Gig review: Big Special at Rescue Rooms

Words: Conall Stacey

Photos: Conall Stacey

Thursday 19 February 2026

reading time: min, words

music Live music Rescue Rooms

Black Country duo Big Special are one of those bands that is so much more than the sum of its parts, punching well above their weight in many different ways. Their rise has been rapid, and their new album charts that journey. We caught them at Rescue Rooms, along with two other unique duos...

Opening band Good Health Good Wealth had a phenomenal breakthrough year in 2025 with the release of their ambitious debut album This Time Next Year We’ll Be Millionaires. 2026 saw them storm 17 festivals while also earning airplay spanning Radio 1, BBC Introducing, 6 Music and BBC Radio London.

This Time Next Year We’ll Be Millionaires is an album setting out a week-long narrative which aims to capture a decade of twentysomething life. Each song on the album represents a specific day of the week, zooming in on vocalist Bruce Breakey’s personal struggles while navigating life as an artist in London. Daily frustrations and set-backs lead to a cocktail of escapism, which devolves into hedonism, self-destruction and a difficult comedown as he reaches the bottom-of-the barrel.

Good Health Good Wealth arrived on the Rescue Rooms stage at 6.50pm, but even at that time the venue was not quiet or empty. This was my first time seeing the band live and they did not disappoint. Although singer Bruce had his left arm in a sling, this did not stop him giving it his all. Simon Kuzmickas was also in top form dancing around the stage. The show blended spoken-word narratives with UK garage, indie rock, and electronic beats. A great start to the night.

Next up, Birmingham breakthrough duo GANS, whose debut album GOOD FOR THE SOUL tackles subjects of acceptance, self-destruction, and body image.

GANS attempt to combine their shared love of painting, literature, and poetry in particular, as songwriters Euan Woodman (drums, vocals) and Thomas Rhodes (bass, vocals) pour out their inner thoughts.

GANS are a band whose sound is firmly rooted in the world around them, and specifically their upbringing. They grew up in working class areas of the Black Country, with parents who worked in factories and mills. That has helped define a musical approach which blends an uneasy sense of realism with plaintive escapism.

The last time I saw GANS was in a sold out 100-capacity venue with sweat dripping off the ceiling. I was expecting similar tonight. But this time it was Rescue Rooms that was packed, with barely room to move. Of course, there was room to dance, sing, mosh and have the best night.

In August 2023, Walsall duo Big Special – Joe Hicklin and Callum Moloney – played their first London headline show at Camden’s Dublin Castle with only one release to their name. Less than two years later, they packed out the much bigger O2 Forum in Kentish Town, celebrating the success of their debut album POSTINDUSTRIAL HOMETOWN BLUES. They are now on tour with their second long-player NATIONAL AVERAGE. The record explores the highs of success alongside the persistence of mental and emotional battles.

Big Special are built on honesty, grit and sheer persistence. Balancing dark humour with raw truth, they have evolved without losing sight of where they came from. They tell a story of brotherhood and resilience. If you're looking for proof that even when you’re living the dream, the struggle doesn’t vanish, you'll find it with Big Special.

With that in mind, what better way to spend Valentines Day?

This was not my first time seeing the band, but it was my first time at their own headline gig, rather than a festival or tiny venue. And so, I knew before I got there how this night would be. Sold out. Packed. Sweaty. Intense. And fun.

I wasn’t disappointed.

To say there are only two people on the stage may be misleading. They make a big sound. Callum sits behind his orange translucent drums to the right and does not hide away. Joe walks around to the left. Both are chatting, singing, joking and wearing the biggest smiles. They fill the stage.

But that’s not enough: they get into the crowd, bringing a cymbal and mics with them. It wasn’t a quick crowd surf, it was a full-on foray into being part of the crowd and feeling the love in the room. Well, it was February 14th.

If you haven’t seen Big Special yet, you really shouldn’t miss out.

Big Special performed at Rescue Rooms on 14th February 2026.

@bigspecial_

We have a favour to ask

LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?

Support LeftLion