NOVA TWINS & VENUS GRRRLS live at Rock City: a visceral war on serenity. REVIEWED
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- Category: news
- Updated: 25th March 2026
- Written by Bryony Mezzatesta
London duo Nova Twins, Amy Love and Georgia South, widely recognised as modern pioneers in the rock/alternative sphere, consistently demonstrate why we adore them so. An explosion of power, both assaulting and engaging, they command the stage with utmost vigour. And at Nottingham’s beloved Rock City, Friday, March 20, they proved once more that rock is “having its moment again”.
Precious Pepala hit things off with a delightful contrast between gentle softness and feminine fortitude. A powerhouse in the making, the beginning of her career is shaping up nicely. A nod to the modern-day ‘ick’ factor, closing track ‘Pls Cheat on Me’, was the one. Dark pop, soul and rock influenced, undeniably interested in what she has in store.
If the slightly possessed is more your bag, Venus Grrrls were the ones that night. On our radar for some time, alt-punk goddesses and fodder for fans of 1996’s Nancy Downs, the band released single ‘3x3’ (via Killabop Records) earlier this year to rave reviews.
“The lyrics for 3x3 poured out of us, off the back of multiple significant relationships changing. We all sat together, processing, ruminating and repeating the ins and the outs. We have often tended to each other’s wounds as relationships ebbed and flowed, ones that built and fell again. It became clear throughout all of that, our shared experiences and situationship traumas were healed by this very process of sisterhood. It’s fundamentally an impolite song, brash and angry as it channels unfiltered feminine rage, very much detailing the angry, regretful processing stage of a relationship ending. It was a little scary whilst we wrote the lyrics - as much as we usually sing about macabre subjects, this one is possibly the most confrontational song we’ve ever written lyrically.“ - Venus Grrrls.
Goth-grunge with an ethereal twist, lead singer GK’s voice has a delicate yet bold quality to it. Brash, frantic and distinctly psychotic, there’s a dark side to the five-piece but one with which they have full and unfaltering control—commanding synth motifs, powerful riffs, and their familiar witchy aesthetic, the highlights of the evening. It was near impossible to take your eyes away from GK as she bonded with the crowd, luring them in with arms like a woman possessed. Intense stare throughout. Ones to watch.
You’d be hard-pressed to have avoided Nova Twins, even if your sensibilities lie only on the periphery of the alternative scene, because they have made great moves to make their presence known. Ambassadors for Music Minds Matter (2025), and leading a successful campaign to include a rock/alternative category at the MOBO awards, both proving their intrinsic ability to affect change in an industry in critical need.
Their iconic genre-bending riot of grimy rap, pop-leaning nu-metal, and explosive rock pushes the audience to take notice on Friday eve. Love, a powerful force of nature, stomps her way through each track, the surreal repetitive beat coursing through us all. Sandman causes her to rip her hood off, shedding restrictions in a fight to feel freer. Taxi, a real crowd pleaser. And as a brief moment’s respite in amongst it all, South halts proceedings, “A moment’s celebration of our queen’s birthday”, gesturing to Love, whose big day it was. Encouraging us all to sing, the stopgap felt real; we felt the genuine connection. Humanity at its finest, with a generous dose of humility as Love shrugs away the focus on her, pushing us on to get back to the chaos of the thing. Circle pits begin to form near instantly after.
Closing time with an encore of Monsters and Glory, this was one their audience was not going to forget in a hurry. We have waited so long to see Nova Twins in the flesh, and boy, did they make impact. Genuine masters at work, we need a new album, and we need it now. 5/5.
Photo Credit Mandy Morello