LIVE REVIEW: Calva Louise @ The Bodega, Nottingham

Alternative rockers CALVA LOUISE are formed by three members of all different nationalities, Venezuelan, French and English/New Zealander. Because of this, it’s no surprise that there are multiple sound influences scattered around in their tracks. This makes for an exciting experience, and their live shows live up to this expectation. Opening their 2024 UK tour in Nottingham at The Bodega, this intimate venue allowed for an electric atmosphere as the crowd prepared for the gig to begin.

First to hit the stage were SUGARSTONE, bringing some fun energy to the stage with their jumpy indie rock sounding tracks. Every member of the band looked to be enjoying themselves and this feeling was contagious.

They played around with different rhythmic paces, meaning their set continued to surprise and made for some good entertainment. For an up and coming band, they commanded the attention of the audience brilliantly, resulting in a very good opening act.

Rating: 8/10

To say that BOBBY WOLFGANG (formerly STRANGE BONES) sauntered onto the stage when it came to their turn to perform would be a huge injustice. In fact, with the amount the singer was throwing themselves around the stage and jumping into/initiating mosh pits, it might have seemed like a whirlwind for the audience.

Mixing electronic elements with punky riffs, WOLFGANG started off strong and continued this level of energy all the way to the end of his set. The crowd loved every second, with first support act SUGARSTONE joining the pits to encourage their fellow musicians. With heavy drum and bass influence, the set was mixed live with WOLFGANG taking to the DJ deck throughout the performance. It was cool to see this element of a live show, as DJ’s tend to be pushed to the back of the stage. The music itself may not have been for everyone, but it is undeniable that WOLFGANG’s stage presence is unmatched.

Rating: 7/10

Moving onto headliners CALVA LOUISE, this fun and happy set just made you want to smile. You could tell that every band member was at home on stage and couldn’t be more pleased to be performing. Lead singer Jess Allanic shared some heartfelt words throughout the set, mentioning that the three band members had been friends for so long that they had already achieved their dream together, playing in front of all these people in the crowd.

CALVA LOUISE’s mix of electronic elements and hardcore rock riffs makes for a pretty sassy sound, making you want to dance around. Allanic has a great vocal range, moving from rolling cleans to harsh screams that add another layer of depth to the tracks.

As the three musicians all hail from different countries, they mentioned that they grew up listening to bands like RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and had no idea what the lyrics meant, but they truly felt the lyrics and wanted their music to create this same reaction. Singing a couple of tracks in Spanish such as Con Corazon, the band lived up to their statement and made for an emotive and entertaining performance. You have to admire musicians who aren’t afraid by language barriers and embrace what makes them different.

Ending the performance with Oportunista, Allanic took the opportunity to make her way into the crowd, who then moshed around the singer. The band gave a great lesson in how to end a set, delivering a jumpy track that the audience screamed right back at them. It left the crowd on a high, and will have encouraged any new listeners to do some homework on the band as soon as they left.

Rating: 8/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Nottingham from Izzy Sheldon here: 

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