A cold and wintery Thursday welcomed The Nightingales to The Bunkhouse this week. A delayed tour from last May, the long-awaited Swansea debut from this consistently brilliant band was finally happening. Since they cancelled their UK tour last year, the four piece released their latest LP (The Awful Truth) and expanded their band (and sound) to five by recruiting violin player Natalie Mason. More of that later.
First up is their support act who is the gloriously original and idiosyncratic (and big friend of Joyzine) Thomas Truax. Thomas Truax is something else. Songwriter, inventor of unique instruments (including the wonderful ‘Hornicator’, used to great effect tonight) and a great line in catchy tunes. It’s difficult to describe his performance. Truax is infused with a glorious kind of enthusiastic and unrestrained energy. Alternating his home-made instruments with ‘standard’ instruments like guitar, which he improves by strumming with a handheld fan, he bounces around like a crazed scientist in a B-Movie, while making occasional sorties into the audience. I had visions of a time travelling Victorian music hall act. This is very much a good thing. His set was short, but a triumph, which concluded with him adding psychedelic insect type eyes to his visage, and serenading the packed venue with his classic song, ‘Beehive Heart’. Recommended.
The Nightingales take to the stage and there is no one left in the bar area. The crowd are packed into this MVT (Music Venue Trust) venue and give them a Swansea welcome like no other. Opening with ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ and ‘Same Old Riff’ off their most recent LP 2025’s The Awful Truth, the band launch into the seventeen song setlist with a gusto and flair that is unique to this band. There are no breaks in between songs, no in between song banter and no encore. Robert Lloyd prowls the stage staring into the crowd, taking mouthfuls of whisky from a tumbler on Fliss Kitson’s drum riser and singing with the unique delivery that has lifted this band from cult to legendary status. Often with his back to the audience, he stands there almost conducting the band and always sharply dressed in his suit and mirror shined shoes. At one point he tapped someone in the front row with his mic stand because they had their head in their phone. Such class rarely seen.
‘The End Began Somewhere’ off 2020’s Four Against Fate LP is one of many standouts with the brilliant call and response between Lloyd and Kitson, and the rockabilly riffing from James Smith. Smith is kept very busy as always with the riffs coming thick and fast like ‘The Morning After Mouth’ (off The Awful Truth and another standout) with solid drum and bass support from Kitson and Andreas Schmid respectively. None of the musicians have a second to breath before another absolute belter starts. Oh and talking about musicians, the live sound that I have experienced twice before with this band, has been expanded greatly by the recruitment of Mason. Switching between violin, tambourine or just harmonies, Mason brings another level of sound and sonic creativity to this band, and the results are brilliant. I catch Lloyd glancing over to Mason mid-song with a wide grin on his face. I think that speaks volumes. Finishing off with ‘Real Gone Daddy’ and ‘Dick The Do-Gooder’ both from 2012’s No Love Lost LP, the crowd are chanting for more. Schmid kindly tells the crowd that they don’t do encores and the band leave the stage to roaring applause.
The Nightingales are finally becoming the national treasures that they have deserved to be for such a long time. Their sets are sprawling across their ever-expanding oeuvre. So much so that they can even afford to drop my favourite ‘Dumb and Drummer’ (off 2013’s For Fuck’s Sake LP) from the set! How dare they!! As we left for home with our Nightingales Kazoos, dosette boxes and shoehorns fresh from their merch desk, we were filled with a warm fuzzy warmth that was not only fuelled by pints of cider and beer, but by the thought that we had yet again witnessed one of Britain’s finest bands in action. They can’t come back to Swansea quick enough.
Their tour continues here:
21 Feb: Ramsgate Music Hall, Ramsgate, UK
22 Feb: Portland Arms, Cambridge, UK
24 Feb: Moth Club, London, UK
25 Feb: Castle & Flacon, Birmingham, UK
26 Feb: Greystones, Sheffield, UK
27 Feb: Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, UK
28 Feb: Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, UK
01 Mar: Pop Recs, Sunderland, UK
The Nightingales: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
Thomas Truax: Website/ Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
Review by Ioan Humphreys
Live photos and Thomas Truax review by Syd Howells
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Brilliant review,Ioan.The band, as you say, were wonderful, Natalie is a great addition to the sound, and if all was right with the world they’d be playing stadiums by now.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼