Gig Review: Nova Twins – Rock City Nottingham 20/03/2026

22 March 2026 NeilRockNews

Nova Twins Live Review: A Riotous Birthday Masterclass at Rock City, Nottingham

Nova Twins Live Review: Friday night in Nottingham is an institution—a mixture of post-work liberation and the low-frequency hum of anticipation. Standing outside the hallowed, black-painted bricks of Rock City, the air felt more potent than usual.

We weren’t just here for a rock show; we were here for the Nova Twins, a duo that has spent the last few years systematically dismantling the boundaries of “alternative” music. This Nova Twins live review captures a night where the Parasites & Butterflies tour felt less like a standard gig and more like a cultural declaration.

Precious Pepala: Soul, Stories, and “The Ick”

The evening began with Precious Pepala, who proved you don’t need a wall of distortion to command an iconic stage. Stepping up with a voice that felt both timeless and fresh, she opened with ‘The Effect’ and ‘Rosey’, winning over the early arrivals with staggering vocal control.

Between songs, Pepala offered a glimpse into her world, discussing her upbringing as a “pastor’s daughter” before diving into the vulnerability of ‘Bubble Wrap’. The set felt like an intimate conversation, especially when she asked: “Have you ever had a dream that your partner cheated on you and woke up mad?” She showcased new material from her upcoming EP, including the infectious ‘Love Bombs’, and closed her set by asking the crowd if anyone had ever “gotten the ick” before launching into the high-energy ‘Pls Cheat’.

Venus Grrrls: Up Close and Personal

Following Pepala were the Venus Grrrls. The Leeds quintet arrived with their signature “Biotch Rock” energy, a swirling cocktail of gothic synth-rock and riot grrrl defiance. Their set was a masterclass in atmospheric tension and release, opening with the jagged, driving rhythm of ‘3X3’.

The second half of the set saw the energy shift from a performance to an invasion. Frontwoman Grace Cassidy essentially abandoned the stage, opting instead to prowl the barriers. It was a visceral display; she showcased her incredible vocal range while jerking and thrusting her body just inches from the faces of the fans.

By the time they reached the powerful ‘Mother Knows’ and the relentless ‘Bloodsick’, the barrier was a surge of energy. They closed with the fan-favourite ‘Crows’, leaving the audience primed for our main Nova Twins live review event.

Nova Twins Live Review: A Visual and Sonic Metamorphosis

When the house lights finally cut to black, the roar from the crowd was a physical force. Without a curtain to hide the transformation, the stage design was revealed in its full, striking glory as the strobes began to flicker.

Amy Love and Georgia South appeared framed by a wall of eight Marshall amps—four on each side of the stage. The stacks alternated in black and white, decorated with quarters of a butterfly that formed two giant, fragmented wings.

In a genius move, they opened with ‘Antagonist’. Often reserved for the finale, putting this track first was a statement of intent, there would be no warming up tonight. This immediately bled into the heavy, rhythmic stomp of ‘Sandman’. Here, the audience got their first clear look at the touring drummer. Positioned behind a significantly raised kit, he was a spectacle of energy, leading the hall in a rhythmic clap-along while the Twins shredded in front of him.

Gig Review: Nova Twins – Rock City Nottingham 20/03/2026 : Raising the Roof – Cleopatra and the Grime-Rock Fusion

The transition into ‘Cleopatra’ truly raised the roof. Amy Love, now without her guitar, took total control of the room. She stalked the stage like a high priestess of punk, building a frenzy that saw a massive mosh pit erupt. The low-end frequencies were so powerful that the floor was visibly bouncing—the famous “Rock City tremor” in full effect.

This momentum carried through a block of tracks that showcased their unique genre-bending ability. The urban grit of ‘Taxi’ and the ethereal yet heavy ‘Soprano’ flowed seamlessly into ‘Hide & Seek’. It was during these tracks that Georgia South’s technical wizardry took centre stage.

Standing over an extreme pedalboard, Georgia treats the bass as a frequency generator. The highlight was her use of spatial MIDI expression. Wearing a motion-sensitive ring, she manipulated filter sweeps and pitch-shifting simply by moving her hand through the air. Watching her “carve” frequencies in real-time felt like watching a futurist at work.

Nova Twins Live Review: Birthday Surprises and Emotional Peaks

As the set moved into the soaring ‘Parallel Universe’ and the self-titled anthem ‘N.O.V.A.’, the intensity took a heartwarming detour. Georgia announced it was Amy’s birthday. The crowd immediately sang ‘Happy Birthday’ in unison. As a birthday cupcake with a lit candle appeared, Amy blew it out and took a cheeky taste of the icing. A human moment that brought a massive grin to everyone in the room.

The celebratory mood didn’t dull the edge of the music, however. The band dove straight back into the vitriolic ‘K.M.B.’and the bass-heavy ‘Drip’, leading the crowd through a masterclass in tension and release.

The Eye of the Storm: Piranha

The set reached its peak with a one-two punch of ‘Choose Your Fighter’ (CYF) and ‘Piranha’. During the latter, Amy Love stood centre stage, perfectly still, pointing out into the crowd. She began to slowly rotate her finger in a circular motion, like a conductor directing an orchestra of chaos.

With that single command, she orchestrated one of the largest circle pits I have ever seen on the floor of Rock City. When the beat finally dropped, the room exploded into pure, unified kinetic energy.

A Bucket List Realised at Rock City

Toward the end of the set, the atmospheric ‘Hummingbird’ provided a moment of sonic beauty before the final address. The band urged everyone to continue supporting live music, with Georgia admitting that headlining Rock City had been high on their professional bucket list for years.

Nova Twins Live Review: The Encore – A Triumphant Finish

The band returned for a final victory lap, opening the encore with the crushing ‘Black Roses’. This led into the industrial weight of ‘Monsters’ before the night culminated in the explosive ‘Glory’.

It’s a track that perfectly encapsulates everything they stand for: it’s loud, it’s proud, and it refuses to fit into a box. As the final feedback faded away, it was clear that the Nova Twins aren’t just part of the modern rock conversation—they are leading it.

Nova Twins Live Review: The Setlists

Precious Pepala

The Effect | Rosey | Bubble Wrap | Eve | Love Bombs | Be Careful | Dream Cheater | Pls Cheat

Venus Grrrls

3X3 | Divine | Ivy Tree | Mother Knows | Bloodsick | Hex | Eve | Crows

Nova Twins

Antagonist | Sandman | Cleopatra | Taxi | Soprano | Hide & Seek | Parallel Universe | N.O.V.A. | K.M.B. | Drip | CYF | Piranha | Hummingbird Encore: Black Roses | Monsters | Glory