Alt-rock four-piece KID SPIRIT are carving their own path in Nottingham, and Mist Rolling Inn provided the perfect venue to showcase their talents...
Originally from Lincolnshire, KID SPIRIT have moved to Notts and are exploring the city's vibrant music scene. They've taken matters into their own hands by putting on gig nights that also support local talent.
Mist Rolling Inn is a compact microbrewery halfway up Derby Road between The Strathdon Hotel and Canning Circus, with the name taking inspiration from Forest's now famous pre-match anthem, a reworking of Paul McCartney's Mull of Kintyre, which was in the charts when The Reds won the 1978 First Division title. There's some "cosy" seating, a small corner bar with friendly, funny staff and an outside space littered with furniture, tables and a dart board which has seen better days; the gig space - Gorillas in the Mist - is downstairs and perfect for live music.
Supporting was singer-songwriter Joshua Todd, whom I'd previously seen at Fishergate Point as part of the Circle of Light album launch in October 2024. Josh draws inspiration from the likes of Radiohead and The Killers as his musical influences and will be honing his skills at Confetti later in the year.
KID SPIRIT were formed in 2023 and comprises of lead singer and keyboard player Luke Parker, Steve Heather on bass, Lewis Duckworth on guitar, and drummer Matt Bell. I'd connected with Luke via the Nottingham Gig Buddies group on Facebook, and other members were part of a supportive and enthusiastic crowd.
The boys kicked off the night with their latest release, the raw, brooding A Million Pieces; the band cite Radiohead and The Boxer Rebellion as influences and are fans of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, but have their own style, which is evident throughout the set.
The band's name represents the reality of getting older but trying to maintain a youthful outlook, and with the second track of the night, The Great Divide, you can hear some of the more anthemic qualities from the bands KID SPIRIT grew up listening to in the 90s and 00s.
The compact venue did wonders for the band's sound as Parker's voice reverberated off the walls and low ceiling; it’s a credit to Simon, the sound tech who rescued the analogue equipment from the Chameleon Arts Cafe on Angel Row when it closed down; he also designed the Gorillas in the Mist venue.
The band hit their stride and looked comfortable and confident on stage; Hurts Then Hurts Now demonstrated the band's vulnerability and versatility, and it is beautifully constructed with Duckworth's dream-pop guitars coming to the fore.
Tiny Monsters was released in April this year and calls back to the band's rockier sound and combines synths which build steadily, and is the pick of the band's songs, for me at least…
Luke tells the crowd that after a bit of arm-twisting from the rest of the band, they’ve added a cover to their set, and it's a belter, Bronski Beat's 1984 classic, Smalltown Boy. KID SPIRIT rounded off a cracking gig with Julian's Alone, a slower, more poignant track than we'd previously heard.
The crowd gave the boys a warm ovation, and it was off back upstairs for a few glasses of the Mist Rolling Inn house lager and a chat with the Gig Buddies group and the band, who ended up exploring Nottingham's nightlife at The Bodega via Pit and Pendulum.
KID SPIRIT performed at Mist Rolling Inn on 3rd May 2025. They are playing at the Old Cold Store on 31st May.
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