The Amazons at Somerset House

Reading rock ‘n’ roll band The Amazons are looking every inch the polished rockstars tonight. With a whiff of Michael Hutchence about him, singer Matt Thomson is dressed in tailored black trousers and a sleek black waistcoat – there are no scruffy rockers on stage tonight. Formed in 2014, The Amazons boast a sound that’s arguably built for arenas, and tonight’s setting seems like the perfect place to put that to the test.

The group burst onstage with Ready for Something, the lead single off their 2022 album How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me? within the picturesque open-air courtyard. Tonight is part of Somerset House’s Summer Series concerts, promising a line-up of “trailblazing” artists, from R’n’B to Jazz, and tonight is for those with a penchant for dance-friendly stadium rock.

Thomson is charismatic and full of energy, while guitarist Chris Alderton delivers flawless guitar solos with ease. At times, you start to wonder if this band are too perfect, perhaps a bit manufactured, but this is the Instagram generation. Even before this since the 70s, guitar bands have walked the tightrope of just-rolled-out-of-bed and about-to-walk-the-runway.

An acoustic performance of One by One shows off Thomson’s powerful voice, while the popular In My Mind demonstrates The Amazon’s knack for catchy riffs. At one point, the band sings guitarist Alderton a Happy Birthday, encouraging the audience to sing along, and there is plenty of interaction with the crowd throughout the set. It’s clear the group is over the moon to be performing here tonight, especially as Alderton explains he was born just around the corner from the venue.

As the encore rolls around, we’re treated to Wake Up, Mother, and finally, their most popular track, Black Magic, which is peppered with a long guitar solo. As they close the set, a gratitude-filled Thomson shouts, “This has been the best gig of our f**king lives,” and proceeds to tell members of the crowd he loves them. It’s been a heartfelt performance from a band potentially about to be in the prime of their existence, and maybe they’ll get to play a stadium one day.

Hannah Broughton
Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit The Amazons’s website here.

Watch the video for the single How Will I Know? here: