On Aug 14, 2025, NOIZE collaborated with the infamous Anna Kunz of Torture and The Desert Spiders for an unforgettable yet laidback night of quality music and conversation. In the 20th Arrondissement of Paris, the event was held at La Gambetta Club, a small space filled with everything from 5 washing machines to a vintage Mortal Kombat arcade game to old barbers chairs. Graffiti from wall to ceiling, the space is known for the crowd that its events bring more than the ambiance. There are few events that could match the vibe of this dingy, unintentionally yet authentically punk space, and a NOIZE X Torture event is certainly one of them.

Anna, AKA Torture, got into organizing her own events and gigs when noticing a gap in the events that she was able to play and the ones that she wanted to play. Being from New York and living in the UK for 7 years, she plays shows between the US and all over the UK, especially London and Liverpool. Describing the kind of energy that her shows typically attract, Torture said; “Im very song-driven so a lot of my events are usually very curated and song-driven, which benefits the listener. Many shows that I've been to as an audience member can benefit the bar, it benefits the drinking culture, but it doesn’t benefit the listener. You can be sober at my shows and have a really good time because it’s good music. It’s not banking on you getting shit-faced at five. But if you do you'll probably have even more fun. I think the commonality comes from a general sense of being political but not in a way that feels it’s the only point. I think generally people are- i mean i fucking hope so- pro-palestine, pro-trans, pro-queerness, pro-working class, and pro talking about all of that when it makes sense to, as much as they possibly can– and by the way it always makes sense to talk about Palestine, and all these issues really. I think that's the consensus generally. We all have a high quality of music without pretentiousness.”

However, Torture had to rely on NOIZE to bring the people this time, as this was her first time organizing a gig in Paris. The most interesting part of the event was finally being able to see the NOIZE crowd in one place for the first time, as this was the magazine’s first ever real-life gathering. The turnout ended up exceeding all expectations, given that in August nearly all Paris residents leave the city for vacation.

The set-up was simple, allowing only for a voice (or two), a guitar, and the possibility of a bass guitar. This naturally caused the music being performed to take a much more relaxing approach, bringing out the more folky/acoustic side of the talent’s artistry. Traditionally punk artists and groups, such as Issue 1 featured band Sour Tones, rose to the challenge and performed much more unplugged, calmer versions of their existing songs.

Many of the performers were artists who were looking for a place to start or a chance to experiment. The event created the perfect environment for musicians to try new things, as for most attendees there was a good balance of friends and strangers. After Torture broke the ice and performed first, a fresh duo called The Hedons consisting of Maxime Laval and Martine Wolfe played folky calm music and tested a song they wrote that very day on the open ears of the crowd.

Maxime Laval and Martine wolfe by velvet dust

The crowd was so open in fact that many attendees who came just to listen ended up taking the stage. Adele Monty, vocalist for noise rock band Grrrotesque, performed an acoustic version of her band’s songs, turning the experiential, hard core music into a haunting melody.

Two members of the Paris/Liverpool based band Good Afternoon also spontaneously hopped on stage, playing fast paced acoustic music with high energy.

Many solo acts also took center stage such as Eadgar of Folkistan, a community of folk artists in Paris who organize music shows. Used to playing solo to a backing track of other instruments, Eadgar got to keep it more simple this time, playing as just a man and his guitar, plus a foot tambourine. In search of bandmates to help him play on stage in the future, I told the musician that he came to the right place, as networking within the Paris underground music community seemed to be happening all around and throughout the night.

It’s safe to say that the night was a success, practically doubling the attendance that was expected and serving as a great opportunity to meet new people. Connecting some of the English-speaking world with the Parisian community, alliances were undoubtedly formed. This was the first of many NOIZE events to come, so stay tuned for what’s next because you’re not going to want to miss it.