Twin Atlantic & Bayboards – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham – 21/03/24

March 25, 2024

*Sam McTrusty performing with Twin Atlantic at Rescue Rooms in Nottingham. Photo by Carrie-Anne Pollard*

It’s a drizzly Thursday evening when we arrive at the venue. Tonight, only one support band joins Twin Atlantic to kick off this smattering of live shows in cities that missed out last November.

Mancunian four piece Bayboards play a nostalgic blend of alternative indie, peppering the set with newly released tunes like ‘Moving to America’, which makes it’s live debut this evening. Other stand outs include ‘Poison Ivy’, with catchy hooks and sing-along moments. During set closer ‘Queen’ frontman Ben Coley makes his way to the barrier, leading the crowd in a final clap-along, while promising he and the rest of the band will be joining them after to get drunk and have fun. This young band has the promise and the dedication to go places – during the change over Bayboards were in full force, handing out flyers and inviting people on a face to face, individual basis to their headline show in Manchester. This personal touch just might be the thing that pushes them over the edge, so keep at it boys!

Next up are the main attraction for the night, Twin Atlantic. After their headline tour last November sold out across the board, they decided to add these few extra dates around the midlands. Add on to that their stint in Scotland in May and another tour announced for this November, the band are making their presence known up and down the country, with no sign of stopping.

There must be something in the air tonight, as Twin Atlantic also showcase two songs off soon to be released album Meltdown for the first time live. ‘World Class Entertainment’ and ‘Asleep’ fit snugly into the set in terms of sound; Meltdown being a progression but also a step back into the roots of what Twin Atlantic are all about (speaking of which, 2022’s Transparency is conspicuously absent from the 16 strong tracklist tonight)

After the new, comes the old, as we are treated to banger after banger. ‘Hold On’ is as anthemic as ever, the whole room from front to back belting out the chorus with arms in the air. Keeping that same energy, frontman Sam McTrusty McTrusts the crowd to chant along to the hook during ‘Make a Beast of Myself’. ‘ You know you know it’s the end of our sweet universe. You know you know that we blame it on ourselves’ fills the space. ‘Whispers’, ‘Yes I Was Drunk’, ‘Brothers & Sisters’ – it’s a masterclass in why Twin Atlantic are still selling out tours 15 years down the line (although a little dabble in Vivarium would have been the icing on the proverbial shortbread)

After blazing through an impressive set, they close the show on the massive ‘Heart and Soul’ (much to the relief and satisfaction of the punter who sung the chorus in between every other song, I’m sure!)

Twin Atlantic are a band that have been setting these shores alight for years, after an album that many critics thought pushed the boat out a bit too far, in terms of sound, they are back at peak performance and in tip top shape. Catch them at a show near you, I’m sure they’ll be close by at some point this year!