Gig review: Coach Party at Rescue Rooms

Opening tonight’s show to a quickly filling room, local support act Marvin’s Revenge proved they’re a real force in the Nottingham scene. They’ve been around for a while, but (shamefully) I’d not managed to see them performing live until now. They did not disappoint.

The trio maybe have a bit of a cult following and perhaps something of a niche appeal but they seem to be cutting through dramatically at the moment. They easily filled the cavernous Rescue Rooms hall with noise, and there was no sense of empty space in their music. That can be hard to achieve as a three-piece, but Marvin’s Revenge made it seem effortless. Luke, Job and Ollie are seasoned live performers – that was very clear to see.

Based around Luke Eaton’s striking baritone voice – at times growly, occasionally shouty but always able to croon and hit those resonant, low, dark notes – the band ooze dramatic, dense drama. Their performance felt like much more than an opening set, as the band packed in an impressive number of songs, only pausing for some brief asides. Scrape was a raucously energising highlight and penultimate-offering Coats exemplified the band’s zeitgeist-reflecting themes through the medium of irresistible rhythms and sonic layers. 

It’s always great to see Lizzie Esau in Nottingham; the northeast England indie rocker has become a regular feature here, in part due to her affiliation with locally-based producer Steve Grainger (who she touchingly shouted-out at one point).

Every time she visits Nottingham, it’s clear to see Lizzie’s growth as an artist. Tonight, as she worked hard in her role as tour support, her songs sounded elevated as she showcased some interesting new arrangements. Bugs sounded refreshed with a long, noodling guitar ending and there was a softened and unhurried feeling to her expansive song Lazy Brain which allowed her impressive vocals to shine through.

There was a new song, too. Spit is “about getting rid of bad people” and felt upbeat, energetic and memorable, at one point featuring a screamed vocal which melded into a repeated distortion sound.

Bleak Sublime ended Lizzie’s set. This is one of her most well-known songs and features a vocal riff which is perfect for a singalong. The Nottingham crowd obliged – after some encouragement from Lizzie – with a throaty rendition of the “woah-ohh-oh-oh” phrase which was hard to forget even as we waited for the headliners to appear. 

Coach Party entered the stage with high drama and quickly launched into Do It For Love, one from their new album, Caramel. Lead vocalist (and sometime bassist) Jess Eastwood was resplendent in a short, furry coat and an instantly infectious smile and delivered her vocals with a blend of sweetness and restrained fury. 

You could tell Coach Party meant business tonight as they found their stride early on in the set. Can’t Talk Won’t (from their 2021 EP) and Control (from Caramel) were dispensed with quickly and accurately and this pairing was a good way of showing both the band’s consistency and their growth.

Coach Party’s newer songs did seem to ring through a little stronger, perhaps due to their use of more innovative structures, but the use of older numbers was well done and helped make it clear that this was not simply an album play-through. The band were fully engaged and keen to put on a good, honest rock show.

We were also treated to their newest song Nurse Depression, only released a couple of weeks ago and sounding solid, rich and very much part of the Coach Party canon.

After that, a slightly longer foray into the KILLJOY era with All I Wanna Do Is Hate and Micro Aggression, before it was back to Caramel for Fake It and I Really Like You (the latter providing a heady, swirling almost psychedelic detour).

At this point, we were only just over halfway through what proved a very generous set featuring almost 20 songs. There were plenty of words of love shared by Jess, and occasional witty ripostes (and encouragements to dance) from guitarist Steph Norris, and also an unexpectedly touching birthday shout-out. It was 14-year-old Verity’s first standing gig, and that merited a joyous rendition of Happy Birthday.

“If you have pocket money, spend it over there,” laughed Jess, pointing to the merch stand.

During the last third of the show, Disco Dream was impactful: the refrain “It’s me, music, floor, lights…” became something almost tangible, summing-up that all-encompassing experience that rewards the immersed and engaged gig-goer.

After that, What’s The Point In Life?, despite the title, brought a sense of community and shared experience while FLAG (Feel Like A Girl) provided some all-important commentary – and catharsis. The fact that the themes of this song are still just as relevant now as in 2021 when the song was written is not something to celebrate, but we can be grateful that music is still providing a means of pushing back.

The set concluded with two more Caramel offerings: Still Hurts and finally the brilliantly unifying Girls! Instead of a traditional encore, the band acted out a well-executed set-piece which saw most of the members leaving the stage while guitarist Joe Perry stayed on, ultimately restarting the song and calling his band mates back by repeating the distinctive Girls! riff.

And so ended a triumphant evening in which all three bands on the bill played a key part. Three acts with distinct identities but acting together to create something stronger and more memorable.

Coach Party performed at Rescue Rooms on 12th February 2026, with support from Lizzie Esau and Marvin's Revenge.

@wearecoachparty