DIVORCE: GIVING MANCHESTER A LESSON IN CONNECTION - LIVE REVIEW
2025 was a formative year for Divorce, with the band releasing their highly anticipated debut album Drive To Goldenhammer back in March. The release was only the beginning, with the band also managing to pack in not one, but 2 UK tours, dates in Europe, and even bagging themselves a nomination for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ at the coveted Rolling Stone Awards.
Formed by teenage friends Tiger Cohen-Towell (vocals / bass), Felix Mackenzie-Barrow (vocals / guitar), Adam Peter Smith (guitar / synth) and Kasper Sandstrøm (drums), the band originally met through Nottingham’s close-knit DIY scene, coining the name Divorce in mid-2021.
Launching a band in a post pandemic world is not for the faint hearted, yet Divorce seem to have taken this treacherous terrain in their stride. The band’s on-the-nose lyricism and contemporary themes bagging them fans around the globe and support slots with the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, The Vaccines, Everything Everything and Mumford and Sons to name drop a few.
The band returned to Manchester on the 10th December on their Drive To Goldenhammer Tour Part 2, with support from Curiosity Shop and Formal Sppeedwear, this time taking over the city’s beloved Manchester Academy 2.
Emerging on stage to electrifying hum of excited claps and cheers, the energy was set for an emotionally driven night of entertainment. As the second edition of their new album live dates, the band appeared confident and composed, ready to showcase their latest offering in its absolute best light – a collection of songs which took over a year to write and record. Pairing a red adidas tracksuit top with smart Dr. Martens shoes, vocalist and bassist Tiger stepped out looking the epitome of cool, an outfit that felt right at home with the Manchester crowd.
Boldly beginning their set with two songs from acclaimed album Drive to Goldenhammer, the band headed straight into the atmospherically ethereal ‘Karen’, a ballad that builds from a slow whispering ensemble to a big Kate Bush style Crescendo, showcasing Divorces’s power to manipulate musical genres from the off. Next up was ‘Jet Show’, which built on the momentum already created by the opening track. Felix and Tiger’s vocals intertwining over the shoegazingly psychedelic guitar parts to give the song a feeling of sensitivity and power.
2024’s small town coming of age single ‘Gears’ sparked a full crowd sing along, with the crowd bellowing “I don’t remember when the gears got stuck” enthusiastically back at the band.
The playful bassline of ‘Scratch Your Metal’ was met with cheers, with the two vocalists harmonising beautifully throughout the intro. Tiger threw themselves whole heartedly into the performance, head banging almost instinctively along to the symbol crashes, and jumping down from the stage to connect with the fans at the barrier singing along to every world of the emotionally charged track. A commanding performance that really pits Tiger up there with the greats of the modern alternative scene.
Next came ‘Parachuter’ in what the band themselves described as a “colossal vibe shift.” This was followed by the almost country sounding ‘Eat My Words’, another example of the band’s genre shifting sensibilities.
The 80’s sounding ‘Pill’ was a song of two halves, the beginning taking on a dance pop sound before slowing half way through, allowing the already powerful lyrics to make even more of an impact.
Fan favourite ‘All My Freaks’ was another highlight, and of course, it wouldn’t be a tour in December without the addition of a Christmas song, with the band seizing the opportunity to give their brand new track ‘Antarctica’ a run out before finishing on the country-esque ‘Lord’.
Of course that wasn’t EVERYTHING, with the band returning to the delight of the crowd for a high energy encore. The rock and roll of ‘Checking Out’ from 2022’s Get Mean EP, was followed by the soulful ‘Hangman’ from the band’s latest album, the perfect way to end an evening which felt as much as a musical showcase as a promotional tour.
After watching them on their latest tour, we can confirm that Divorce are a prime example of a band that knows the quality of the music they are producing, something that directly feeds into their live performance. For a band with a more typically ‘laid back’ sound, they command the stage with ease and earnest, ensuring their fans are entertained with high quality and a highly intellectual performance which feels crafted to a level of being high art.
To see all the latest from Divorce, head to: www.divorcehq.co.uk
Want to see more from Pass It On Magazine? Follow our socials! Instagram. TikTok. Facebook.
Or watch some of our past Artist Features on YouTube.