Last time Divorce played live in Nottingham they did four consecutive nights at the Bodega. This time around, they’re doing two gigs on the same day, taking place at Rough Trade. We headed down to the first of the shows to hear the band perform in their hometown for the first time since their debut album Drive to Goldenhammer was released to great acclaim…
When Divorce took to the stage, someone in the crowd immediately shouted, “How’s the van?” Anyone who follows the band on social media knows that their van broke down a few days ago - and it looks like the situation hasn’t improved. “We’re selling merch,” vocalist Tiger Cohen-Towell told the crowd, a subtle nudge to anyone who wanted to lend an extra helping hand.
Despite this setback, it’s hard to rain on Divorce’s parade right now. An NME cover story, being named by The Guardian as “one to watch,” widespread critical acclaim… there’s a sense that many of us from Nottingham have been waiting for this moment. A few years ago, it seemed inevitable that Divorce would make waves nationally — if not internationally — and now, in 2025, that moment has arrived.
But success hasn’t changed the band in the slightest. Tiger sports their “Notting Ham” T-shirt, and the whole band remains as grateful as ever to their hometown, telling the crowd that these shows sold out faster than any others on the tour. Those who attended any of their four sold-out Bodega shows last September will have already heard tracks like Antarctica and Fever Pitch performed live, but hearing them now — after the album’s release, in this intimate setting — felt even more special.
There were plenty of standout vocal moments, from the harmonies on Fever Pitch to the post-chorus vocalisations on All My Freaks, which is instrumental-led on the record. Elsewhere, the second section of The Pill (a track that naturally splits into three parts) provided a breathtaking moment as the rest of the band fell silent, leaving Tiger’s voice to shine as they sang, “Suddenly, it’s 2013…” to a hushed, captivated audience. Later, they brought out a glockenspiel to add an extra layer to Hangman, breathing fresh life into the album’s tracks in a live setting.
While their hopes of topping the charts may be challenged by Lady Gaga’s decision to release an album in the same week, there’s no doubt that this is just the beginning for Divorce. Leaving the venue, I couldn’t help but envy those attending the 8:30 p.m. show later that evening, knowing they still had it all ahead of them. It’s a testament to how engaging and captivating Divorce is as a live act — and explains how they’ve managed to sell out six shows in the same city in just over six months.
Announcing on the same day that they’ll be playing Rock City later this year — no small feat for a local band — Divorce has cemented itself as one of Nottingham’s biggest success stories in recent years. With Drive to Goldenhammer under their belts, the road ahead is limitless.
Divorce performed at Rough Trade on 10th March 2025.
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