LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Nova Twins – O2 Ritz, Manchester – 15/10/2025

A couple of days before this show, Nova Twins were announced as ambassadors for Amnesty International UK’s Change The Record initiative, a platform connecting artists to the work done defending human rights causes and sparking discussion as a way to invite change. It’s the kind of thing that Nova Twins almost uniquely seem equipped for—an act that’s bucked every stereotypical convention of a rock band and have found a home anywhere and everywhere because of it. Even if they aren’t at the full world-conquering stage yet, there are few others for whom that seems like more of a definite endpoint. When you add on a great live presence and the fact that their concoction of alt-rock, garage-rock, hip-hop and more consistently delivers, there’s quite literally no reason to doubt them.

Naturally, there’s plenty of that to come in their headline set, after a pair of supports to highlight just how far their reach travels. It’s the most prevalent with Ashaine White, a similar multi-genre-enjoyer whose work takes the shape of (largely) simmering indie-rock. It’s sort of Jeff Buckley-esque in feel and presentation…when everything gets ironed out, that is. A less-than-generous mix erects a high hurdle at the beginning, as White’s throaty soul streak is unable to resound and her band, all clumped together stage left, having more of an odd presence than they should. By the second song Favourite Thing, though, we’re in business and only continuing to get better. The full might of White’s voice is fantastic, and fully able to work with slow-burning indie sounds, garage-rock, and on the closer Let Me Down, what’s almost a spectre of blues and goth-rock in its slinking and sliding. Importantly, you notice it all settling in, too, from a tentative crowd reaction at first that just gets warmer and warmer. Motion doesn’t tend to factor, save for some fervent playing from the band (shoutout to the bassist absolutely battering his strings on Just Like A Man), but musical dynamism is at a more valued premium.

HotWax, on the other hand, occupy the meat-and-potatoes rock side of our headliners’ equation, though that’s not to say there’s nothing more they can bring. Lola Sam brings a fantastic, elasticated bassline to opener Hard Goodbye, making up for Tallulah Sim-Savage’s understated guitar that does pick up, but is never as heavy or riffy as it could be. Still, the aura of cool around the trio sells everything they’ve got with ease. The back-to-back shredding pose is clearly their rockstar motif of choice, one that’s replicated often and always with a lot of charm when it’s busted out. Musically, too, they unfurl more to like about themselves as they go along, the pinnacles being the shout-and-stomp chorus of Tell Me Everything’s Alright and some further erratic bass-play on Change My Name. There’s still a bit of ‘support band’ energy to shake off, though these are no dire straits. They were already near to being a pretty moreish little garage-rock outfit, so you can’t complain that much when it’s more of the same.

Even so, it’s hard to square any set of openers up to Nova Twins and expect to come out fully unscathed. At this level, they’re in full-on headliner mode, and putting their vaunted visual style towards squeezing as much potential as possible from that before a single note has been played. Big paper flowers are placed at the back and sides of the stage; roses twist around the mic stands; butterflies are printed on the cabs, all in a black-and-white motif. It’s not the most mind-blowing of aesthetic turns, though working within the space they’ve got, Nova Twins are covering all their bases. Between onstage garnish and how unfailingly magnetic the pair are, there’s enough of a visual feast being plated up.

They’re just as high up there in terms of musicianship, too, maybe even more so. That’s one thing that tends to get glossed over in discussions of Nova Twins—the twin pillars of slam and glam are theirs to claim, but the craft alongside them is truly imperative. Georgia South is the MVP here, a bassist that handles the majority of instrumentation in her outfit’s cache, and is an absolute titan at what she does. For the most part, Nova Twins are operating entirely on a rhythm section, and not only is the power-rock trope of ‘sounds like more people’ fulfilled and then some, but there’s considerably more dexterity and flavour and diversity within it. There’s something close to a dubstep whirr pulled out on Sandman, if you want the disparity in inventiveness between South and 99 out of 100 other low-enders.

There’s enough to it to overshadow Amy Love’s on-and-off guitar contributions, but you’re never left feeling dissatisfied. The truth is, Nova Twins have balance in their creative process branded in at this stage. It’s loud and willing to bare its fangs at a moment’s notice, while also having immaculate balance in melody, groove and swagger. That’s Love’s time to shine, as a song like Cleopatra has her as the personification of onstage confidence and bravado. It’s the same on N.O.V.A (maybe even greater), though this one’s accompanied by one of the more effective crowd chants in the current alt-rock canon, and so that confidence bleeds out into the entire room. Between both Love and South, there’s a forcefulness that just feels empowering from its very core. Soprano might be dedicated to the women in the room, but you’d struggle to imagine a single soul here who doesn’t feel like they could take on the world all by themselves afterwards.

All of that, and this is just kinda standard for Nova Twins at this point. They tear through their set in quick succession, as firm and taut as you like, without a dud or iffy moment even remotely in sight. They’re stars, to put it in even simpler terms, and they know it. And they should know it; they’re pulling out one of the most comprehensive, pound-for-pound impressive sets of anyone their size. It’s honestly no wonder that the winds of fortune have been blowing Nova Twins’ way nonstop, seeing as they can believably do anything they set their minds to at this point. That includes cracking rock music in two and making themselves at home, with the precise amount of irrepressible kick on the side.

Words by Luke Nuttall

Photos by Faye Roberts (Instagram)