Gig review: Lace Thief album launch at Rough Trade

Support came first from SJ Thomas, whose set balanced understated charm with quiet resilience. Tracks such as Scraps and Write a Song leaned into a soft country influence, carried by an innocent, almost disarming vocal tone that contrasted with the emotional weight of the material.

There was a sense of process behind the performance too, with songs restarted, reworked and even freshly written, Periphery having been penned earlier in the week. Turn You Out, recorded by her ex-husband following their split, added an extra layer of personal context, while Leave It All Behind reflected on selling their house, grounding the set in lived experience rather than abstraction.

Second on the bill, Posturing brought a sharp tonal shift. Featuring a few familiar members of Catmilk, now based in Sheffield for university, their set leaned heavily into theatrical emo, drawing easy comparisons to a modern-day The Black Parade era My Chemical Romance, or perhaps the vocals of Iona Lynch of Irish band Cliffords (without the Irish accent, of course).

Their performance thrived on unpredictability as much as intensity. A knocked-over guitar during Better, which was meant to be “the dramatic part” of the set, didn’t take anything away from the spectacle. The addition of cornet in this moment gave their sound an unexpected texture, while their closing moment, with layered chorus vocals from multiple members, delivered something genuinely striking. Despite the chaos, or perhaps because of it, the set felt cohesive in its own eccentric way.

By the time Lace Thief took the stage, the room was primed. Fronted by Laura Dickinson, the artist behind the project, band moved confidently through Inheritance in sequence, proving its strength as a complete body of work rather than a collection of singles. The previously released Girl Gang injected energy, prompting Dickinson to pause and spotlight the band, a moment that fed directly into the groove of Nottingham, which had the crowd audibly engaged.

River Runs Deep emerged as the undeniable centrepiece. Live, it expanded beyond the recording, Dickinson’s vocal carrying a brooding intensity that cut through the swelling instrumentation with clarity and control. It was the point where the scale of the band’s ambition felt most fully realised.

Between songs, Dickinson repeatedly thanked the audience, a gesture that felt genuine rather than perfunctory, reinforcing the sense of connection in the room. There was little need for embellishment or deviation. The strength of the material, and the conviction of its delivery, carried the performance.

As a live interpretation of Inheritance, the set succeeded by trusting the album’s structure. Nothing felt out of place, nothing overstayed its welcome. It confirmed Lace Thief not only as an artist capable of crafting a cohesive record, but one able to bring that cohesion to life without compromise.

Lace Thief performed at Rough Trade Nottingham on 25th April 2026.

@lacethiefmusic