Gig Review: Victory Lap at The Bodega

Victory Lap headlined an evening that also featured two exceptional support acts: Prima Star Power and Grain Mother…

Kicking off the night were Leeds-based Prima Star Power, whose sound can be described as sixties influence meets Arctic Monkeys. One member, dressed in a wool blazer, struggled with the heat and even had a brief moment of faintness, which the band handled well. "Thanks for your patience," they said to the crowd, before continuing with their set.

Musically, the band showed promise, one of the highlights being a song written about James Dean’s cursed car, which came towards the end of the set. For the final song, they were keen to use the confetti canons which were on top of the speakers, but it was a solid start to the night, even if the confetti remained unused on this occasion.

Next up were Grain Mother, whose set was an exploration of both new material and fan favourites. The band performed a new track called Coven, which they warned the crowd they wouldn’t know - unless they were psychic. Alice, the lead vocalist, also pointed out that she hadn’t provided a setlist, assuming the rest of the band would be able to anticipate the songs they would be playing.

A personal highlight for me was Let Down, a track that stood out for its emotive delivery and raw power. They then debuted Rescue Mission, a relatively new song, with Alice joking that it was "probably going to be played badly," but her self-deprecating humour only added to the charm. This track featured some excellent back-and-forth vocals between Alice and Cam, creating an engaging dynamic.

Alice then switched to piano for Peripatetic, a song released a few months ago. As she transitioned back to guitar for the final song of the set, she passed the mic to Cam while she tuned her guitar. He entertained the crowd with a quick merch plug, advertising that they were selling T-shirts if anyone wanted to buy one. They then closed their set with Disgrace, setting the stage perfectly for the headliners.

Finally, the much-anticipated Victory Lap took the stage. There were more people on stage than are in the band, due to the addition of strings to their set, including a violin, and a cello played by Alice from Grain Mother. The strings were subtle at times during the set, occasionally getting lost in the mix, but when they were allowed to shine through, they added a beautiful layer to the band's sound.

There was a slight hiccup at the start when the backdrop behind the stage initially read "Sleaford Mods", following their sold-out headline show the previous weekend, but that was quickly corrected, and no one seemed to notice this too much. Once this was fixed, what followed was a thrilling set full of tension and release, with Victory Lap delivering what could only be described as a masterclass in live performance.

The opening track immediately set the tone, with vocalist Tom’s commanding voice pulling everyone in. Greatest Hits was an early highlight of the set, and it felt fitting given that Victory Lap really did bring out the best of their catalogue. The band then launched into Circling, a track where Tom’s voice was at its most compelling.

However, the true showstopper came with Vig. The sound was massive - larger than life, even - and it felt like the peak of the night so far. For many bands, this would have been the climactic encore moment, but Victory Lap weren’t done. "We’ve got some more," Tom promised, and they certainly delivered.

Sincerely Yours, a track from their Torch Songs EP, came soon after, followed by Duet, a beautiful piece that showcased the string section for the first half. This track also featured some of the strongest vocal work from James, which brought a nice contrast to Tom’s commanding presence throughout the track.

Next, they seamlessly segued into Jealousy, their first-ever single, which still holds up as one of their best tracks. Closing the main set with Show Is Over, it was clear that Victory Lap had curated their setlist with great care, with this song chosen to be a fitting end - the title itself hinting at the sense of closure.

However, they weren’t done yet. They returned from an encore, performing the track Prom, a song that, despite being without the strings, captured everything that makes Victory Lap unique. Overall, this was a brilliant headline show, with Victory Lap proving once again why they’re one of the most exciting bands on the Nottingham scene - and beyond - right now.

Words & photos: Gemma Cockrell