The Amazons 'Epliogue' Tour

Last night saw The Amazons arrive at Cambridge Junction on a high, hot off the arrival of '21st Century Fiction (Epilogue)' and an expanded band line-up. The extended version of last May's '21st Century Fiction' established itself as one of the finest rock albums of recent years upon its release, highlighting a band operating at the very peak of their powers now that George Le Page has stepped up from touring drummer to full member and Ella McRobb making the same move on vocals and keys. If the record itself wasn't enough proof, within about thirty seconds of The Amazons taking the stage last night, it was clear exactly why the new-look 'Zons have received so much praise.

The band kicked straight into 'Ready for Something', a sentiment the Cambridge crowd took completely to heart. George's drums hit with an immediacy and force that set the tone for everything that followed, while Ella's vocals soaring alongside Matt Thomson's from the very first song gave the music a dimension it has never had in a live setting before. Two voices that sound like they were built to stand centre stage together, elevating every song they touched. Fan favourites 'In My Mind' and 'Dark Visions' were going down better than ever with the new arrangements breathing fresh life into songs the crowd know inside out. It was 'Kickin' In' from the newly released Epilogue where the full force of what this line-up is capable of truly announced itself, with the sheer vocal power both Matt and Ella possess on full display.

The power of an Amazons live show has always gone well beyond the vocals though and last night the full instrumentation was firing on every cylinder. George's drumming gave the set its relentless engine, while Elliot Briggs' basslines cut through with a weight that you felt as much as heard. Matt and Chris Alderton's guitars drove everything forward with a ferocity that rarely let up, and across certain songs a third guitar joined them on stage, expanding the sound into something monumental. Many of the tracks were given extended arrangements that stretched beyond their recorded counterparts, giving the crowd even more room to move and giving the band the space to show exactly what they are made of. In a setting like the Junction this felt absolutely perfect, the intimacy of the room adding to every moment of what was unfolding on stage.

The newer songs 'Blood on the Bone' and 'One Hot July' slotted amongst the band's biggest hits as though they had always been there, further proof of just how strong this record is. But the real treat of the evening for any longstanding fan came with the appearance of 'Something in the Water', a song stretching all the way back to their very first EP and their debut album. This was my first time hearing the song live in over ten years of following the band, and despite the hundreds of listens I must have given the track in that time, I can safely say it has never sounded better than this. Equally stunning was a harmonious cover of Chris Isaak's 'Wicked Game', bringing a brief moment of real stillness to an otherwise relentlessly energetic night.

What made last night so special was not just the career-spanning setlist, the brilliant new music or the incredible performances from every member on stage. It was the sense that The Amazons have genuinely unlocked something new in themselves and the best of what that looks like is still ahead. It was one of the most passionate and energetic sets I have seen the band give and there was no more fitting way to close it all than with an epic ten-minute version of 'Black Magic'. It is rare to feel that a band a decade into their career, with a back catalogue this good, still seem to have the best years ahead of them. Wherever The Amazons go from here, last night was proof they are ready for all of it.