I, along with many of Cardiff’s finest, made the pilgrimage to the famed Brixton Windmill venue in South East London to catch the first London headline show of Why Horses? A Cardiff group that I’ve now spent a lot of time with, and that arguably served as my gateway to the music scene in the Welsh capital. They were the first local gig I ever went to, when they headlined Porters under their old moniker, “The Cheeky Habibis.”
Since the name change and something of a clean slate, the band have gone from strength to strength, signing to and now graduating from Welsh pre-industry label and pro-tastemakers Bwgibwgan, also home to previous New Sound subjects and support band for the evening, Spirited Followers.
The Horses have developed a distinctive and neurotic take on the post-punk that has dominated much of alternative guitar music over the last decade, particularly at venues like The Windmill. They utilise their fantastic rhythm section to great, danceable effect, taking influence from disco, with pulsating rhythms and driving basslines pushing every song forward and preventing it from falling over itself. I have a friend who reckons the nature of these beats comes from drummer Hadi’s love of jungle, which could well be true, but I think there is something uniquely anxious and wired about this playing.
They released their confident debut EP as Why Horses?, Yeah, Hi, in October 2025 on Bwgibwgan, and have started to make a name for themselves beyond Cardiff, with plays on BBC Radio 6 Music and write-ups from well-known publications. They have begun to edge towards the London scene. This has all culminated in their headline at The Windmill, a starmaker for alternative music of this ilk and a venue that gained mythical status for me when I first read about it as a 15-year-old getting into Black Country, New Road and black midi. After a trip to South London institution Morley’s for a very reasonably priced bit of stomach lining, it was off to The Windmill.
On first were Cardiff’s own Spirited Followers, putting on the best show I have ever seen from them, mainly due to the great sound and proper mixing, something which the Diff is not always known for. They clearly captured the room and ended emphatically, conjuring their own experimental post-rock and folk take on a shoegazey wall of sound that was absolutely class, and confirming that I should, in fact, have worn earplugs. I seriously hope this means bigger and better things for them, as they truly deserve it.
After came What Jen Wants, who I mistakenly missed, and Brette Wolfe, who I knew nothing of but who put on a really strong set that the Windmill crowd seemed very fond of.
For the headliners, the room quickly filled and we navigated our way to the front as Why Horses? took the stage, frontman Gabe in his signature waistcoat. After some sound issues, they launched into new material that expands their sound into a more krautrock-leaning, psychedelic space, with sprawling atmospheric guitar from newer addition Dilibe, while still anchored by their signature disco-influenced rhythms. They moved into tracks from Yeah, Hi, alongside old favourite “Far Away So Close,” with friends singing along and Gabriel’s frantic stage presence grabbing the focus of the room. The energy built into “Fever,” a highlight and a 6 Music favourite, its count-in “1-2-3-4” drawing one of the loudest reactions of the night before Hadi lets rip, really connecting with the audience. It is always a standout moment live, and it clearly landed here.
For the finale, Freddie and Loucas from Spirited Followers joined the band on stage for their collaboration “Jain Song,” which for me is the strongest thing either group has released so far, and you can feel the urgency it carries live. It features Gabe’s most interesting lyrics yet, reflecting on religion and spirituality and the different relationships one can have with that, repeating “I used to worship the father, now I worship the ground” and “I just know he is also the ground.” The added instrumentation lifts the track further, with Freddie’s textured, jazz-influenced drums and Loucas’ bouzouki providing a melodic drive that lets Horses truly ascend. It is clear from tonight that they are only getting better.
And then it was over. I was left wanting more, running through the tracks they did not play. “What I’m Into?” was a big miss for me.
The crowd seemed appreciative and it was a very solid set. I think they will be in London a lot more, and then who knows. But I can say this: I saw Why Horses? live, and you should too.
