With little chit-chat in-between the songs, pôt-pot is clearly all about the music. And for good reason.
The Irish-Portuguese quintet have mastered an eerie yet uplifting psychedelic rock sound, with strong krautrock influences. The band invites you in as they battle themes of grief, solitude and impermanence carried by bluesy riffs and strong guitars, but they push you back just as easily with jarring sound changes, post-punk rebellion and a feeling that they know something you don’t.
Much like a toxic crush, pôt-pot keeps their distance. They don’t waste any time after a song talking for longer than it takes to introduce the next one. Many of their songs stand strong without any vocals, and leave you feeling a surge of emotions, even if you’re not totally sure what those emotions are. And just like the best, messy crushes out there – I find myself completely enamoured by their cool, stand-off vibes. I left the show begging for more.
The band released their latest album Warsaw 480km in September 2025, and have been touring it for the past few months. It is the type of music that feels it was made to be blared in a grassy moor as you contest with your purpose and morality. This music craves the penultimate scene in a period drama – where characters reckon with their feelings in the middle of a summer rainstorm. You will walk away from a pot-pot gig feeling emotions you’re not quite sure how to process, but knowing they have unlocked something deeper within you.
The star of the show was undoubtedly Elaine Malone on the Harmonium. Not an instrument that’s well known to London’s gig circuit – but with an undeniable impact. The instrument (which resembles an accordion, halved and thrown on its side) provides a transcendent, eerie melody which will comfort you and put you on edge all at once. Malone’s harmonies elevate the band’s work and give the whole show an ethereal feeling, despite being in a basement room in the center of Shoreditch.
Sara Leslie brings an effortless cool-girl energy to the stage. Handling the base, tambourine and vocals with ease – she is the undeniable foundation of the band’s sound. Switching between her instruments without fuss, and even downing a pint of Guinness in between songs, Leslie shows that despite being the latest addition to the band – she is exactly what they need.