Gig review: The Callous Daoboys at Rescue Rooms

Starting things off right was Leeds band Love Rarely, who have started to rouse a fair bit of excitement within the alt scene recently, and as it turns out, that’s for good reason. They navigated a variety of musical terrain in their set, with incredible math-rock polyrhythms combined with heavy vocals from Courtney (CJ) Levitt and technically impressive riffs. Their performance almost felt like a carefully balanced equation, but still had that personal, emotional touch and feel. There’s something exciting there with Love Rarely, and with debut album Pain Travels coming out in April, there’s definitely more to explore on the way.

Next to take the stage (10 minutes early, which was GREAT as somebody relying on public transport to get home! More of this please!) was Bristolian six-piece Knives, bringing a delicious concoction of hardcore, punk, post-punk and jazz. At one point, right in the centre of the pit, a man in a bright pink Hawaiian shirt was clutching a matching inflatable neon pink saxophone and was rocking out alongside the band’s own saxophonist (by the way, I’m definitely all for more sax in heavy music!)

Knives were on a mission to get the people fired up, and certainly dialled the temperature up a notch with their high-energy display. It’s always great to see a band enjoy performing as much as the crowd is enjoying the performance, and it made it easy to feel like you were a part of a whole. Ultimately, that’s what the magic of live music is about, that feeling of community spirit, and Knives were able to cast a magnificently noisy and enthralling spell. They closed their set with a hardcore version of Kate Bush’s Babooshka: an unlikely masterpiece that had the whole room singing — sorry, screaming — along. 

A quick word of appreciation for a noticeably awesome playlist between acts - it was really nice to move between genres with the likes of British hip-hop’s Little Simz, dubstep’s Mala and more. Of course, it made perfect sense in context with a Daoboys gig, where genres are indiscriminately fused together to create eclectic and rich sounds.

And then of course, it was time for The Callous Daoboys themselves, all the way over from Atlanta, Georgia, across the pond. They kicked things off with Full Moon Guidance, fresh from I Don't Want to See You in Heaven, packed with heavy breakdowns and a powerful vocal performance oscillating between piercing screams and lovely melodies. The familiar chirping electronic synths of Two-Headed Trout were met with a great deal of excitement, which translated into a chorus of fans singing along for the fish-themed chorus and furious headbanging.

The set kept the sonic themes constantly moving between hardcore, electronic elements, emo and even moments of pop. The band somehow seamlessly transitioned between genres, sometimes multiple times within the same track, which is part of what makes The Callous Daoboys so unique and engaging - you’re completely at their mercy on a rollercoaster ride between sounds. Sometimes, you’re getting your head completely blown off with scorching, metalcore riffs. Other times you’re transported to your teenage bedroom with bouncy emo vibes. And sometimes it’s a mix of both infused with a secret third thing, usually tinged with electronica, dance and adventure. 

Schizophrenia Legacy melted my face off with its sheer intensity - definitely a major highlight. It was also great to see two of the members of Knives jumping in as part of the action to offer frontman Carson Pace a hand on vocals. The thumping, discordance of Star Baby was also just magnificent.

In fact, the whole setlist absolutely ruled - there was never a moment where I was watching the clock, or thinking maybe it’s time for a wee or another pint. It was impossible to look away, to not be engaged and not dance, mosh or two-step. 

Right at the end, as an extra thank you to the Nottingham audience, which supposedly dethroned Milan as the best crowd on the tour, The Callous Daoboys went off-book to play Contrail Crucifix: a fine wine saved for only the most special of occasions. This bonus serving of devastating heaviness was the perfect way to throw down one last time before facing reality, and went down a treat. 

If you’re lucky enough to be heading down to the Motorpoint Arena later this year to catch the legendary Enter Shikari, make sure you’re all set and ready to go for The Callous Daoboys’ supporting set - it will most definitely be electric.

The Callous Daoboys performed at Rescue Rooms on 22nd February 2026.