What happened at the Spotify misfits 2.0 Anti-Prom

As the moon beams down on a Thursday night in the capital, down an unassuming alleyway near London Bridge, the freaks are out in force. Spilling out into the street in a mass of latex, leather, lace and all-black everything, the annual gathering of misfits at Spotify's Anti-Prom is a sight to behold. This isn’t just about music; this is a snapshot of 2023 alt. culture with a genre-defying soundtrack to match.

With Tokky Horror on the decks throughout the night – veering from Electric Six’s Gay Bar to some really fucking intense gabber – five of Spotify’s misfits 2.0 favourites make up the stacked bill.

ALT BLK ERA boot things off in a flurry of middle fingers and rowdy punk rock. The two teenage sisters might still be finding their feet as artists having only formed last year, but through the aggy, knockout punch of I’m Normally Like This to bringing out Delilah Bon for their recent collab track WITCH, it’s a clear a signifier that the best is yet to come.

Keeping energy levels in the red, Deijuvhs’ swaggering meld of hip-hop, nu-metal and even a bit of garage opens the pit as the chaos onstage flows out into the Anti-Prom. Whether it’s brawling with his guitarist or hurling himself into the drum kit, you can’t take your eyes off the London rapper. With the set seemingly cut short after the high-octane Scumbag Anthem and Deftones-esque Gaunt, the misfits are clamouring for more.

Receiving a hero’s welcome, Cody Frost is strictly business – when not losing their in-ear monitors – ordering the hundreds gathered to boogie and be the best crowd they can be. Adding some northern colour to a firmly southern bill, the crimson-haired dynamo blasts through Don’t Worry You’re Secret’s Safe With Me, redundant, and a fiery outing of new track WOT? to make their mark on a night buzzing with undeniable stars.

Speaking of which, WARGASM haven't come to fuck around. With new 4/5-rated album Venom dropping just a few hours after their set, the destructive duo of Milkie Way and Sam Matlock turn the Anti-Prom upside-down with the heaviest set of the night, powering through the wonderfully sweary D.R.I.L.D.O and Fukstar to the gathering sweaty hordes. As Sam bounds into the crowd for fan-favourite finale Spit, WARGASM’s brief performance comes as a bold statement that the future is theirs for the taking.

Closing proceedings tonight, though, is the alt. icon Jazmin Bean. After breaking onto the scene a few years ago with their wickedly warped take on alt.pop, the genreless star is finally ready to release their debut album early next year. Tonight’s headline set is a taste of what’s to come with fresh tracks like Favourite Toy, but also oldie Puppy Pound, and the live premiere of brand-new single Hellhound with surprise a appearance from DeathbyRomy. If you need an illustration of what misfits 2.0 stands for, look no further than Jazmin Bean.

Check out the latest misfits 2.0 playlist for all these artists and more for glimpse into the future of alternative music.