By Emma Turner
Xenya Genovese, more commonly known by her stage name Freak Slug, is a self-taught musician from Manchester. Taking the stage in her hometown, joined by her bandmates Nico Thomsen, Alex Martin and Caitlin Mounteer, the Deaf Institute music hall welcomed them with open arms. Among those waiting in the queue were not only just eager fans, but friends and family also came down to show their support. As people began pouring into the venue, it didn’t take long before it was filled front to back.
After some technical difficulties and a slight wardrobe malfunction, Babe Corner were ready to get the night started. All the way from Vancouver, Canada, they brought their glowing synths and floating four-piece harmonies to the Deaf Institute – along with lead singer, Lindsay Sjoberg’s striking fur boots. She explained that as this was the last show of the tour, and to make bringing the boots all the way from Canada worth it, she had to wear them tonight, even if it did mean hitting her pedals became more difficult. Paired with a beautiful black mesh two-piece, it was the perfect combination.
Playing tracks from their album Crybaby, released back in 2023, Babe Corner’s set was full of catchy guitar riffs and dreamy melodic vocals. As they sang these songs – which were relatively still new to them to play live – the room observed in awe. Between songs, Lindsay even gave away vinyl and a hat, completely for free to random people in the audience, which of course had everyone cheering.
They ended their set on their first ever single Cigarette—a reflection on a relationship that’s turned sour. Driven by guitars once again and combined with Lindsay’s soft and airy vocals, it gave the perfect overview of the band’s sound.
When Freak Slug took to the stage, the crowd broke into masses of applause, and everyone became even more tightly packed to get the best view.
Opening the show with Ya Ready, the first track of Freak Slug’s debut album I Blow Out Big Candles, it set the tone of self-awareness joined with a vibrant sound. With lots more from this album to come, Xenya made sure to mix in a few of her older songs too, balancing out the night despite the dynamic shift her music has taken. Get Away brought the crowd together, led by its strong guitar riffs, and it showcased the power in Xenya’s unique voice. In lines such as ‘I wish I could cry today’, it emphasised her emotion behind the words, adding an extra layer to her performance.
Upon addressing the crowd, and asking them how they’re feeling, Xenya received deafening screams, to which she replied that it’s ‘good to be home’, especially after such a warm welcome. As a special treat, we were introduced to a brand-new song called Miss June, giving us a glimpse into what kind of music might be in store for the future of Freak Slug, and it was definitely a hit – a track about longing for someone and revisiting memories, hoping that they were looking and thinking about you, in the same way that you were of them. While it was a very relatable and vulnerable track to share with Manchester, Freak Slug owns her personality like no other. Through her songs, she opens up about queer relationships, and one of these is addressed in her track, Care. The chorus shows her confusion over the other person’s indifference and how she ‘wants to be more than just good friends’ – a typical issue a lot of queer people face. Despite the emotional weight of the song, it has a funky instrumental you can’t help but dance to, and with Xenya’s breathy vocals on top, there was such a dreamlike quality to this moment on stage.
We next hear the more explosive Sexy Lemon, a metaphor for an unattainable woman. It’s a flirtatious ode with lots of passion behind the delivery, as Freak Slug puts emphasis on certain parts of the chorus. It’s the ultimate song to shout amongst the crowd.
Overall, Freak Slug’s live performance packed a lot more punch than her studio versions, particularly on Disorder, as the guitars take over. As it’s the first single Xenya released, it’s clearly evolved to fit her style now, but it still remains a fan favourite to this day as one group in the crowd jumped with intensity the whole way through. You could feel its edginess straight away and Xenya’s attitude shone through in her pronunciation and movement.
The heightened confidence only continued as during Radio, Nico took centre stage and showcased his exceptional guitar skills in a solo to close the song – a breathtaking moment as everyone was stunned. The audience were loving it, especially those on the balcony who danced together as one—even interacting with groups on the floor despite being separated by height.
Liquorice was the standout song of the night, driven by Xenya’s distinctively British accent and complemented by subtle voice breaks—it truly showcased her signature vocal style. Screaming ‘yeah!’ throughout only amped up the crowd even more, encouraging them to let loose and shout along too.
Fans did not want the night to end by the time Spells played and the whole room grooved together and belted the words with immense passion. However, once it finished, the band exited the stage, but the show was not over, as they came back for one more song, Alien—a song about being labeled as a freak but embracing it entirely, which feels like a full circle moment for an artist named Freak Slug.
Unless otherwise stated, Photography & Text Copyright 2025 © Emma Turner/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Tyler Whiting 
Darcy Mitchell 
Rachel Henderson