Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Dembe Theatre, Tring 4th July 2025

July 11th, 2025 by jason

It often pays to respect and ‘support’ the support band and those that favour the bar tonight miss an excellent opening slot from the Lightning Threads. Formed back in 2019 the Sheffield based trio consist of Tom Jane (Guitar/Vocals) Sam Burgum (Bass/Vocals) and Hugh Butler (Drums/Keys).

Labelling their style as simply ‘Blues Rock’ does them a bit of an injustice as there’s a soulful swagger to their set, songs like ‘Brown Liquor Black Coffee’ have that Cinelli Brothers swing that you just have to move to!

Technical gremlins during the first couple of numbers were brushed aside with a professional ‘let’s get on with it’ attitude and a wry smile and, by the time they reach the climax of their 45 minute slot they are cooking. As they close with their own take on ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’, Lightning Threads left me looking for future tour dates as I will definitely be catching them again.

Back in February 2025 I witnessed one of the early gigs of the ‘new’, four-piece Brave Rival. That night, if the pre-show nerves felt by some of the faithful in the audience filtered through to the band, it barely showed. Although it was clear that, as a collective, they were still finding their feet, the performance was as tight as it always was and vocalist, Lindsey Bonnick shone. Tonight, some five months down that new road, we have a chance to check on progress.

From the off it’s abundantly clear that Brave Rival mean business, walking on stage to the strains of AC/DC before launching into the regular opening pair of ‘Heart Attack’ and ‘Bad Choices’. No sound gremlins here, it’s a loud and proud greeting to us all.

Hints of a (slightly) new focus next, with the first of three new tracks, the impressive, ‘Poison’. It’s most definitely more rock than blues, and let’s face it have Brave Rival ever, really, been a Blues band?

As if to emphasise that point one of the standout tracks from last year’s ‘Fight Or Flight’ album, ‘Stars Upon My Scars’ follows, giving the birthday boy, Ed Clarke the opportunity to stretch his fingers across the fretboard for the first time this evening. As a lead/rhythm guitarist, everything is right about Clarke, his tone, his control and, the unerring ability to know when it’s time to let rip!

Second new track of the night, ‘Wild Child’, is next up, with more of a traditional Brave Rival feel to it and then one of the highlights of the night, a storming cover of the Catfish rocker, ‘Up In Smoke’. Soon to appear on a tribute album to the late, great Matt Long the band and, in particular, Lindsey Bonnick absolutely nail this. Lindsey’s vocals have been sensational all night and there is no doubt she is now utterly at home in the role of sole lead singer, fronting this powerhouse of a band.

It’s back to a couple of familiar tracks now, ‘Stand Up’ and the dynamic ‘Run And Hide’, an opportune time to mention the bedrock engine room of Donna Peters on drums and Billy Dedman on bass.

I was going to say they quietly go about their business but, Donna in particular is far from quiet! One of the best drummers out there, a seemingly permanent smile on her face, she absolutely drives the music on, perfectly in synch with Billy’s low-end punch, that solid foundation that every great band needs.

Brave Rival love to throw in a curve ball cover and they do it again now with a mesmerising version of ‘Alone’, best known as a hit for Heart in the 80s, with Donna on acoustic guitar and Lindsey wringing every ounce of emotion out of this great song.

We’re on the homeward stretch now, with Clarke’s slide guitar introducing fan favourite, ‘What’s Your Name Again?’ then ‘Seventeen’, another ‘Fight Or Flight’ rocker. ‘Control’ the last new song of the night is next up before Lightning Threads guitarist, Tom Jane joins the band for an extended jam through the Box Tops hit, ‘The Letter’.

The epic ‘Heavy’ closes the main set and, as the last note from Ed Clarke’s guitar fades away the audience demands one more song which, of course, they get in the form of ‘Fairytale’ and, with that, another excellent night of live music draws to a close and Ed can concentrate on his birthday cake!

It’s impossible to summarise this gig without emphasising the way Lindsey Bonnick has confidently taken on the mantle of leading from the front. There is a steely determination in her eyes as she prowls around the stage, out into the audience and checks up on reviewers note taking!

Chatting to Lindsey after the show, she acknowledges the ‘slightly heavier’ sound the new songs have injected into the set explaining that, as a band they cannot afford to stand still and that they will continue to move forward rather than keep looking over their shoulders at what has gone before. It’s that positive attitude that will ensure that Brave Rival continue to be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Brave Rival are touring nationwide throughout the remainder of the year so, check the dates on their socials and have yourself a great night out.

Review by Neil Pudney
Photos by Louise Pudney

Set List: Heart Attack / Bad Choices / Poison / Stars Upon My Scars / Wild Child / Up In Smoke / Stand Up / Run And Hide / Alone / What’s Your Name Again? / Control / The Letter / Heavy / Fairytale.

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