Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms is one of my favourite venues. From the friendly staff and typically excellent sound, in this era of gentrification and noise abatement notices it feels like one of the last traditional venues of its size still standing, and the quality of its bills remains high. Clearly the venue is doing something right, as its events are usually packed and tonight, a double bill featuring Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast alongside Robert Jon and The Wreck, is no exception. The venue starts packed and gets only busier, with the sweet southern sounds eliciting a good time vibe from the audience.
First up is Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast. With a crack band behind her, as adept at well-worn covers (including a storming Rock and Roll), as they are at original material, Caitlin holds the audience’s attention with impressive vocals and mesmerising stage presence. Delivering an unaffected performance, Caitlin gives every impression of being lost in the music, and her rapport with the crowd is such that, despite the large volume of Robert Jon t-shirts visible across the venue, there’s a loud murmur of dissent when she announces the final song.
Highlights include the brilliant Operator, a recent single boasting an insane hook, funky bass, a sing-along chorus, and a brilliantly spacey solo. Then there’s Devil By Your Side, another cracking single which, with its funky guitar figure, catches the audience unawares with a surprisingly gritty solo. It ends with Battle Cry, a track that Caitlin, having already ended up with her legs in the air during the epic conclusion to Rock and Roll, describes (with what might be considered understatement) as a “barn burner”. Leaving the stage to the sounds of an audience roaring its approval, it’s fair to say that anyone present not already a fan had become such by the time Caitlin’s all-too-short set was at an end.
Needing no introduction, Robert Jon and The Wreck have been building their fan base for some years now, and the audience is ready to get it on. On record, the band may have their southern charms well-honed, but live they’re a whole different proposition, with a much bigger sound and a penchant for letting their jams roam where they may. They hit the stage to a wall of noise, launching into Do You Remember, with its twin lead guitars and the volume dialled up to 11. It’s a strong start, and the band maintain the pace with a blistering take on Tired of Drinking Alone. Astonishingly, throughout all this, the room is still filling up, and by the time the band head into a brilliantly extended Rescue Train, the venue is reaching boiling point. With the crowd singing, clapping, and hollering their appreciation, it’s clear that this will be a night to remember for audience and band both, and the band clearly revel in it. Don’t Look Down, with its tough AC/DC-via-ZZ-Top vibe, sees bassist Warren Murrel looking unspeakably cool in his shades, bouncing up and down with impossible energy and, if Pain No More lacks some of the fire demonstrated elsewhere, Andrew Espantman’s drum solo gets things back on track, setting the stage for Don’t Let Me Go, an absolute cracker with a Black Crowes vibe.
From there on, it’s a home run, with Robert Jon offering up the smoky psychedelia of Bring Me Back Home Again, the slow-burning beauty of One Last Time (a standout track from Last Light On The Highway), building to the blazing finale of Shine A Light On Me Brother – the showboating single from the album of the same name, all slide guitar and gospel-infused vocals. It makes for the perfect conclusion to one of those rare sets that sees the cheers of the crowd almost overwhelm the volume of the band.
Two great bands, one great venue – Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast, and Robert Jon and The Wreck brought their good-time vibes to Nottingham in style, and not a single person left the venue disappointed. Long may they run, because (on this showing), this is just the beginning for both acts.
You can still catch the bands on tour at the following dates:
MANCHESTER ACADEMY
FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: alttickets.com
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University of Manchester Students Union
Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR
www.manchesteracademy.net
LIVERPOOL O2 ACADEMY 2
SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: TheGigCartel
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11-13 Hotham Street, Liverpool, L3 5UF
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyliverpool
NEWCASTLE, BOILER SHOP
SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: alttickets.com
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20 South St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PE
https://www.boilershop.net
GLASGOW, ST LUKE’S
TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: Ticketmaster.co.uk
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Calton, 17 Bain St, Glasgow, G40 2JZ
www.stlukesglasgow.com
LEEDS, WARDROBE
WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: alttickets.com
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6 St Peter’s Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH
https://www.thewardrobe.co.uk
BRISTOL, THEKLA
THURSDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: alttickets.com
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The Grove, East Mud Dock, Bristol BS1 4RB
www.theklabristol.co.uk
CAMBRIDGE, JUNCTION
FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: alttickets.com
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Clifton Way, Cambridge CB1 7GX
www.junction.co.uk
SOUTHAMPTON, THE BROOK
SATURDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: TheBrook.com
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466 Portswood Rd, Southampton SO17 3SD
https://the-brook.com
FOLKSTONE, THE QUARTERHOUSE
SUNDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2023
Tickets: Ticketsource.co.uk
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Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkstone, Kent, CT20 1JT
