NOVA TWINS - Stylus, Leeds 21.03.2026
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
The last time I was at Leeds Universities’ students union venue, Stylus, to see a band was the Lemonheads so quite a high bar for the Nova Twins then, one they knocked out the park.
I’ve been a fan of Nova Twins for a couple of albums now, having been lucky enough to review both for this site, and yet, despite having had tickets to a previous tour, have never managed to see them live so I was really looking forward to this gig.
I didn’t make it for the earlier support acts, I caught the end of the act before the Venus Grrrls and was impressed, I didn’t see enough to feel comfortable reviewing and I didn’t catch their name so if it was you please respond to this review as I’d be interested to see some more, what I saw was very good.
I did make sure I was there for Venus Grrrrls because I’d seen them before and knew how good they can be. They did have a set marred by some technical issues, but they are so good it didn’t stop them, they have stage presence, great songs and some excellent musicianship. Why they aren’t bigger yet is beyond me, they are much better than many acts that have achieved more than they have, as yet, their time will come soon. Their audience interaction, the lead singer getting down and in the crowd towards the end but also having some banter, their ability to bring the crowd with them, their playing, all of it will see them hit big very, very soon.
Speaking of acts who deserve a much bigger audience the Nova Twins came on to stage about 9.20 and is their want, blew the crowd away from the get-go. I do wonder if there are any limits to their talent. Why they aren’t a bigger act, playing bigger venues, is a source of total bewilderment to me.
They own the stage, they adore their audience and the crowd clearly adore them. How one guitarist, one bassist and one drummer can make as much noise as they do and yet sound to good is beyond me.
When they played 'Cleopatra' and got the crowd throwing their arms back and forwards it felt like they owned not just Stylus, but Leeds. For anyone who wasn’t there who could have been you made a massive mistake. This was as good as gigs get, passionate, brilliant, lively and above all, fantastically loud! Rock, Rap, Melody, Rhythm, what more do you want? A brilliant lead vocalist, well they’ve got that to and the songs to go with it.
I think Nova Twins are so good that I keep insisting on playing them at home even though my view is not shared. I was really up for this gig, and I often find when that happens it never quite lives up to expectation, which didn’t happen this time, they surpassed any expectation I had.
Nova Twins, go see them, if you love a band with charisma to spare, great songs and you love hearing how good a guitar drums and a bass can sound this is the band and the live show for you.
Review - Iain McClay
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