The Amazons — 08/10/26

The last time the band performed in Bournemouth was in 2022 supporting Royal Blood, and with a different line-up. ‘We’ve got a lot to catch up on’ lead singer Matt Thomson grins. Support comes from Gia Ford and her equally suave band, before the Reading-formed five-piece each find a spot between their instruments arranged on a tightly packed stage.

The Amazons present layered rock; like watching an ultra-compact orchestra erupt into life between the six musicians on stage. An acoustic guitar frequently folds into heavier bass, electronic synths glide over classic riffs from guitarist Chris Alderton on top form, and it makes for a complex set that’s more stimulating to watch and holds attention throughout. The band are intent on keeping it fresh for themselves too, performing two songs last night for the first time on this tour, and suggesting others amongst them they might debut for their final show in Brighton tonight.

It takes the Bournemouth crowd a little while to warm into things, though the room slowly picks up energy, led by one extra-zealous fan with a scream that can only denote incredible lung capacity. ‘I’ll have what he’s having… in fact, I’m *giving* what he’s having’, Thomson says. Less than expected are performed from the band’s most recent album across the 15 songs, though all three singles from August’s deluxe release are among the highlights.

The Amazons’ frontman talks to his audience with an easy rapport as though addressing a group of familiar friends, maybe to be expected after growing a fanbase over a decade. He tells the room it’s his parents’ 30th wedding anniversary and thanks all the band’s families, looking on with grins of pride, for their enduring patience and support. ‘And with all our parents in mind… this is a ballad of hot, steamy desire. Oh god, why did I pick this one!?’ he laughs, before the opening notes of ‘One Hot July’ kick in, and vocalist Ella McRobb’s centre stage moment unfolds with hair-raising power.

She’s been choosing women in the crowd to point to during her belted solo, she tells me afterwards, and that it’s often the younger girls she speaks to in the audience, with parents or at their first rock gig, whose attendance means the most to her.

Just Ella’s presence makes a difference to the feel of the evening, noticeable when she briefly steps off stage during the second song and The Amazons shape morphs back into a stereotypical British rock collective. The two singers’ voices work naturally extremely well together, but it’s not until ‘Pitch Black’ where McRobb really comes into her own, and unleashes her formidable voice at full pelt. Beyond that, she gives a place and a mirror to the women in the crowd, outnumbered in a sea of men, and is able to meld into the band whilst simultaneously bringing a point of difference that makes their live set all the more interesting. 

But her addition to the line up does more than improve the band’s gigs, it makes The Amazons’ music and shows more accessible to a wider demographic. It’s as subtle as the tambourine in her hand – a crucial, lighter component that softens the band into a more rounded shape, without sacrificing its grit.

Thomson reflects on the band’s 2017 breakout (of Reading) song, ‘Junk Food Forever’, and having a dream which revealed a melody that might just be good enough to get the band ‘out’, but being certain it must already exist. ‘I spent weeks trying to find this melody. But it was mine… and now it’s yours.’ It’s a poignant introduction to one of the band’s most loved songs, eaten up by the crowd like a satiated craving.

The Amazons’ gig could only ever end one way, with an extended ‘Black Magic’ from the band’s fiery debut record performed over almost 10 minutes, with enough structure to keep from feeling drawn out or flat. Last night was a well-balanced mix of nostalgia and fresh offerings from a band who, after ten years of learning their craft, are only just getting started.