Gig Review: The Commoners Rescue Rooms Nottingham

December 13, 2025 rocknews

Roots Rock Revival: The Commoners Tear Up Rescue Rooms

The Commoners Rescue Rooms Live Review: It’s a rare thing when a band crosses the Atlantic and manages to make a venue in the East Midlands feel like a sweaty juke joint in the Deep South, but that’s exactly what The Commoners achieved last night.

The Canadian roots-rock outfit rolled their Ghosts On The Highway tour into Nottingham, taking over the iconic Rescue Rooms. If you’ve been to the Rescue Rooms, you know the score: it’s intimate, the sound is usually bang on, and on a Friday night, the floor sticks to your boots in the best possible way. The atmosphere was electric before a note was even played—a proper rock crowd, denim-clad and ready for business.

Setting the Stage: Candar

First up, a nod to the support, Candar. If you haven’t caught this duo yet, you need to fix that. They did exactly what a support act should do: grabbed the audience by the scruff of the neck. It’s always impressive when a two-piece can generate that much noise—gritty riffs and thumping percussion that warmed up the cold Nottingham air perfectly.

The Commoners Rescue Rooms – All Killer, No Filler

The lights dimmed, and The Commoners launched straight into “Gone Without Warning”. No messing about. From the first bar, the mix was punchy, with Chris Medhurst’s vocals cutting through the room with that rasping, soulful quality that recalls the greats like Rodgers or Robinson.

They followed up immediately with “The Way I Am”, keeping the energy high. But the real treat for the “in the know” fans came early in the set with “Runnin’ Blind”. Marked as unreleased on the setlist, hearing this live was a massive highlight. It’s got a driving rhythm that suggests their next record is going to be a monster. It’s brave to drop unreleased material so early in the set, but the Nottingham crowd ate it up.

The Sweet Spot

The middle of the set was a masterclass in dynamics. “Too Much” was the swaggering anthem of the night—pure Southern rock grit that had heads nodding from the barrier to the bar. The lighting engineer deserves a pint too; bathing the stage in deep reds during the bluesier breakdowns added to the swamp-rock vibe.

Things slowed down just enough for “Too Soon to Know You” and “Restless”, showcasing the band’s tighter musical chops. Ross Citrullo on guitar was on absolute fire, peeling off solos that were flashy but never self-indulgent.

Another unreleased gem, “Searchin'”, made an appearance, bringing a slightly funkier groove that got the hips moving. It’s clear the band is road-testing these tracks, and judging by the reaction, they’re keepers.

Ghosts On The Highway

The title track of the tour, “Ghosts On The Highway”, felt like the centrepiece of the evening. It’s an epic, sprawling track that filled every corner of the Rescue Rooms. You could feel the emotion in the room shift—a proper “lighters in the air” moment (or cell phone torches, given the year).

The Commoners Rescue Rooms The Grand Finale

They brought it home with a one-two punch of “Fill My Cup” and “Find a Better Way”. “Fill My Cup” is made for live settings—a stomping, rowdy chorus that had the whole room singing back at the stage. It was one of those moments where the barrier between band and crowd completely dissolves.

Closing with “Find a Better Way” was the perfect choice. It’s hopeful, anthemic, and left everyone walking out onto Goldsmith Street with a massive grin.

The Commoners aren’t just retreading old ground; they are breathing new life into the genre. If this gig was anything to go by, they won’t be playing rooms this size for much longer. Next time, it’ll be Rock City main hall.