Florence Black/Haxan/Replica Jesus
The Rescue Rooms, Nottingham 6/10/2022
The Rescue Rooms are already filling up nicely when Replica Jesus take to the stage in a gig starting and finishing early to allow for a club night to follow. It’s the way of things so often these days. Those present are treated to a half hour of sludge rock that gets everyone warmed up and revved up. Big bass lines and pounding drum beats give the guitars room to manoeuvre. You sense the band have been given an opportunity and have grabbed it with both hands.
Welsh trio Haxan have been very busy bees since the reopening of venues. They’ve put in a lot of miles and tonight they’re playing like an act that know exactly what they are doing. Everything is played tight with shared vocals shining through on each song. It’s apt that they close with fan favourite ‘Bring The Thunder’ because that’s what these fine musicians deliver – rock music that sounds like it was written with Thor in mind. The crowd love them. Bigger things must surely be on the horizon.
Florence Black seem to have come from almost nowhere to become of the UK’s premier rock bands. They have a full sound, great penmanship and a way of just blasting their music at audiences that makes them truly memorable. They play like seasoned pros and yet their songs are forward facing and fresh. Tonight you hear fully what all the fuss is about. They have that all important groove and a relentless energy which ignites the Rescue Rooms. They’re also engaging and warm, pretty much without the use of any real banter. They just project happiness. Expect some of the big hitting festivals to be on the phone to them very soon, and both sides of the pond too.
Review and photos by Gary Trueman