TwinFest 25 (Night One)
Hosted in the underbelly of The Roadmender local rising noise makers Being set to open up Northampton’s favourite festival in a loud and spectacular fashion. Joined by La Rivière Nonchalant and Supercobra the lineup promised nothing but heat with rising talent from Poitiers (France) and Marburg (Germany) set to prove a point while over in our streets.
With a whole weekend of live music across six venues ahead there was some underlying anticipation and expectation for the first night to be big with TwinFest being a much awaited event only happening once a year. Despite it being a Thursday night a steady flow of people filter into the room, leading to it filling out quicker than I first expected. Most being no strangers to TwinFest came in with high spirits and enthusiasm knowing that ahead of them were four nights of great music.
Making the trip from Poitiers in France, TwinFest 2025 was opened up by La Rivière Nonchalant who got us “all ready” for the weekend ahead with their progressive arrangements and off centred musical vision. Despite performing as a duo rather than their usual seven piece these boys delivered an audacious performance driven by the rhythmic coherence and innovative use of effects. Reinforced by sublimely mixed and well balanced backing tracks the two didn’t fail to bring the funkiness of their music to life while maintaining the distinct characteristics of their sound.
Although the nonchalant nature and comical outlook on their own music might not be to everyone's taste it hard to deny the intrusive need to move to La Rivière’s music, brought on by the unmistakable grooviness of their music which the audience of The Roadmeneder were succumbed by. Undoubtedly the frontman's flamboyant yet casual presence does its part in gripping the audience through his superb audience engagement and comical nature coming to life, there is still no denying the way in which even as a duo this band can bring their music beyond the studio and to life on stage.
Second to the mark all the way from Marburg (Germany) were Supercobra bringing rock in its purest form to the streets of Northampton. Projecting more energy then a super charged nuclear reactor the trio wasted no time getting the audience involved and moving to the high-octained and catchy songs, which are not just easy to get along with but hard to get rid off. Their mix of top level musicianship and intelligent songwriting make the band easily palatable for any audience by means of their simple but emotive lyrics, familiar arrangements, and astounding instrumental solos.
Aside from being one of the most practiced bands I've seen for some time, Supercobra without a doubt show immense passion and gratitude in what they do, much to the delight of seeing them having just as much fun, if not more, as the crowd do at their shows. Their raw sound of crunchy guitars, thick bass and relentless rhythms gave them the essence not caring for the flashiness we sometimes see from some intricate live set up but solely focused on expression and bringing on the good time. To say they were highly received would be an understatement with the crowd succumbed to the band's feverish upbeat strain of rock and left in a state of illicit joy.
Headlining the first evening of TwinFest were Northampton's favourite synth driven rock quartet Beings, representing the diversity and all things great about the local music scene. For most Beings need no introduction with their mix of synthesized pop influenced rock being heard across the town and winning over countless audiences, much to the delight of them becoming one of Northampton's must watch acts. Best known for their catchy melodies, empathetic lyrics, jagged guitars and dance inducing rhythms there’s a lot to enjoy with this band no matter your music taste.
I’m no stranger to a Beings show yet I'm still always blown away how with every time I see them they top my expectations. It seems as no two times are ever the same when seeing this band with changes to the set list being made regularly and sweet little improvised bridges between songs. This non-carbon copy approach to their live shows sets them apart from other up and comers by creating a unique experience that feels personal to the observer. This TwinFest headline set was no exception as we were treated to an impromptu cover of Black Sabbath's Paranoid to commemorate the life of Ozzy Ozbourn.
Beings unquestionably proved their place on the bill by delivering an engaging performance with their strategically crafted songs and highly acclaimed live sound. In addition to front man Alex’s cult leader stage energy, which alone makes you want to grab a t-shirt from the merch stand on your way out, I don’t believe theres any room for though on whether there could have been a better choice as a headliner for TwinFest’s opening night than Beings.
