords that could peel the paint off the walls.
Before the show, the band had been on social media asking for recommendations on where to find a proper British classic — pie, mash and jellied eels. It was a fitting gesture of local curiosity, and the perfect prelude to a night that celebrated the unholy union of Aussie chaos and UK punk tradition. It’s always nice to get to know your favourite bands through curious moments like this, the small, human glimpses that make all the noise feel a little more personal.
Opening duties went to Top Left Club, Brighton’s own synth-punk collective, whose set was slick and high-energy — part 80s post-punk revival, part digital meltdown. They warmed the room nicely, though it was clear that everyone in the room was waiting for the main event.
Then Private Function erupted onto the stage. They tore through tracks from their nihilistic new record ¯\(ツ)/¯ (yes, the shrug emoji), their set equal parts comedy sketch and sonic assault. The band have built a reputation for “organised chaos”, and it’s well-earned — this is the group that once released a vinyl filled with their own piss, another scratch-and-sniff record inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow’s infamous Goop candle, and a microscopic album cover you need a magnifying glass to see.
But gimmicks aside, these guys deliver. Songs like ‘Koala’ and ‘Ready to Be Rich’ hit with classic punk immediacy, while ‘AEIOU’ turned the crowd into a shouting and screaming choir. Every breakdown and every sneer felt completely spontaneous yet somehow perfectly timed — the kind of madness that only comes from a band totally in control of their own disorder. The energy never dipped. Between songs, frontman Chris Penney kept the chaos alive — cracking jokes and throwing beer into the crowd. The audience was completely swept up in the band’s wild energy; people were grinning, shoving and spilling pints everywhere. It was an atmosphere that was equal parts laughter and mosh pit.
By the end of the set, the floor was slick, the amps were howling and the crowd was chanting for more.
Private Function may call themselves “organised chaos”, but beneath the satire and shock tactics they are a killer punk band that knows exactly what it’s doing. Their first London headliner wasn’t just a gig but a unity of beer, noise and total absurdity. And honestly, they’ve probably earned another plate of pie and mash after that.
