By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum

WHEN?: Friday 30 June 2023, tour runs until 2 September 2023

Having “discovered’ Welly on day one of Victorious Festival last year, making our whole weekend (along with the comedy), we have seen this Brighton-based (originally from Southampton) band three times now.

• Read on for reasons including where to see the band this summer

And their announcement in May of their Friday slot at Victorious this year can’t come too soon.

Last Friday, a group of us from work needed a bit of a blow-out and Welly did that for us. Walking on stage (again) with Madness shows some stage presence in such a young band.

Welly please us with the usual chit chat about supermarkets, holiday destinations and suburbs. Lacking in small maracas this time, but with Hana back on stage, we welcomed hearing our favourites: Take 5, Flowers and Deere John (Mr Humdrum’s favourite).

When they’ve played live before, there’s been a real difference between the sounds of the songs, with my favourite, Me and Your Mates, sounding most professional and single-like.

This time, they all had that sound. Did we hear a new track about being big in the suburbs? If there was a continuum of suburban-observational, pop-mod, semi-political songwriting, there’d be The Kinks, The Who, The Jam, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Madness, Blur; Welly are currently earning their place there too.

But more than that, they’re fun. I’ve written about their energy before. They love what they do. They love their PE kit image and they love interacting with their audience.

Me and Your Mates, their finale, is just a banger that is not just great heard out at their gigs, but also always on my party list at home.

Intrusive twangy guitars hook you in and before you know it, it’s not just your foot tapping, you’re hooked and dancing around, just like them. Roll on Victorious Festival (25-28 August, Southsea Common). Welly will be on the Casemates stage, Friday.

• Read more from Carron at her blog A Humdrum Mum
• Main picture courtesy via Facebook Tickets Have you been to Victorious before, heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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