A captivating fusion of indie charm and raw emotion: The Lathums deliver a stellar performance at Rock City that resonates long after the final chord...
Quickly establishing themselves within the indie scene for their sun bleached melodies are ARKAYLA. Guitars twanging with a twitching cheekiness, it was unsurprising that the Manchester quartet cajoled us punters to the front of the stage with natural ease; by the time they hit Rita, you could tangibly feel this ripple of reflective awe through the crowd.
ARKAYLA rounded off a standout set that had heads nodding and new fans on board. Call it something like deja vu, but we’re already watching this band in a few years time as the headliner on this very stage.
After a quick half-hour breather, the stage was set for The Lathums. Tapestried velvet backdrops and low-lighting lamps accompanied the band as they took their places and kicked off with No Direction. It was electrifying how sudden the place erupted. The Wigan lads perfectly mirrored their studio vibe in both sound and aesthetics, the room immediately filling with the sound of a band firing on all cylinders, whilst the crowd was right there with them, jumping and swaying from the get-go. With Say My Name thrown into the mix for good measure, it was clear they had the room locked in – if there was any doubt, it was gone by the first chorus. Nottingham had come to dance.
Delivering a night that blended old favourites with fresh tracks from their latest record Matter Does Not Define, it felt like a celebration of not just a band, but a community that’s been growing with them. It was clear that the fans here weren’t just along for the ride – they were completely invested. Yet it was Heartbreaker that really stole the show. The moment the song kicked in, you could feel the floor rumble as fans swarmed to the front, lifting each other up in pure ecstasy; the clap-alongs and that irresistible chorus just amplified the already buzzing atmosphere. Seismic.
A standout moment of the show shone through in the quieter moments, however; frontman Alex Moore stripped things back to give the audience a raw, intimate experience with a few acoustic renditions. How Beautiful Life Can Be and All My Life felt almost magical, with the crowd singing back every word, their voices filling the space with warmth.
Moore's gentle smile as he played was all it took to see how much he was enjoying the moment, even if his words were few – a simple “thank you very much!” after each and every song. When the band reappeared and started tearing through The Great Escape, the full force of their collective energy was unmistakable.
By the time Fight On blasted through the speakers, it was clear that this was one of their most iconic tracks. With every note hitting like a shared heartbeat, The Lathums have truly found their anthem in this one, and Nottingham was there for it.
After taking their bow, the band returned for an encore that made it clear: Matter Does Not Define is the record that will push them to new heights. Long Shadows, a six-minute sonnet of pure sound, had the crowd completely captivated and juxtaposed the echoed hoarse singalong layered over the opening bassline of Sad Face Baby. It was a night that lived up to every expectation and The Lathums have clearly set a new standard. If tonight was any indication, it won’t be long before they’re packing out bigger venues; honestly, they deserve every bit of success coming their way.
The Lathums performed at Rock City on 20th March 2025.
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