Spineshank win over Dublin crowd on Drowning Pool bill, according to GoldenPlec

GoldenPlec's review of Spineshank's set on the Drowning Pool bill at The Academy in Dublin in 2025 is worth revisiting as one of the most glowing accounts of the band's live show. The gig was part of a night headlined by Drowning Pool, and it is the performance by Spineshank that the outlet chose to write about at length.

The reviewer's central response was enjoyment. The set is described as an absolute treat, and the review makes clear that it was a more rewarding evening than the band itself appeared to anticipate. That sense of a performance exceeding expectations runs through the piece, giving it a tone of genuine surprise as well as praise.

The review gives particular attention to frontman Jonny Santos. His performance is highlighted as a key part of why the set worked, with the critic pointing to his presence and delivery as central to the band's impact on the night. Rather than treating him as a backdrop to the songs, the piece frames him as the figure who drove the evening forward.

The songs singled out are the title track, Play God and New Disease. The reviewer names these three as the high points of the performance, which suggests they were the moments that most clearly demonstrated the band's strengths. The choice of material is part of what makes the review useful to read now, as it shows which parts of the catalogue translated best to a live setting.

The verdict is clear even without a score. No rating is shown with the review, so the praise rests entirely on the writing itself. The critic's judgement is that Spineshank delivered a highly enjoyable set that outperformed what the band seemed to expect, and that judgement stands as the main takeaway.

Looking back, the review says something lasting about Spineshank as a live act. It presents a band capable of making a strong impression in a shared bill, with a frontman who can carry a set and a catalogue that holds up in concert. For a retrospective, it is a useful reminder of how the band's live reputation has been built.