NOVA TWINS // LA BELLE ANGELE, EDINBURGH
NOVA TWINS LIVE IN EDINBURGH
★★★★☆ (4/5)
NOVA TWINS
Fresh off the back of nominations for Best Band and Best Rock/Alternative Act at the 2023 BRIT Awards, as well as the duo’s 2022 sophomore album “Supernova” earning a place on the shortlist for the Mercury Prize, Nova Twins rolled into Edinburgh, kicked up a massive storm, and left the crowd reeling from a bombardment of noise and energy.
There are few bands out there today that can successfully create a wall of noise as powerful as Nova Twins, and this is only heightened when the band performs live. A bombastic mix of rock, punk, rap, and just about every other genre that can be thought of. The band have been around since 2014, however it wasn’t until their debut album “Who Are The Girls?” arrived in 2020 that things took off. If you are one of the people who haven’t yet got the London based duo on your radar, change that as soon as you possibly can.
La Belle Angele was the destination for Scotlands only date on the “Supernova” tour and the intimacy of the Edinburgh venue only made the performance that much more must-see. After great support sets from both Witch Fever and Uninvited, Nova Twins finally arrived on stage. Dressed like characters that would feel right at home in Cyberpunk 2077s Night City, it didn’t take long for the performance to hit top speed. Once it did there was barely a moment of calm for the entirety of their set. Opening with the powerful “Fire & Ice”. It was clear from the first second that the duo was about to put on an extremely memorable performance.
From moment one, the crowd was as enthusiastic as the duo on stage as songs from their newest album “Supernova” were played. Songs like “Toolbox” and “K.M.B” sound like they were meant to be played live in venues much bigger than La Belle Angele, and if Nova Twins continue on this trajectory, it’s certain to become a reality. “Cleopatra” is a head-banging anthem of female empowerment that showcases exactly what Nova Twins are all about, whilst “Sleep Paralysis” embodies the literal meaning of the title with the sense of impending doom that was built up through the song, before coming to a crashing end.
Songs from the band's 2020 Debut album were also showcased here, including the excellent “Undertaker” which was featured during the final portion of the show and was noticeably a crowd pleaser. Rounding out the encore was two of the duo's most popular offerings. Both “Antagonist” and “Choose Your Fighter” completely blew the roof off the venue with the chaotic and ferocious energy that was on display for the whole night.
The biggest take away from the night was just how impeccable every song on the set sounded compared to the recorded versions. It’s a testament to both musicians that make up Nova Twins. Both Amy Love (Vocals/Guitar) and Georgia South (Bass) are above all else excellent musicians and masters of their craft that deserve every bit of praise that comes their way. The only negative that could be said about the performance is that the sound in the venue didn’t seem to be as loud as it should have been. This hadn’t been the case for the support acts, which was a minor disappointment on a night that otherwise was faultless.
Along with acts such as Wet Leg, Beabadoobee and many others, Nova Twins are at the forefront of a revolution that is proving that the future of rock is very much female. If Nova Twins keep building momentum, it isn’t difficult to imagine a future where the duo are the measuring stick for what it means to be a rock and roll band in the modern world.