Bleech 9:3 - 4th May 2026

@ SWG3 Poetry Club

Story by Emily Strout

12/05/2026

It seems you can’t be at any indie rock gig these days without hearing hushed whispers about them—“them” being Bleech 9:3, an alt-rock Irish four-piece from Dublin that has been making waves as they’ve recently toured in support of bands like Shame, Keo, and Sorry. For good reason too: I can now safely confirm that Bleech 9:3 puts on an absolute show. Their sound is grungy and loud, and their few released tracks sound even better in person.

The Poetry Club at SWG3 had the honour of hosting them this past week, but it became immediately clear that the 125-cap venue wasn’t quite able to contain the band’s massive energy. Perched on the small stage just a few inches up from the floor, frontman Baz apologized during the gig for being unable to upgrade the venue: there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that they’d have been able to sell out a much larger space. But the tiny room also lent the gig an intense energy—the crowd was bouncing off each other with each song, with the band starting their set with their song “Jacky” that sent dozens of teenaged boys flying in every direction. The energy never dulled from there, and Baz would occasionally reach out and grab the hands of those reaching out for him. The small space and lack of barricade, therefore, lent the gig a personal connection that a larger venue would lack, which I was secretly grateful for. As the band currently only has four released tracks, the energy certainly upped on songs the crowd knew, but a quick peek around the audience during unreleased tracks like “No Surprise” and “My System” proved that there were fans that somehow knew all the words to these songs, too. Although the set didn’t even reach an hour, there was not a dull minute of that time. When the band closed with their song “Ceiling,” I thought I might be sent up to the ceiling from the mosh pit it opened up. The first thing one notices about these boys is their rather striking visuals—guitarist Sam has slicked back, bleach-blond hair and sunglasses, and bassist James rocks a spiky green mohawk (although this time around covered by a bucket hat). I asked pink-haired Baz about it after the gig, inquiring if they had a stylist. “Not yet,” he told me. Bleech 9:3 are definitely ones to watch, and I wouldn’t be surprised for their looks to adapt as their gigs get bigger and bigger. I’ll never again catch them in a room as small as the Poetry Club, so I’m just grateful I could be there..