Follow Adult DVD down the rabbit hole into their rave-rock wonderland of characters

“A re we going into the fucking jungle?” blurts out Harry Hanson, clawing away leaves and branches as NME loses sight of the Adult DVD vocalist.

“Have you got a machete?” smiles his bandmate Greg Lonsdale (synth), who’s on navigation duty.

We’ve drifted astray at The Hollies in Leeds, a woodland area distinguished by dog walkers and tennis courts where the band once took photos.

Lonsdale, who considered bringing his dog, wishes we’d filmed this directionless trek.

“I feel very at peace,” shares Hanson, once the three of us find the path.

READ MORE: NME’s top 10 shows from The Great Escape 2026 Inevitably, the main form of greenery Hanson sees nowadays is the green room.

While the band have stepped up their touring exploits over the past few years, word has got around of Adult DVD’s loose, untethered riot of dance-punk.

In 2023, when the Leeds group played their first international gigs at Rotterdam’s Left Of The Dial, they flew home with a European booking agent secured.

Eventually, the UK caught up, as NME faced lengthy queues outside Brighton venue Komedia in both 2025 and 2026 to catch them at The Great Escape Festival .

Dictated by pulsating synth riffs, all six members have their role in the Adult DVD live show to build songs like blocks – and then slice right through the structure in one fell swoop.

Crucially, they remain in control of the tension, prolonging these top lines to create a frenzy on the floor while Hanson narrates in his dry, gripping West Yorkshire accent. ‘Dogs In The Sun’ regularly turns dingy basements into chanting football stadiums, while ‘Real Tree Lee’ is organised into an animalistic marathon of acid-house.

Leeds City Soundsystem, anyone? Naturally, it’s struck a chord with the BBC 6Music contingent, and now, the kids are getting on board.

“It really does feel like every show is different, in terms of who’s coming to see us,” notes Hanson.

With a reputation to uphold, how do they ensure the standards remain world-class, no matter the gig? “Make sure everyone goes for a wee before – and chill out on the rider,” Hanson deadpans.