Music / Reviews
Review: Picture Parlour, Rough Trade – ‘An immersive experience’
It’s been nearly two years and Picture Parlour have finally made their return to Bristol, this time for their first ever headline show in the city, playing Rough Trade which so happens to be the first venue outside of London the band played back in 2023.
Since forming in Manchester in 2022 by Kathrine Parlour (vocals / guitar) and Ella Risi (guitar), later to be joined by Michael Nash (drums), Kitty Fitz (bass / rhythm guitar) and Joey Django (rhythm guitar / bass) to complete the lineup, Picture Parlour have left their unique mark on the UK’s live music scene.
Following the release of their close-to self-titled debut album The Parlour, the band embark on their tour of the UK with support from Aimée Fatale.
The band returned to headline the venue they played their first ever show outside of London, three years ago
The band walk out into Rough Trade’s packed live room, their effortlessly cool energy filling the air. The audience are transported to a club in the 70s where they have just stumbled in to discover their new favourite band.
Opening with the unreleased track Strange Is Love, Parlour has complete control over the audience with her commanding vocals and natural swagger.
Who’s There To Love Without You hits the audience immediately with punchy guitar riffs provided by Risi, perfectly complemented by Parlour’s energy as she takes over the stage which definitely isn’t big enough.
They present as “effortlessly cool”
Following up with tracks from The Parlour such as 24 Hr Open, $4 Fantasy and Neptune 66, Parlour’s powerful vocals and stage presence only continue to grow stronger alongside the band’s dramatic and catchy instrumentals.
“Are you ready for something new?!” she asks the audience before going into another unreleased track entitled Woke Up Here Forgotten, which the band describe as a “work in progress.”
The song perfectly captures Picture Parlour’s distinct rock ‘n’ roll sound, further demonstrating how they have mastered the world building of the band.
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After hearing the future sound of Picture Parlour, the band take the audience right back to the beginning with Moon Tonic, the first song Parlour and Risi wrote together, featuring a heavy instrumental which almost feels orchestral.
Audience members can feel the drums pounding through their chest, while lyrics reference the Truman Show, reminding the audience of the importance of cinema within the band’s immersive world building.
Following Moon Tonic, the band performed a brief yet impactful interlude before going into Judgement Day, a song in which the passion rings through Parlour’s raw and powerful vocals and Risi’s dazzling, romantic guitar riffs.
Acting as the band’s most upbeat, fun song Talk About It gives the audience a chance to dance and jump around, as encouraged by Parlour, before being hit with The Travelling Show, the ballad of the show.
The band takes its name from lead vocalist Kathrine Parlour
The audience swap their usual head banging for swaying as Parlour’s raw and raspy vocals fill the room. Then once again the mood flips as Parlour announces that we are “gonna rock again” and the stabbing guitar riffs of Cielo Drive begin as Picture Parlour use whatever space on the small stage they have to turn it into an arena headline show.
As the show comes to the end, we go back to the band’s debut single Norwegian Wood (not a cover of the Beatles song of the same name), and it proves to be a real crowd pleaser. At the final chorus the band is met with excited audience members singing back every word as if it’s a stadium anthem.
The way Parlour’s natural coolness is paired with her hypnotic stage presence and Risi’s punchy classic rock guitar riffs creates an immersive experience for fans which cannot take their eyes off the stage.
A band with a distinct sound and image, Picture Parlour should be a name seen in lights and on posters everywhere.
All images: Lucia Brown
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