‘Boys These Days’: Sports Team at DIY Alive 2026
I was lucky enough to be on the guest list to see Sports Team’s headline set at the DIY Alive festival this year. The event took place on a warm, clear evening, in early October, at Dalston’s EartH Hall. I arrived at the all-day festival a couple of hours before Sports Team’s set, which began at 21:30, as I was curious to see who else was performing.
Stamped, wrist-banded and stepping into the red light of the intimate venue, I managed to catch the second half of FEET’s set. The stage presence of the lead singer, George, was impossible not to notice as he charismatically commanded the stage, his vocals remaining solid throughout his antics, and the consistent, clear-toned jangle of the guitar complementing his singing well. The band’s chemistry on stage was also very noticeable. Upon speaking briefly with Oli, the band’s bassist, after their set, I learnt why; the band has been making music together for a total of ten years now. That decade of practice has definitely paid off.
The second act I saw that night was called Porij, another typically unserious and ironic indie band name. However, Porij’s sound differed from the typical low-production indie tunes I expected to hear that day. Live, the first thing you notice is the clear and gentle yet assertive quality of Egg’s voice, the lead singer and keyboardist. While the music was fantastic, the standout aspect of the show to me was definitely Egg’s joyous stage presence; it was obvious that they were having the time of their life up on stage. “Are you with us, Hackney?”they said before shouting out their parents, who were standing at the back, in a wholesome turn of events. The band’s music weaves together smooth drums, groovy guitar, and echoey synth to create indie-dance music that feels fresh and exciting. My personal favourites were the songs ‘Nobody Scared’ and ‘Lose Our Minds’.
After thoroughly enjoying FEET and Porij’s sets, I made my way to the front for the main event. Unlike with the other two acts, I was already somewhat familiar with Sports Team; however, I quickly found that my knowledge of the band was nothing compared to the obsession of their fans. Before the gig began, I got to speak with some of them. One girl, decked out in merchandise, told me that Sports Team has “a cult fanbase” before describing how she had met her best friend at a Sports Team concert five years ago. Another fan, also wearing a Sports Team t-shirt, told me that this gig will be the thirteenth Sports Team gig he has been to. “So they’re good live, then?” I joked, to an enthusiastic “YES”. What was it about this band that ignited such obsession among its fans? I had yet to see what all the fuss was about.
The set opened with ‘The Drop’, an untethered indie anthem grounded in a solid guitar riff.The ease with which the lead singer, Alex, carried himself on stage was remarkable even when I was getting buried in a mosh pit. Alex sang so casually, yet the vocals were pristine, studio-level, infused with the perfect level of angst. And the fans went nuts. A mosh pit formed for every single song the band played, and as the evening progressed, it became clearer and clearer that Alex held the crowd in the palm of his hand.
The band’s audience was noticeably male, yet not overly laddish; people showed a lot of consideration and looked out for each other, which would have otherwise been overwhelming. The band’s signature cocky and chaotic sound and the quintessentially British cynicism held in the lyrics of many of their songs contrasted with the playful atmosphere.
A tight-knit fan community has formed around Sports Team over the years, and the band’s lyrics were echoed back to them verbatim for every song. ‘Billy’ was a clear fan favourite of the evening, with an impenetrable chant of, ‘I hate tequila rosé’ ringing throughout the chorus. I, too, hated tequila rosé by the end of the song. ‘Here’s the thing’ was another fan favourite. The widest mosh pit of the night began to form as soon as the opening riff began to play.
We were all collectively drenched in a combination of beer and sweat by the end of the set, which closed with the moody storytelling of the song ‘Stanton’, a calmer track after an evening of songs that seemed to be built for jumping and shouting along to. Climbing up the steps and emerging from the venue onto Stoke Newington Road, ears ringing, I found myself having a surreal, contemplative post-gig moment. Surrounded by happy chatter on my way to the station, I understood that I had witnessed something spectacular. Sports Team is bringing back messy, grassroots indie gigs. In an era of sterile stadium shows and legacy concerts, small gigs that build connection and community are more important than ever. I hope to see a band like Sports Team again soon.
Edited by Eva Lau-Johnston, Co-Music Editor
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