TwinFest 25 (Night Two)
Day two of TwinFest was split between live music hotspots The Garibaldi Hotel and The Lamplighter. Being only a soloist in this myself I had to choose only one in which I decided The Garibaldi was my preferred choice, and much to my satisfaction had a commendable line up that was set up to shape a momentous evening. With headliners Big Whup looking to earn their place as TwinFest headliners they were joined by Mum and Dad Talk to Animals, and for the second time La Rivière Nonchalant as we saw the continuation of TwinFest 2025
For one of Northampton’s smallest venues I find myself always enjoying myself the most there. The intimacy and off beat nature of the place sets it apart, and makes it the perfect backstreet boozer for local music. With the arrival of TwinFest through its doors the atmosphere was booming with a frenzy of people shifting through all for a night of great music.
Leading the way into the night we saw Mum and Dad Talk to Animals take to the stage with their cathartic post-emo sound waves bringing together the masses for a taste of nostalgia. The four piece blend gritty vocals, cascading rhythms and mesmerising melodies together with deliberate dynamics to create a heart rendering form of emo that's not just thought invoking but room shaking.
While themed as being more on the lamentable side these guys surprised me with how uplifting their set turned out to be. The crowd were encouraged to dance and everybody seemed to be having the time of their life. Even the band seemed highly indulged in their music through the tangible stage show they delivered. Aside from having well formed songs that perch perfectly between joy and sorrow, Mum and Dad Talk to Animals deliver a stellar live show that can only be described as being rhythmically off the chain, every aspect blending in perfect synchrony.
After one of the filthiest breakdowns i’ve heard in some time to sign off their set the band were greeted by an uplifting reaction from the crowd, signifying the admiration and connection they felt towards their music. I myself have found myself questioning whether or not Mum and Dad Talk to Animals might be my new favourite live band as they out performed all expectations I had before.
Set the capitalise on the night before and take the rains of an already momentous evening The Garibaldi was graced by the return of La Rivière Nonchalant to TwinFest. Once again armed with their tightly fixed rhythms, audacious guitar effects and nonchalant demeanour the duo set out to win over a new set of fans on a stage much more suited to their style.
From the get go the guys look more comfortable in a more casual and bohemian setting feeding off the crowd's engagement and enthusiasm towards their sound. From maybe being exposed to a more open minded audience and pushed into an intimate setting La Rivière came alive in a way they may have missed the night before painting the duo in a much clearer shade. Not only did it feel as if the band were enjoying themselves more but they also showed it with more thank yous from the digital voice box.
It’s safe to say La Rivière really showed how nonchalant they can be with their music resonating on a greater level than before in front of an ardent crowd of music lovers, leaving me all the more happy knowing they still had three more shows to go over the weekend.
Headliners of night two of TwinFest hosted at The Garibaldi Hotel were self proclaimed nursery rhyme midlands emo band Big Whup. Lead by gritty vocals shaped over thick chord progressions and jagged rhythms the four piece bring the heart felt emotion of emo to life in its rawest form. With each song's lyrical themes and underlying story almost tangible through the band's emotive stage show Big Whup didn’t hold back when proving themselves as worthy as any other taking a headline slot.
Despite competition down the road at The Lamplighter, Big Whup managed to hold onto the crowd and even see it grow as they cranked up the volume and the energy of the evening. Seeming commonplace on that stage in such an intimate setting in front of a crowd feeding off their energy their claim to the slot was unmistakable, almost seeing as if shows like this were a regular occurrence for this growing band.
The sheer passion projected by Big Whup was enough to convince anyone that what they write about comes from deep inside, and seeing a band with a front man so vividly exposing his inner self on stage through music is a true form of art. Not only were they passionate but human too through how down to earth and like minded they became between songs. What they seemed to stand for which is community and amity really resonated with the crowd through strong reciprocation and a desire for the band to not leave the stage. However all good things have to end and so after new track ‘Homies” had ended so too did we see the end to a momentous night.
