There’s something electric about seeing a band that’s fully in their element and on Monday night, Nova Twins brought every watt of that energy to the Button Factory in Dublin. Touring in support of their latest record, Parasites & Butterflies, the London duo delivered a fiery, genre-defying performance that left the packed crowd breathless and buzzing.
The evening kicked off with HotWax, whose grunge-laced garage rock was the perfect spark to ignite the night. Bathed mostly in moody red lighting, the band delivered a taut eight-song set with an edge and urgency that felt both raw and refined. Tracks like ”Hard Goodbye” and ”Strange To Be Here” showed off the band’s knack for melody beneath the grit, while ”One More Reason” hit with particular weight. They closed with ”She’s Got A Problem”, a track that swelled into a chaotic climax, leaving the crowd well-primed for the headliners.
Then came Nova Twins, and from the moment they launched into opener Black Rose, it was clear the energy was about to go up several notches. Amy Love (vocals/guitar) and Georgia South (bass/production) didn’t just play songs they unleashed them. Their genre-bending fusion of punk, grime, and industrial rock is already fierce on record, but live, it’s something else entirely, visceral, urgent, and impossibly fun.
The band tore through a sixteen-song set, drawing from across their discography while showcasing plenty from the new album. ”Soprano” and ”Piranha” were standouts, with bone-rattling basslines and razor-sharp vocal delivery. But it was ”N-o-v-a” that delivered the most memorable moment of the night. Turning the track into a full-blown crowd interaction, the band led a call-and-response chant that had the whole venue shouting.
“What’s the name, bitch?”
“Say our name!”
“What’s the name, bitch?”
“Say our name!”
“All you bitches say: N-O-V-A!”
At one point, Amy & Georgia split the crowd down the middle and had each side compete to see who could shout it loudest unsurprisingly, both sides gave it everything. It was chaotic, sweaty, and euphoric.
Visually, the stage setup was striking in its simplicity. Dotted around the stage were giant white faux roses on stems, resembling oversized crepe paper flowers. Against the gritty, aggressive soundscape, the delicate and almost surreal visuals created a fascinating contrast like something beautiful blooming from noise.
Throughout the night, Nova Twins commanded the stage like seasoned veterans, alternating between relentless sonic assault and charismatic banter. Tracks like ”Drip” and ”Hummingbird” showed the duo’s range, shifting from head-thrashing aggression to more nuanced moments without ever losing momentum.
They closed the night with ”Glory”, a triumphant finale that saw the crowd jumping, fists in the air, voices hoarse. It was a cathartic end to a set that never once let the energy drop.
What stood out most about the night, beyond the musicianship and stagecraft, was the sense of community. Both HotWax and Nova Twins made the venue feel like a shared space a celebration of outsider energy, inclusivity, and pure musical rebellion. This wasn’t just a gig. It was a statement.
In a world of over-produced pop tours and formulaic rock shows, Nova Twins are the real deal loud, proud, and unapologetically themselves.
HotWax photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Hard Goodbye
Rip It Out
Tell Me Everything’s Alright
Strange To Be Here
Change My Name
Chip My Teeth For You
One More Reason
Shes Got A Problem
Nova Twins photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Black Roses
Sandman
Cleopatra
Taxi
Soprano
Hide & Seek
Parallel Universe
N.O.V.A
K.M.B.
Drip
Choose Your Fighter
Piranha
Hummingbird
Antagonist
Monsters
Glory
Photos & words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic