Laura Kidd, aka Penfriend, returned to the stage for the first time in several years, finding an appreciative audience at Rough Trade. What followed was a very special night...
So, the first live show in front of an audience for Laura Kidd (Penfriend) in over five years. Well, not quite, as the first show was at ten past 6 this evening for her Correspondence Club members only, but, well, you know tonight was the night. Always entertaining, Laura was genuinely touched at the response tonight.
Support came from Carol Hodge, in a stunning glittering green top which she admitted was a really bad choice as it was so hot in the room.
Carol sat at a keyboard emblazoned with flowers, giving us a glimpse into what she admitted was her "weirdness". But what a lovely weirdness. Her songs delightfully illuminated existential crises and relationships.
A brief Penfriend welcome, and it was straight into Scared to Capsize. Everyone was singing along, which seemed to surprised her. Thanking everyone, Laura said it was really lovely to be back after being "hermit-like" for years in her attic, making live streams, podcasts and suchlike. Moving only a couple of years ago from Bristol to Nottingham (yay!), she agreed our city is a really cool place.
Next up was Slow Puncture, a beautiful ballad of love, cycling and mishaps, meandering along; tonight was one of the most moving performances I've heard of it. Carol Hodge rejoined Laura back on stage as keyboard accompaniment.
This was such a personal, intimate gig. Rough Trade excels in these, but tonight was one of those nights where the audience were as much of the event as the band. Carol brought an extra warmth to the songs contributing both keys and vocals and having a laugh along the way as Laura got the audience to guess which song was next, usually only with one or two notes; her setlist was hidden towards the rear of the stage, so there could be no cheating, even if it meant Laura checking during almost every break.
There was a new record announcement (much cheering)! Titled House of Stories this feels different to the fragility of She Makes War (a previous project name) and earlier Penfriend releases. It's a more robust look back at the same issues, from a greater distance in time and a little more healing over the things that still play on Laura's mind.
Citing a line "I'm reaching the highest places we think we can go" being about self belief, which Laura admitted has sometimes been hard for her, she then turned it around as this was her "dream gig time". Everyone knew the older songs and some of the new ones already; no one spoke during any songs; there was no 'twittering', just total respect; and without us, Laura acknowledged, none of it would have happened. Gratitude indeed.
There was another surprise at the beginning of Emotional Tourist when everyone joined in the first few words, enough to stop Laura in her tracks and announce, "My voice sounds like many, many voices. I'll just pretend this is normal and everyone is so nice."
What was really so great about tonight was the immediate audience interaction. "I'm so happy you all sang along to 'I hope you choke''; my parents would be so proud," said Laura about the song which related to her feelings to an ex.
Superfan Richard who had been to 72 of Laura's gigs got a special mention, before she moved into "name that song" again and also asked if anyone had recognised her in "disguise" earlier in dark glasses and a white coat. Alternating between ukulele and guitar, more songs followed with further singing along which again delighted Laura. "Am I famous and didn't know it?"
Laura dropped in the fact that it was her birthday the next day, to which someone suggested we sing Happy Birthday. Laura replied sardonically, "I can't make you do that can I?" - but obviously we all did.
Stargazing combined Laura's love for space, science and love, and tugged at the heart strings. Keep your loved ones close. Paper Thin was about getting out of a bad relationship, but also the sweet story of writing a line of hope "Lets do amazing things with good hearts" for a boy called Tim who she had just met and is now her husband. Finishing on Devastate Me, everyone was politely asked not to sing on the first part to avoid all ending up in the recorded loop. That would not have worked!
This show at an absolutely packed out and long sold-out Rough Trade was one of the events of the year. Heartfelt and warming in the collective recognition that we are all weird and struggle in love and life, with shared experiences without knowing it, tonight really felt like a gig in your living room with friends. Intimate. Personal. Brilliant. Touching. It will take some beating to top this.
Penfriend performed at Rough Trade Nottingham on 31st May 2025, with support from Carol Hodge.
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