Gig review: ALT BLK ERA at Rescue Rooms with Luna & The Lime Slices and St Agnes

First up, Luna & The Lime Slices who formed on Confetti's BA Music Performance course in 2022 and went on to win the 2024 Nottingham Young Creative Awards 19-24 in the music category. A five-piece presenting a mix of dark, heavy and melodic tunes, this is the kind of music that gets you lost in hazy daydreams, but with enough moody passion, drum rolls and soaring guitar riffs to keep up the energy.

In our recent interview ALT BLK ERA had already hyped these guys enough for me to be excited to see them play, but this set made me stick them on at home, and I've been enjoying them since and can't stop listening. For Mindless Tendencies they encouraged the audience to crack out the phone torches, adding an electric (or battery powered I guess) atmosphere, while emotionally charged If You're Sober, I'll Stay gave a slower moment of ethereal heartache infused intimacy.

I love being reminded there are always going to be young alt musicians starting good bands. I'll be looking out for new music. Definitely an act worth catching next time they play in Notts, and make it quick before they take off!

Next up were the mighty St Agnes, who hail from London and have been making music since around 2013. Entering to a deliciously chaotic whirlwind of noise, these guys were an absolute riot of eyeliner, big boots and hair - a mention must go out to frontwoman Kitty A. Austen’s Gomez Addams-esque pinstripe suit, which was absolutely stunning.

Mixing racing heavy rock, industrial, and electronic, their album Your God Fearing Days Are About To Begin was released just the day before. Each song erupting in an onslaught of noise, their sound gave hints of Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, and The Kills. Playing a relatively short set, tracks, Bloodsucker, Am I a Ghost? both stood out in their beautiful cacophony, until final song The Beast brought the room to a slower, moodier halt, before exploding into a forceful chorus. This lot were just what I want in a support act and I'll definitely be following in the future.

Looking around Rescue Rooms before the final set I noticed a fair few wheelchair users in the crowd. With Nyrobi of ALT BLK ERA having her own long term health condition that she speaks of often in both music and interviews, I wondered if it was a conscious choice by the band to encourage and provide space for less physically-abled fans to come to the show, or simply if these fans felt more comfortable coming to an ALT BLK ERA show. Either way, it was a wonderfully diverse crowd that came to see the girls for their hometown show, from 6 Music Dads to young Queer moshers and there was a palpable sense of love for the band throughout the whole set.

Kicking off the show with the title track for their new EP Our World (an absolute earworm which I’ve had in my head - and has weirdly even crept into my dreams - all week), Chaya and Nyrobi made a brief appearance on stage before appearing suddenly from a side door right into the centre of the crowd. This connection and feeling of synergy with their fans seems to be a strong part of what ALT BLK ERA is all about, and during the set there were lots of stage to crowd interaction that felt really special. 

Perhaps it was because I’d bought some ALT BLK ERA zines at the merch stall beforehand, but throughout the gig I kept thinking there’s something about ALT BLK ERA’s sound that makes me want to see them star in their own cyber-punk graphic novel or cartoon; paired with their signature black and white look, synchronized movements, and the shared glances between Chaya and Nyrobi, they’ve truly created a whole cosmos of their own. It works therefore that their new EP is titled Our World. If you enjoyed last year’s album Rave Immortal, then this record will be the equally stellar snack before their next album drops. Following the same sound, it is infused with a social commentary about surviving in a world that seems to be taking wrong turns, yet the duo’s stage presence gave a safe feeling of power and self-assurance. Tonight was the first time a Notts audience could hear the EP live, but it seemed most of the crowd had familiarised themselves with all of the five tracks.

Next up, the ever-so-memorable My Drummer's Girlfriend kicked in to everyone’s delight, followed by recent single Silhouettes In The Mirror. From this point on the show was a surge of musical and stage prowess, blending Chaya’s glass-clear vocals with Nyrobi’s bolder voice, almighty bass drops, catchy choruses and soulful verses. We were treated to a snippet of Run Rabbit, before launching into the potently punchy Come Fight Me For It. Next up, Come on Outside, a dreamier number reflecting on living with chronic illness, and Lost in The Back of My Mind, another track from the new EP which perfectly demonstrates the duo’s talent for genre-blending.

At this point it’s one of those gigs where I keep thinking they’re playing my favourite, but then there’s another and another. The next track Okay (Cyber Racing) is definitely a contender, feeding the already high energy with both verse and chorus, while the danger-tinged Billie Eilish-esque Hunt You Down was yet another highlight. After the immense I'm Normally Like This (another for the crowd to heartily sing along to), and Tissues, the girls finished with a full rendition of Run Rabbit, which got a huge response from the room. They certainly know how to put on a blinding show.

As the lights came on I don’t think I was alone in the room thinking I could have enjoyed another thirty minutes of that, but luckily I have two zines to delve into and an EP to stick on again. I left feeling so impressed by these two women, proud that two Notts ladies are killing it, and excited to see what they’ll do next. 

ALT BLK ERA played Rescue Rooms on Saturday 30 May 2026 with support from Luna & The Lime Slices and St Agnes. Their EP Our World is available now. To read our recent interview with the band click here, or listen to Chaya and Nyrobi talk on the LeftLion podcast.

@ALTBLKERA