Nottingham’s Rock City has a reputation for being a hallowed ground for alternative music, but tonight felt like something more. It was a celebration of the future of rock, multi-genre, uncompromisingly female, and, for one half of the headlining duo, a very personal milestone.
Opening the evening was Precious Pepala, who brought a sense of soulful vulnerability to the red-drenched stage. Between her booming drum beats and the heavy, unreleased “Be Careful What You Wish For,” there was a charmingly human element to her set. Watching her sit on the edge of the stage while her band joked about “social media content” and her father watched from the crowd, you got the sense that we were witnessing a star in the making. Her commentary on “the ick” before “Pls Cheat On Me” turned the venue into a giant support group, proving that even with a pastor’s daughter on stage, the stories were as relatable as they were catchy.
The energy shifted gear with Venus Grrrls, a band that is the definition of “short but sweet” power. Their set was a whirlwind of movement, with the band spending as much time at the barricade as on the stage. The shift from the high-octane “Eve” into the atmospheric, purple-hued “Eighteen Crows”, a track dedicated to fans of the cult classic film, provided a sentimental anchor to a set that otherwise didn’t let the audience catch their breath.
By the time Nova Twins took the stage, the room was vibrating. The visual setup alone, a butterfly constructed from speaker blocks flanked by massive white flowers, signaled that this wasn’t going to be a standard rock show. From the opening notes of “Antagonist,” Amy Love and Georgia South commanded the room with a precision that was as dirty as it was polished.
The night took a heartwarming turn during the mid-set pause. The heavy bass and siren lights were replaced by a sea of voices singing “Happy Birthday” to Amy. A cake, a banner, and a birthday candle on stage at Rock City is a rare sight, and the duo seemed genuinely moved before launching back into the purple-hued chaos of “K.M.B.”
The latter half of the set was a masterclass in crowd control. “Choose Your Fighter” triggered a massive circle pit that consumed the floor, while “Hummingbird” slowed the pace just enough to allow for a moment of angelic intimacy under white strobes. Before the final onslaught, the band took a moment to champion Amnesty International, reminding the crowd that their music is as much about message as it is about melody.
Closing with “Monsters” and “Glory,” Nova Twins left Nottingham with a final plea: keep live music alive in the age of AI. As Amy stepped off the stage to hand a guitar pick to a day one fan, it was clear that the connection forged tonight was something no algorithm could ever replicate.
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