Live Review: Hot Milk - The Corporation, Sheffield
6th April 2025
Support: Mouth Culture
Words & Photos: Martin Hingley
With just over a month to go until Slam Dunk Festival, Hot Milk roll into Sheffield to play the second night of a short run of shows in support of their upcoming album Corporation P.O.P.
Kicking off the evening are Leicester outfit Mouth Culture, who instantly bring the venue to life as they open with No Shame from their 2024 EP Whatever The Weather. With a sound reminiscent of British rock heavyweights like You Me At Six and Don Broco, the band deliver a solid performance.
Vocalist Jack Voss leads the charge with his high-octane showmanship, keeping the crowd engaged with his energy and stage presence.
Throughout the set, the band maintains momentum with catchy choruses and strong vocals. That said, it does feel slightly static at times, with the other members keeping things more low-key. Still, the audience are clearly into it - singing along, moving to the music, and giving a warm reception as the band closes out with Don’t Pull Up.
After what feels like the shortest thirty minute changeover in gig history, Hot Milk explodes onto the stage to massive cheers.
Jim Shaw wastes no time hyping the crowd, while Hannah Mee launches into her signature move - throwing water over the front rows as the band kicks things off with 90 Seconds To Midnight. It’s a bold choice to start with such a new track, but it pays off. The room is instantly buzzing.
Having sold out nearly every date of this mini-tour, the band are clearly riding a high. Their excitement is obvious - no doubt fuelled by the chance to finally debut material from Corporation P.O.P., which drops this June.
Despite being Manchester-based, the band fully embraces the crowd’s “Yorkshire!” chants, using the energy to fuel the chaos onstage. Both vocalists are constantly interacting with the audience, creating an electric atmosphere.
For a band still early in their album cycle, Hot Milk’s stage presence is nothing short of commanding. All four members make full use of the space, with Hannah often leaning into the crowd to connect directly with fans in the front rows. The set is tight and visually engaging, packed with moments that feel big despite the relatively intimate venue.
As expected, much of the set draws from their debut album - crowd favourites like Over My Dead Body, Breathe Underwater, and Horror Show all go down a storm. But the band also make sure to road-test their new material, giving fans the first live taste of what’s to come. In a particularly bold move, they tell the crowd they’d been debating whether to play a previously unheard track - before launching into Insubordinate England. This politically charged anthem offers insight into the band’s current mood.
Midway through, the set takes a more emotional turn with Bloodstream, which becomes a heartfelt sing-along. But the tempo soon ramps back up, as the crowd launches into a mosh during Split Personality, with Hannah jumping down to join them, blurring the line between performer and fan and giving those up front a rare, close-up connection with the band.
One standout moment comes when a brief technical issue knocks out Hannah’s mic. Without missing a beat, she shares Jim’s microphone until the tech quickly swaps it out - turning what could have been a disruption into a sweet moment of teamwork, barely noticed by the crowd.
After a short break, the band returns for a powerful encore, launching into their 2020 release Glass Spiders, to the crowd’s delight.
As they take their final bows, they thank the fans and remind everyone they’ll be back in just over a month to headline the Kerrang! Stage at Slam Dunk, a slot they’ve more than earned.
Photo credits: Martin Hingley
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