I’ll buy the tunes and cigarettes / that feels like you / your favourite band sounds like this / it’s so brand new
Permanent (joy) certainly feel brand new, after a period of reinvention. But as scousers they are no strangers to good music, Liverpool having famously produced the Beatles, Echo and the Bunneymen and the La’,s, the Coral, The Zutons, and The Wombats. It was clear that they had a following in the crowd, despite the headliners The Royston Club claiming the most fans in the venue. However, for many, this gig was their first time experiencing Permanent (joy). Liverpool’s Alex Davison, Dan Stroud, Dave Annie, and Noah Roche swaggered onto the stage, all wearing sunglasses in a dark room, with that typical confident, verging on arrogant, indie boy band look, clearly determined to leave an impression.
Formed after years of experimenting with different projects and sounds, Permanent (joy) came together as previous members of Blondes joined a member of Queen Zee and bassist Noah Roche. Seemingly part of the same scene, the members knew each other and had jammed together to finally form Permanent (joy). Their sound is restless, with a guitar-led, driven edge, that sits somewhere between indie rock and emotional post-punk, with jagged guitars and controlled chaos.
A highlight of the night was their new single ‘Role Models’ which was released in September 2025, which has a different style to their edgier sounds, with a more upbeat feel. Noah Roche, the bassist of the band told Quench: “Playing Josephine and then Role Models together, which sometimes is difficult to put them in the set and work out where to put the mid-tempo ones.” But they managed to smoothly weave them together into the set and it didn’t feel jarring whatsoever. The song captures their ‘coming-of-age’ feel, in line with their period of reinvention.
The rest of their songs spoke of frustration and unspent youth, leaving room for interpretation. Inspired by bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Noah Roche told the Glasgow Guardian: “A lot of the songs are written from other people’s perspectives rather than a personal perspective. For example, Josephine is written from the perspective of an older person who’s lost a partner or who is dealing with losing a partner.” Their storytelling ability was palpable as their stage presence captured the audience’s attention.
As they played I Wanna Go Home, I couldn’t help but disagree after experiencing their energy on stage. It was a fitting finish that captured the band’s emotional pull. Noah told Quench that the band are ‘doing what they want’, and this was palpable – there was a feeling of recklessness and authenticity throughout the whole performance. Just as the name of the band itself is open for interpretation, their work is not literal, and they refuse to explain themselves.
“But I had so much living / That I had not yet been given,” sang the band, and indeed, this band has a lot more living to do. Permanent (joy) feels like a band still figuring things out but clearly moving forward with intent, sitting somewhere on the precipice of something bigger, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we are to hear a lot more from them.
Words by Abby Neve
Image Courtesy of Abby Neve
