Riskee and the Ridicule

Riskee and the Ridicule play The Lens Studio on Friday 21 August, a night that sits right at the intersection of a few different sounds. If you're not familiar with them, they're a band that pulls from grime, punk and pop, and they're bringing that mix to Portsmouth Guildhall's smaller room.

It's not the easiest blend to pin down on paper. Grime brings the weight and the urban energy, punk provides the raw edge, and pop keeps it melodic. When they come together, the result is a sound that doesn't really settle into one camp. They describe their own approach as 'politics, protest and punk', so you can expect the songs to have something to say rather than just filling the room.

That political streak is a good guide for what to expect. It's music that leans into the protest side of punk, and the grime influence gives it a contemporary, street-level feel. If you're into live music that doesn't shy away from a point of view, this is exactly the kind of thing that works better in a room than on a record.

On the practical side, the gig starts at 20:00, with doors opening half an hour earlier at 19:30, so you've got a bit of time to get in and settle before they take the stage. Tickets are £20.25, a price that includes a 13% booking fee. It's a Friday night in Portsmouth, and The Lens Studio is the spot.