Nova Twins deliver an electrifying performance at Prague’s Rock Café

On Thursday night, Sept. 25, English rock duo Nova Twins took Prague’s Rock Café by storm, accompanied by alt-rock trio HotWax. The night was filled with raw energy, a proper punk vibe, and powerful women leading the stage.

HotWax came on first, opening with their 2023 single “Rip It Out.” The band immediately had the crowd fired up. The Rock Café is an intimate venue, and the lack of a barricade meant the band could get up close and personal with fans.

Bassist Lola Sam’s bright hair was constantly whipping around as she played, while vocalist Tallulah Sim-Savage delivered a raw, intense performance. Drummer Alfie Sayers grounded the music as Lola and Tallulah bounced between their microphones and center stage to interact both with each other and with the fans. The crowd was absolutely delighted when Sim-Savage shared a story about celebrating her birthday in Prague.

The band ran through some songs from their debut album Hot Shock, released in March, before launching into their most recent single “Tell Me Everything’s Alright.” At this point, Sim-Savage lifted her guitar and turned it around to show the audience that she had the song’s name taped onto the back.

HotWax only played for about 30 minutes, but they certainly brought the energy and warmed everyone up for what was still to come.

1 of 6

Ahead of Nova Twins’ appearance onstage, the backdrop seemed to come alive. With set decorations consisting of large white flowers and black and white butterfly wings, the duo paid homage to their newest album Parasites & Butterflies, which was released last month.

Amy Love (vocalist/guitarist) and Georgia South (bassist) of Nova Twins took the stage to excited fanfare — a cameraman from Czech TV was even in attendance to capture the night. They opened with “Black Roses” and “Sandman” from their newest album before heading straight into “Cleopatra” from their 2022 album Supernova.

South immediately brought the spunk. Her fiery red hair and in-your-face energy had the crowd jumping along with her as soon as she stepped onstage. Throughout the entire show, South never seemed to stand still. Meanwhile, Love’s vocals entranced the audience from the first word she sang. Whether she was rapping, borderline screaming, using a distorted microphone, or singing in a gorgeous higher register, she hit each word with power and passion, delivering a versatile and unforgettable vocal performance.

A few songs in, Love called for all the women in the room to make some noise, encouraging them to take up more space. The duo is just as passionate about activism as they are about their music; they aim to carve out a space for women in the historically male-dominated industry and have helped shine a spotlight on POC, female, and non-binary artists within the genre. The inclusive, feminine energy they exuded on Thursday night was the perfect balance of powerful and supportive. Watching them command the room was nothing short of exhilarating.

Highlights of their set included “N.O.V.A”, during which the crowd was delighted to scream the lyrics “what’s the name, b*tch? Say our name” back to the band, and “Choose Your Fighter” from Supernova. In our opinion, “Choose Your Fighter” was the peak of the night. The duo rocked out on stage before Love parted the crowd and she and South hopped down to join us. They reveled in playing the second half of the song in the midst of the crowd before climbing back onto the stage for “Piranha.”

Slowing things down a bit, Love showed off her vocal prowess with “Hummingbird,” warmly received by the crowd with a round of applause at the end. The following three songs were a blur of action and energy as they brought things back up to pace. The crowd went wild for “Monster” and “Glory” as the show closers.

Nova Twins packed a huge punch at Prague’s Rock Café on Thursday night, delivering a setlist full of new tracks and some old ones for those who’ve been with them since their 2020 debut album Who Are The Girls?. Five years later, we certainly know who the girls are — they’re fierce, powerful, and ready to take the world by storm one tour date at a time.

It was an absolute pleasure to experience Nova Twin’s unique blend of heavy electronic elements and industrial rock live. They created a wild but controlled sense of release and chaos that filled the venue to the brim, and there was a raw, gritty energy that can only be felt at a Nova Twins show. In the midst of this intensity, it was also incredibly refreshing to experience a show led by powerful women. Nova Twins are truly thriving and creating a unique space in the scene, and we look forward to seeing where both their music and their activism take them next.

1 of 9

Nova Twins will continue their Parasites & Butterflies Headline Tour across Europe and the UK, ending on Saturday, Oct. 18, in their hometown of London. Tickets to their remaining tour dates are available here.