Live Review: Ho99o9 – Manchester

Live Review: Ho99o9 – Deaf Institute, Manchester

7th July 2026
Support: Violent Magic Orchestra
Words: Matthew Williams

Newark’s punk rap duo theOGM and Yeti Bones, have been on my “must see” list for quite some time. The duo, better known as Ho99o9, are known for their high energy shows where they fuse hip hop beats with hardcore melting riffs accompanied by political and hard-hitting lyrics, and after reviewed their latest release, I knew this was going to be a fun night out in Manchester.

Having spoken to a few friends who have previously played alongside the support act, I sort of knew what to expect from Japanese group Violent Magic Orchestra, however seeing them live is something quite extraordinary. Their blend of industrial black metal and techno is unbelievably powerful with vocalist Zastar looking like she’s from a K-pop band surrounded by corpse painted nutters.

They are intense from the word go, with extreme noises, eerie vocals, flashing strobes, repetitive lights and it’s like being at a black metal rave!!! At any moment you’ll find one of Pete Swanson or Kezzardrix in the crowd, leading the mosh, flailing around with torches as they whip the assembled masses up to near hysteria levels. The music is fast and furious, with accompanying scary images on the screen behind, as the beats get faster, guitars more ferocious and vocals angrier.

At one point, there’s an Ibiza ambience floating about the room, ahead of rapid bullet sounds and a mad techno beat. They do love their torches, and wave them around a lot and at one point we have green lasers held aloft by the band in the crowd before there’s a scream of “Death Rave” and then bedlam ensues. I don’t recall seeing anything quite like this before, and doubt I will again, but Violent Magic Orchestra are one band you can’t afford to miss.

And now to the main event, Ho99o9. As the intro begins to play, theOGM walks onto the stage, before going through a series of stretches. Vocalist Yeti Bones appears to big applause, and they launch into “Escape” and a pit emerges straight away. Their blend of dual vocals and high-octane energy are already in full flow, as the swop verses and choruses during the excellent “Target Practice” and the punchy “Power in Numbers”.

They continue to play several songs off last year’s excellent “Tomorrow We Escape” album and it’s great to hear the programmed electronic beat drops from theOGM work seamlessly with their live drummer Billy Rymer. Bones pretends to load up his mic and shoots off rounds during “Ok, I’m Reloaded” as he headbangs along furiously, however they don’t say many words in-between songs but after “Psychic Jumper” and “Upside Down” there’s a “How you feeling Manchester?” from OGM ahead of a musical interlude consisting of Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman”.

They get back to their destructive selves with “Sub-Zero” followed by “Street Power” which further demonstrates the immense intensity that the duo possess. The Deaf Institute crowd is bouncing and from my high vantage point it’s great to see the whole of the floor moving around. “City Rejects” and “Dope Dealerz” is interjected by Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” with the drums getting faster as the duo go through the ritualistic slower then faster vocal swopping duties.

“Christopher Dorner” is proceeded by the rave beating glory of “Off The Meter” that sees the crowd go even more mental than before. It’s a stunning song but the masses are asked to “keep it moving Manchester” as they rip into “LA Riots”, “Knuckle Up” and the drum n bass sounding “Battery Not Included” as Bones switches between his two microphones. This is followed by The Prodigy sounding drum line of “Protect My Bitch PT 2” which is a mad mash up of a song.

With the end in sight, “Lower Than Scum” bounces off the venue walls, as the bodies flail around on the dance floor with “A Machine Of” increasing the temperature. After some words from theOGM thanking us for coming out, they end with the utterly mental “Godflesh” that sees Yeti Bones walk off the stage, onto the bar and jump into the hot, sweaty pit to conclude a merciless assault on our bodies and souls.

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