Words by Isaac Vernon
I’ve followed Calva Louise for a long time now, first seeing them playing in a basement many years ago as part the long forgotten Hit The North festival, as well more recently at a co-headline show at Little Buildings, as well as a 2023 headline at the Cluny; it’s safe to say this is a band who’s musical style has certainly evolved over time, but they appear more confident than ever in the musical space they currently find themselves in.
Their multilingual music is eclectic, pulling from a whole host of different influences, which is no surprise given the diversity of the members. Forming in London, each member hails from a different continent; the front-woman Jess Allanic is from Venezuela, their bassist Alizon Taho from France, and drummer Ben Parker is from New Zealand.
Their gig at Anarchy Brew Co. was fantastic, with impressive stage and production design for a wholly independent band. They were able to transport the audience to their fictional, neon soaked sci-fi world with ease. Playing just songs from their latest two albums, ‘Over The Threshold’ (2023) and ‘Edge Of The Abyss’ (2025), Calva Louise had us head banging and soaking in their unique and heavy sound, which pulls from so many different genres like post-hardcore, nu-metal with their own electronic flourishes. However, putting them in any box seems like a futile endeavour, they don’t occupy a single space, but have carved their own path, which is refreshing to hear.
The DIY trio have never disappointed me live, being an extremely tight act, are always leaving me wondering how they can replicate their one-of-a-kind studio sound on stage, no doubt Allanic’s crazy sliding keyboard/ synth has something to do with that. The songs ‘Impeccable’ and ‘W.T.F.’ from their latest album are both set highlights and perfect adjectives to describe the gig. I was also loving how ‘Third Class Citizen’ sounded, giving way to some chant-along moments and getting everyone moving. Set-closer ‘Oportunista’ was another moment of huge energy, which left me aching in the morning.
The support act, Knife Bride, deserve a special mention too. Completely new to me, they were the perfect choice to introduce Calva; with some clear metal influences and a poised energy which made me immediately go home and promptly add them to a playlist. I would absolutely see them again next time they come to town. All in all, this was a great way to spend a Thursday night, two fantastic bands with great vocals and striking drums effortlessly filling a room with pure energy.
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