The Amazons have come a long way over the past year, with extensive touring and the release of their self-titled debut album.

Taking to stage at O2 Forum in Kentish Town, The Reading rockers waste not time as they unleash their power with Ultraviolet. The alarm-like guitar intro gives a brief warning before the full impact of The Amazons hits the crowd headfirst. The band holds little back as they hammer through the set, only broken up by small moments of appreciation to a crowd that definitely do everything physically possible to uplift their rock and roll heroes.

“A year ago we played a small club in Hackney called Oslo, and now we’ve sold out The Forum! Thank you so so much” frontman Matt Thomson says before delving into Raindrops. The Amazons linger on the fine line between delicious rock and cheesiness. Harnessing their darker sonics and haunting guitar elements the track works beautifully live.

Nightdriving flourishes with a more melodic touch. The alignment of vocals and guitars impacts each word of the juvenile lyrics. The stoic nature of their live show is still present, yet they somehow still manage to grip the room.

Overall The Amazons are safely rooted in classic rock, the bombastic guitar production and auxiliary percussion consistently play up against each other throughout their set. You might feel like it can be a bit over the top, and still, there is an attentive eye to the tiniest of details that deter their sound from overly conforming.

The intoxicatingly catchy Black Magic dips into Millions (The Party) before seamlessly returning to it’s own extravaganza after Thomson secure an orchestrated singalong, “London, repeat after me”.

Little Something lingers for a moment before giving into the seductive gloom of In My Mind. Though they do sometimes slip at their own pace, the band are tight. One can argue that their sound is indeed resting safely within the blanket of acceptable guitar based rock, it’s definitely a classic, but it’s admittedly effective in it’s mission to make you want to throw your body around and dance. The feverish complexion of In My Mind does showcase some of their detailed manners bringing forth a darker tang to the guitar-soaked soundscape.

Leaving the stage on the note of Something In The Water, Thomson is soon back for the demanded encore. Piano ballad Palace gets a moment of glory before the inevitable giant ending with Junkfood Forever. The constant yet subtle shifts and the ballsy grandness in the melody have undeniable anthem qualities, and as vocalist Matt Thomson croons out “Junk Food Forever, It’s better late than never”, the whole room answers.

The hook of the last song still fills the room long after the band’s departure, freezing the moment for a few more seconds. The pompous rock music might come off as a tad cheese, like pumpkin spiced latte it’s a victim of it’s own cliché, but people love it, so what can you do. Living the cliché, loving the cliché, cause this gig was damn fun, and in the end, isn’t that all you want?

Photos: Aurora Henni Krogh