Nova Twins + BEX + Venus Grrrls, Chalk Brighton, Friday 13 March 2026
Words: PETER GREENFIELD, Pictures: SARA-LOUISE BOWREY
Nova Twins launched the opening night of their 2026 UK and EU tour in support of their new album ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ in Brighton. The London duo of Amy Love and Georgia South have built a reputation as one of the most inventive and disruptive forces in modern rock, and the atmosphere inside Chalk made it clear that fans were ready for a night that pushed well beyond genre boundaries.
BEX
Before the headliners took over, Brighton’s own BEX set the tone with a burst of bass‑heavy punk energy. She tore straight into ‘Taste Better’, a fast, gritty opener that immediately pulled the early crowd in. Her connection with the front row was instant as she crouched at the edge of the stage, eye‑to‑eye, urging the room to match her pace. Tracks like ‘Sum Kinda Syko’ and ‘Crybaby’ kept the momentum high, while the slower ‘Fairies’ and ‘Slave 2 The Grind’ briefly shifted the mood. She closed by diving into the crowd, surfing across the venue in a chaotic, joyful finale that left the room buzzing.
Venus Grrrls
Leeds five‑piece Venus Grrrls followed with a darker, more atmospheric set, blending goth‑grunge textures with riot grrrl spirit. Opening with their recent single ‘3 X 3’, they moved confidently between brooding tension and explosive release. Frontwoman Grace Kelly’s vocals were a standout. Screamed lines softening into something more intimate on ‘Divine’, whispered menace cutting through the red‑lit haze of ‘Hex’. The set’s dynamic range was striking: the spooky calm of ‘Ivy Tree’, the new‑wave shimmer of ‘Mother Knows’, and the urgent spoken‑word opening of ‘Bloodsick’. A new track, ‘Eve’, landed particularly well with the Brighton crowd, before ‘Crows’ closed their set with a horror‑film soundscape and Grace singing from the photo‑pit barrier.
Nova Twins
By the time Nova Twins stepped out to an apocalyptic‑sounding intro, Chalk was fully primed. They opened with ‘Black Roses’, a track that fused rock punch with grime‑edged swagger, immediately locking the crowd into the duo’s high‑octane world. ‘Sandman’ brought electronic playfulness, while ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Taxi’ and ‘Soprano’ showcased Amy’s ability to switch vocal styles at speed; rapped lines, soaring high notes, and sharp melodic hooks were all delivered with total confidence. The crowd sang everything back.
The energy onstage was relentless. Amy covered almost every inch of space, while Georgia’s bass lines came with acrobatic movement. ‘Parallel Universe’, introduced as “one to jump around to”, only intensified the room’s movement. The set moved fluidly between styles: the rock‑leaning ‘N.O.V.A’, the R&B‑tinged edges of ‘K.M.B.’, and the pounding rhythms of ‘Drip’, which sent the room surging again.
Mid‑set, the duo took the show into the crowd itself, forming a circle of fans dancing around them before returning to the stage for the thumping stomp of ‘Piranha’. Then came a dramatic shift: ‘Hummingbird’, a beautifully restrained moment with mystical tones and soaring vocals that earned one of the night’s loudest cheers.
A three‑song encore of ‘Antagonist’, ‘Monsters’ and ‘Glory’ brought the night to a euphoric close. With Amy singing on her knees as Georgia played over her, Chalk erupted in a final wave of noise, many fans raising a rock salute as Nova Twins cemented their reputation as one of the most exciting live rock acts in the UK right now.
NOVA TWINS + VENUS GRRRLS + BEX – CHALK, BRIGHTON 13.3.26
Bex
Bex setlist:
‘Taste Better’ (a 2024 single release)
‘90s Superstar’
‘Sum Kinda Syko’ (a 2024 single release)
‘Fairies’
‘Slave 2 The Grind’ (a 2023 single release)
‘Silence’ (a 2025 single release)
‘Crybaby’ (a 2025 single release)
‘SpyD4 K1ng’ (from 2023 ‘Scum’ EP)
Venus Grrrls
Venus Grrrls:
Grace Kelly – vocals, rhythm guitar
Jess Ayres – lead guitar
Hannah Barraclough – bass
Grace Stubbings – synth
Gabby Cooke – drums
Venus Grrrls setlist:
‘3 X 3’ (a 2025 single release)
‘Divine’ (a 2024 single release)
‘Ivy Tree’ (a 2025 single release)
‘Mother Knows’
‘Bloodsick’ (a 2024 single release)
‘Hex’ (a 2023 single release)
‘Eve’
‘Crows’
Nova Twins
Nova Twins:
Amy Love – vocals, guitar
Georgia South – bass
Nova Twins setlist:
‘Black Roses’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Sandman’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Cleopatra’ (from 2022 ‘Supernova’ album)
‘Taxi’ (from 2020 ‘Who Are the Girls?’ album)
‘Soprano’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Hide & Seek’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Parallel Universe’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘N.O.V.A’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘K.M.B.’ (from 2022 ‘Supernova’ album)
‘Drip’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Choose Your Fighter’ (from 2022 ‘Supernova’ album)
‘Piranha’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Hummingbird’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
Encore:
‘Antagonist’ (from 2022 ‘Supernova’ album)
‘Monsters’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
‘Glory’ (from 2025 ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ album)
