Sometimes when you feel as if you haven’t had decent night out in forever, the best remedy is simply to throw yourself head first into a mosh pit screaming at the top of your lungs and dancing your cares away. I can safely say with ears still ringing and feet aching that The Amazons delivered on all this and more, bursting at the seams with relentless energy and excitement. Performing to an eclectic but nonetheless enthusiastic crowd at Cambridge Junction, the four-piece let loose, demonstrating carefree cheek from the start, introducing themselves as The Sherlocks in a light-hearted jab at recent social media controversy. Kicking off with quintessential rock number ‘Stay With Me’, frontman Matt Thompson proves his vocal stamina from the start, sustaining high quality vocals for the entirety of the night. A particular song highlight would have to be fan favourite ‘Ultraviolet’ featuring bright, purple flashing lights and of course a lot of jumping around.

The group also proved they weren’t afraid of shaking things up, at one point inviting back to the stage the brilliant Theresa Jarvis (of support act Yonaka) for a powerful rendition of the sweeping anthem ‘In my Mind’. Not to mention drummer Joe Emmett, who deserves an honourable mention for his epic drum solo midway through the set. Illuminated by a single spotlight he proceeded to absolutely smash his way through an incredible display, leaving his fellow bandmates to step to the side and watch in a mixture of admiration and amusement.

“Cambridge gig-goers who, despite lacking in (as I heard one crowd member put it) “the ability to mosh in time” or sing along to every single one of the words, clearly had an awesome time”

In a well-deserved break from head thrashing, Thompson returned to the stage for a solo rendition of the lyrical number ‘Palace’ in a moment that may have once inspired a sea of lighters to be raised but settled instead for the gentle ambience of iPhone torches. Then, in what can only be described as the crowning moment of a brilliant evening, Thompson declared Cambridge as being “the dark horse of the tour,” surprised and impressed at what an amazing evening it had been.


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A great testament to both Junction and of course the Cambridge gig-goers who, despite lacking in (as I heard one crowd member put it) “the ability to mosh in time” or sing along to every single one of the words, clearly had an awesome time. In a final burst of tribal mayhem, The Amazons wrap up with popular favourite, ‘Junk Food Forever’, leaving a satisfied crowd exhausted but ready to do it all over again.