If you want an old-school rock show, The Amazons are always a good bet. Originally hailing from Reading, UK, the band have been making 70s-esque rock since 2014. After releasing their fourth record, ‘21st Century Fiction’ in May of this year, they’re on the road, touring the UK to celebrate. Tonight, we’re at one of north London’s most loved venues, the Roundhouse. I’ve seen The Amazons several times before, and knowing how explosive and raucous the previous shows were gives me goosebumps in anticipation.

The evening is opened with sets from Manchester’s Balancing Act and Birmingham’s Overpass, setting the bar high for the main set. The Amazons explode onto stage, starting their set with ‘Joe Bought A Gun’ from their new record and ‘Ready for Something’ from their third, before throwing it back to the early days with ‘In My Mind’. The audience are well warmed up, thanks to the support acts, and they’re singing the lyrics back to frontman Matt Thomson so loudly we almost can’t hear him.

Up next is new song ‘My Blood’, an old classic ‘25’ and ‘Living A Lie’. Despite being here to celebrate their most recent record, they weave songs from each of their four albums through the setlist, and it’s a testament to how strong the band’s sonic identity is that every song selected for the setlist slots seamlessly into place. As we’re here to celebrate new album ‘21st Century Fiction’, there are plenty of new songs on the setlist, and ‘Night After Night’ is next; the thundering riffs are packed with emotion from lead guitarist Chris Alderton and the room is electric.

While we’re already on a high, the band dive into ‘Doubt It’, a breakout single from their second record, ‘Future Dust’. With a punchy baseline from bassist Elliot Briggs that dominates the song, it’s a fan favourite track that has the crowd jumping and a mosh pit forming. We spiral into ‘Go All The Way’ and the ‘(Panic)’ interlude, before lead singer Thomson takes a moment to highlight how London crowds always ‘turn a Wednesday into a Saturday – it’s a magic trick don’t you think?’ The band are clearly high on how well received this new record is – it’s a treat to see old school rock and roll played in front of your eyes. It’s like we’ve been transported back to the early, raw days of heavy rock, an age before smartphones, streaming services and Instagram.

‘Whatever you’re getting out of it, I’m getting ten times more. I’m on top of the world!’ Thomson cries before we dive into ‘Pitch Black’, one of the lead singles from ‘21st Century Fiction’. It’s darker and heavier than their usual sound, with menacing drum beats and technically impressive guitar riffs from Alderton. Next up is one of the all-time most loved Amazons songs, ‘Mother’, which is blended with an impressive drum solo from George Le Page. 

Lead singer Thomson talks for a moment about why they made this record and why it is important in today’s cultural climate. ‘I wanna be free, I wanna be present, I wanna live… I don’t wanna be under a blanket of anxiety and depression, I don’t wanna be under a blanket of a screen, I wanna be real.’

I wanna be free, I wanna be present, I wanna live…

And with that, we’re into the interlude ‘(Shake Me Down)’ that blends seamlessly into ‘Wake Me Up’. The crowd sings ‘So wake me up and shake me down / Show me the truth, shine the sun in my eyes / I don’t wanna hide, been reading the signs / Got nothing to lose in the pale morning light / So wake me up’. It’s so loud that I dread to think what the sound desk is measuring as the decibel level. This new record is their heaviest yet, full of jangling guitars and terrific drum beats that are filling up the venue tonight.

For the encore, it’s a mash-up medley of old school tracks from their iconic and explosive debut album – and I mean explosive literally, as they set fire to their first van for the cover artwork. Starting with ‘Junk Food Forever’, a favourite of every Amazons fan, blending into ‘Stay With Me’ and ‘Ultraviolet’. I feel nostalgic; everyone in this room knows the lyrics to these songs that the band have been playing for almost ten years now. We finish the night with ‘Black Magic’, and as soon as we hear the iconic guitar riff kick in the crowd goes crazy. I see the crowd moving in waves, ripples of people jumping as we lose our collective minds. Seeing The Amazons perform live is like watching a lightning strike – powerful, explosive, and thrilling. I already can’t wait to see them again.

SETLIST

Joe Bought a Gun
Ready for Something
In My Mind
My Blood
25
Living a Lie
Night After Night
Doubt It
Go All the Way
(Panic)
Pitch Black
Mother
(Shake Me Down)
Wake Me Up
Junk Food Forever
Stay With Me
Ultraviolet
Black Magic