Gig Review: XL Poncho At Band on the Wall Manchester
The rising Northwestern band captured the audience from start to finish; their palpably passionate fan base will only continue to grow with time.
Photo credits: Ava Samuel
XL Poncho, an emerging UK indie band that debuted through covers posted on social media, bring a unique sound to the British music scene.
Describing them as ‘phenomenal’ would be an understatement. Boasting a countenance which radiated confidence, the up-and-coming band XL Poncho entertained a full room, despite it being the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina. Now on the cover for the first issue of ‘Heard it Here First Pod’, an emerging artist discovery platform and now-physical magazine founded by the one and only Keira Knox, they are on their way to becoming a well-known name in the industry.
Formed in 2025, the emerging northwestern five-piece indie band built an entire fan base over social media such - gaining their traction by posting covers to the likes of The Kooks’ ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’ and Fontaines D.C. ‘Jackie Down the Line’. Taking place at Manchester’s Band on the Wall on July 15th 2026, I had the pleasure of capturing these special moments not only in pictures, but also in words.
The gig began with Shannon Gillespie, a beaming young woman who serenaded the audience with a heartfelt cover of Katy Perry’s ‘Thinking of You’; the angelic, emotional delivery of the song meant that not a word was uttered amongst the audience.
After, Manchester-based Roulette took to the stage in support of the main act. Their latest single, ‘Insane’, tells no lies about itself; the mood of their band is, very clearly, set on high energy but with a hard-hitting, demanding and powerful female vocal lead.
After an enthusiastic performance from both supports, it was XL Poncho’s turn to take the stage.
Fronted by Liverpool-born and raised female vocalist Olivia Diaferia, she definitely put on a show that is memorable, and to put it simply - she did not disappoint. Harmonising effortlessly with her band, Olivia maintains the impeccable chemistry between her and Matty as they attune to one another throughout their unreleased song titled ‘Don’t Throw Stones’, proving that good music comes from direction, compatibility and chemistry.
XL Poncho channel the vitality of other female-fronted modern bands that we see captivating the audience and dominating the stage. Olivia has the capability of leaving the audience stunned, empowered and inspired - yet wanting more. Even unreleased singles like ‘Dead Space’ and ‘Tell it me straight’ were heavily anticipated amongst the audience, and, expectedly, a loud applause erupted once the songs ended.
People ask me why I spend so much time going to gigs like this; this is why. It’s rewarding to see a band that you have supported throughout their journey grow and flourish into the band they are today, and to support small venues and prevent them from closing down. To anyone lucky enough to have been here and witnessed XL Poncho before their evident success and quickly-accumulating exponential growth: be proud to say that you were already in the room.