HOTWAX – RESIDENT, BRIGHTON 7.3.25
With rave reviews coming in thick and fast, 5 stars from the NME, my publication of choice in my teenage years, for the highly anticipated debut album from Sussex’s finest HotWax. I am one of the lucky ones to find myself at Resident Records in Brighton, who have made ‘Hot Shock’ their prized ‘Album of the Week’, for their sold out release day launch show. The store located in Kensington Gardens has been the scene of many memorable Instore shows of which I have attended a few. This evening though is a truly momentous occasion in my own personal music correspondent’s catalogue as I get to see my favourite band of recent years perform their first album live on the day of its release. I had attended the online listening party eight days prior, and it goes without saying that I also attended the almost Hometown Instore show, for Hastings residents Tallulah and Lola, in neighbouring Bexhill on Monday but tonight’s offering is on Alfie’s home turf.
Maybe I am gushing in my praise of the band, but living in Hastings I have followed their progress in their five and a half year existence, during which time they have been cultivating their sound and identity, culminating in where we are now. I first saw Tallulah and Lola perform with The Kiffs, only to be bitterly disappointed when they split in early 2019, when the lead singer left the band. Still all things happen for a reason and the incarnation of HotWax some six months later was the saving grace of that year, with Tallulah taking on vocal duties. Tallulah and Lola have been the mainstays of the band with Alfie Sayers joining in 2021 and slotting in seamlessly on drums. I was at his first gig with the band when they supported Kid Kapichi at the White Rock Theatre and so good was his performance considering he had only recently joined the band, and with his long blond locks, that I failed to notice he had replaced the previous female incumbent on the drum stool, at which point I realised I needed to wear my spectacles to future gigs!
Standing in the queue beforehand I get speaking with a fellow older Hastings resident about whether we qualify as ‘superfans’, but we agree that probably feels a strange tag for those of us of a certain age. Having said that I have lost count of the amount of times I have seen the band play and do like to get up the front nabbing a setlist, but alas not tonight as Southern Rail do me no favours with a delayed train resulting in a missed changeover meaning I arrive half an hour later than anticipated and end up some way down the queue.
The band arrive on the store floor at 7.05pm to a rousing reception from the crowd. They start off with the more familiar tracks, being that they play three of the four singles, ‘She’s Got A Problem’, ‘Wanna Be A Doll’ and the haunting ‘Strange To Be Here’ which was released on the same day, taken from the album thus far. An impressive start to proceedings and three songs in Lola has itchy feet and is strutting down the aisle armed with her bass guitar and bundles of attitude, an aspect of the band that has grown as they have increased in confidence and self-assurance.
The next three songs in the set are only three tracks that I hadn’t heard played live prior to Monday. First is ‘Dress Our Love’ which even I could almost dance to though it gets heavier towards the end. Next up I have to say that listening to ‘Pharmacy’ on the CD in my car for the first time sent shivers down my spine and had the hairs on my arms standing on end, and hearing it played live for a second time has made me appreciate the song even more. For a first attempt at a stripped back acoustic song being played live, it shows a real maturity in Tallulah’s voice that was hard to imagine possible when I saw them play Fat Tuesday in the band’s infancy. The slower paced acoustic theme continues with ‘Lights On’ with both songs showing off Tallulah’s vocal range.
There is a break from the album as we are treated to two firm favourites in ‘Treasure’, which has been a regular in the set for the past three years and shows off the energy and the skill of Alfie on drums, followed by ‘Phone Machine’. Tallulah is obviously in a celebratory mood as she takes a sip of her drink to wet her pallet for the next song, a nice mix of red and white wine, which is probably one for the youngsters.
A return to the album probably brings together two of my top tier songs in a row with the dark lyrics of ‘In Her Bedroom’, followed by the grunge inspired ‘Chip My Teeth For You’ which has a stamp of HotWax originality. If you like distortion, angst, punk and grunge, then you really need to check out this band, and even if you don’t it is still worth giving them a listen just to appreciate the mind-blowing musical ability of Tallulah on guitar and Lola on bass, complemented by Alfie on drums. The chemistry between the three is obvious for all to see.
The band appeared overwhelmed at their popularity and the realisation that they are now doing adult things during Monday’s show, but tonight it feels like it has hit home a bit more as they are now four dates into this ten date record store promotional tour and are probably getting more accustomed to the adulation.
The penultimate song of the set is the live favourite ‘Rip It Out’ about an horrific sounding experience with a contraceptive implant, which fully explains the anguish in the performance. Tallulah and Lola are both in their element for this song as they prowl around the store and ends with Lola holding the new album aloft in triumph. The cymbal outro/intro from Alfie is put to use for the second song in a row, with a bit more success compared to the previous song, as the band launch into the third single from the album ‘One More Reason’, a relentless and addictive song about loving someone so much that you hate it, is something that could never apply to ‘HotWax’, and the musical event ends on an almighty high. The only unanswered question is whether we will get to hear ‘Hard Goodbye’ played live as this is the only omission in the set from the album. There is of course the obligatory album signing afterwards with which the band seem perfectly at home with, even when their patience is tested by someone having brought along more than just the album to be autographed!
An added bonus for Brighton revellers is the first ever HotWax DJ set after-show at The Rossi Bar but that goes on way past this reviewer’s bedtime. HotWax will next be appearing in Brighton at Homegrown Festival on 12th April, but there is a tour starting at the end of March and although Sussex is absent from the list there are still tickets available for the gig at Tunbridge Wells Forum, less than an hour’s drive from Brighton, which coincides with bassist Lola’s 21st birthday. HotWax certainly came of age tonight and the trajectory can only be upwards or there is no Music God.
HotWax:
Tallulah Sim-Savage – guitar/vocals
Lola Sam – bass/vocals
Alfie Sayers – drums
HotWax setlist:
‘She’s Got A Problem’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Wanna Be A Doll’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Strange To Be Here’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Dress Our Love’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Pharmacy’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Lights On’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Treasure’ (from 2023 ‘A Thousand Times’ EP)
‘Phone Machine’ (from 2023 ‘Invite Me, Kindly’ EP)
‘In Her Bedroom’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Chip My Teeth For You’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
‘Rip It Out’ (from 2023 ‘A Thousand Times’ EP)
‘One More Reason’ (from 2025 ‘Hot Shock’ album)
