With a reputation for causing chaos both onstage and off, South London's Fat Dog are gearing up to whip 2024 into a frenzy. Words: Neive McCarthy. Photos: David Richardson.

The perils faced by a cheesemonger are not to be taken lightly, as Fat Dog's resident keyboard and synth player Chris Hughes makes clear. It's not an occupation for the weak, and neither, as it happens, is being a member of Fat Dog. When frontman Joe Love joins the call, it becomes apparent that the explosive last year in the world of Fat Dog has been full of unexpected twists and turns, and seemingly falls.

Anyone who has managed to catch a Fat Dog show over the last couple of years will perhaps not be surprised at that kind of incident taking place mid-show. Building a reputation upon raucous proceedings long before they even released their first single, the band's live performances are nothing short of a fever dream. Joe has a penchant for throwing himself into the thick of the crowd, drummer Johnny dons a latex dog mask, and there are impressive mid-set dance routines – if you can imagine it, it probably exists in a Fat Dog set in some capacity.

The result is a performance that's difficult to look away from, and that high-voltage approach has encouraged a spirited conversation around the band. Through support slots with the likes of Sports Team and Viagra Boys to sweat-soaked festival sets, they've carved a name for themselves purely based on that commanding stage presence. In the midst of their very first headline tour, they've brought that kinetic mayhem to a new level.