LIVE REVIEW & GALLERY: The Lancashire Hotpots @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
28th September 2024
The Lancashire Hotpots are the kind of band that can turn any venue into a comedy gig with a beer in hand, and their show at Rescue Rooms in Nottingham was no different. Describing their own show as "a Westlife concert held at Slimming World," it’s clear this band doesn’t take themselves too seriously—and that’s exactly why the crowd loves them.
From the moment they kicked things off, the atmosphere was joyful and upbeat, the kind of setting that makes you forget your troubles and embrace the lighter side of life. A standout moment came with 'I'll Have One', where the slower verse silenced the crowd, but as soon as the chorus hit, everyone was in full voice, belting along. The band had a way of connecting with the audience, joking about streaming their songs on YouTube and Spotify and even encouraging fans to burn a MiniDisc of a song about quitting your job (I forget the name) and give it to your boss if you hate your job—what better anthem for a Saturday night blowout after a long week?
The humour didn’t stop there. They poked fun at Oasis fans, insisting you’d never have as much fun at one of their gigs as you would at a Hotpots show, and introduced songs with skits about gastroenteritis, veggie volcano pizzas, and even the need for omeprazole. They balanced this with some good old-fashioned country-style stomping and singalongs, like during 'Egg, Sausage, Chips, and Beans', which had the crowd cheering along with stomping bass drum beats.
Their ability to jump between genres was impressive, with costume changes to match. One minute they were in Hawaiian flower chains, transporting the audience to holiday mode and taking them on an ‘Alcoholiday’, complete with tales of Premier Inn breakfasts in Corfu. The next, frontman Billy McCartney was strutting on stage in a shiny jacket, diving into soulful ballads like 'I Want Your Snacks'. Despite the absurdity of the lyrics, the song came across as a smooth, sensual 80s-style slow jam. There was crowd participation aplenty, with everyone joining in on ‘Lean Backwards, Lean Forwards’. I was gutted to be lumbered with a huge camera bag, so I couldn’t join in with the frivolity.
Musically, they blended everything from folk and country to 80s cheese, reggae, and even indie. The Hotpots don’t need to be profound to get the crowd moving. The highlight came during 'The Perfect Pint', a jolly sea shanty vibe where the audience was bobbing up and down in unison, the tempo building into a frantic, bonkers section that was impossible not to get swept up in.
Their "Too Much Too Old" tour jokes about them being long in the tooth, but the crowd's resounding "No!" in response showed there’s plenty of life left in this band. Ending the night on a high with a folky singalong complete with claps and stomps, the Lancashire Hotpots left Nottingham grinning from ear to ear. Sadly, I had to bail before the end thanks to some train chaos—several were cancelled at random, and I couldn’t risk being stranded. But what I did catch was a proper toe-tapping good time that made the journey from Rotherham well worth it! They’re at The Brudenell in Leeds on October 26th; I might have to leave the cameras at home and head up so I can get my stomp on too!
