Cherryholt, Heidi Curtis and Villanelle @ The Lower Third, Soho – 5/3/26
Written by Pippa Dale
On a Thursday evening in Central London, the streets are as alive as ever. But something particularly special was happening below the bustle of Soho. In the depths of The Lower Third, nestled on the renowned Denmark Street: the everlasting hub for London’s thriving music scene, three epic upcoming artists blessed a crowd of budding indie music fans. This special show was hosted by BBC Introducing, solidifying their reputation of calling artists talent before they break into their fame. This selection of artists are on the road to being no exception to this pattern as they had a chance to step up onto the platform and show us who they really are. Whether it was your first impression of these artists or you’re an OG fan, their sets left us all hungry for more.
The young and old alike crammed into the main clubroom of this much-loved venue; a sea of leather jackets, Adidas and denim shuffled in anticipation. The excitement buzzed – Cherryholt took to the stage. This quintet of youthful, indie fun got the crowd immediately singing and moving ecstatically. Opening with their anthemic new single The Bullet – despite its mere couple weeks of release – the crowd sang every word with all the adoration of a long-established favourite. With the particularly awe -inspiring vocals from frontman Reuben Baskerville to Ben Walsh’s gut-punching guitar work, their massive tracks were bursting the seams of this little room – proving their sound is beyond their size. Continuing their set with a mix of released tracks like Bailey and Irresistible, and tracks yet to hit streaming, it was clear this band are headed for great things this year. If these guys sound like your jam, it’s not too late to snatch up some tickets to see them on tour in May this year. As well as opening for The Wombats and Red Rum club, you can catch them at festivals like Kendall Calling this summer, too. Set for a big year, it’s fair to say Cherryholt are not stopping here, and their stages are on the rapid expansion!
The evening continued as the mystical Heidi Curtis floated onto the stage with her band at her side. Adorned in black lace, wild curls and rocking the splendour of ‘70s rock – her set was unforgettable. From the moment her opening riffs rang it was clear why Heidi deserves to be on these stages and on your radar. With the recent release of her singles Undone and Siren, it’s clear her talent is blossoming as her fan base snowballs. Picking up fans from opening for the likes of Inhaler and Sam Fender, she was the perfect fit for a night of indie music. Being accustomed to the opening slot, her shock and love at the crowd singing her songs back to her was adorable! Released and unreleased alike – the words and riffs echoed back to her along the crowd of enchanted faces. Her love for performing stood out to me, and her unique sound of blending rock with her encapsulating siren-esque vocals made for a magical set. With her magnetic aesthetic, rolling riffs and punchy drums – it’s no wonder we’ve all fallen in love with her vibe! Her set was riddled with anonymous new tracks which fans (me most definitely included) are hoping to soon see their release on the horizon. As Heidi’s cinematic set drew to a close, all I could think was how 30 minutes was not nearly a long enough set! This North Shields girl is one to watch – for sure.
Finally – Villanelle. Oozing with a cool mysteriousness, this three-piece band packed a massive punch to end this exciting night of new music. The crowd’s energy did anything but dip for these lads’ set – upon frontman Gene Gallagher’s request, a buzzing mosh pit instinctively opened for their most recent single Placebo. Their dirty, shoegaze, grunge guitar sound shook the walls and insinuated a sea of banging heads and jumping fans. After experiencing their electric set, you can understand how they managed to achieve a headline tour prior to any released music. They don’t count on numbers, they count on word of mouth, immersive live shows and a love for the music. A testament to the direction the indie music industry is headed back to. With new songs played among their released singles such as Measly Means and Hinge, the crowd are no doubt all the more excited for their upcoming EP release just around the corner. It’s safe to say they are one heck of a band. Villanelle are destined for those larger stages – and they are well on their way.
And as the last guitar screeched out and the crowd began to shuffle to the exits and the merch tables or possibly a final call to the bar, the night drew to a close. Optimism for the future of these artists still rings out. It’s wonderful to see people coming together to support these grassroots venues and upcoming artists – it’s clear the love of live music will never die. Thank you to BBC Introducing for hosting these nights and giving a stage-sized stepping stone for the next generation of headliners. Amazing things are on the horizon for all these bands – you definitely don’t want to miss them!
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