Waterfront Festival at The Canal House, Nottingham – 2nd August 2025
Son & Moon
Another cracking Waterfront Festival at The Canal House, over 33 bands, artists and acts stormed the venue’s indoor and outdoor stages for a day-long celebration of live music, community vibes and sweaty pint runs.
I didn’t make it down until the evening, but walking in I was greeted by beaming smiles from mates and fellow revellers alike. The outdoor stage was absolutely booming. On it were Sun & Moon, led by the ever-charismatic Chai Larden.
Chai and her band tore through their set with an effortless soul and groove, their energy ricocheting around the cobbled beer garden as the crowd rose to their feet, swaying and dancing along. When the final note hit, roars of “encore” rang out, if they weren’t already on your radar, they should be now.
Inside, I ducked into the giant stage room to grab a beer, just in time for a moment of theatre. Echoes of chanting began to ripple through the crowd as The Midsommars, an ethereal folk vocal collective, made their entrance by marching straight through the punters. Their Instagram describes them as “a diverse group of women and non-binary artists from all over Europe, bound by haunting harmonies and ancient tales”, and they delivered exactly that. Their set opened with a chilling choral piece that turned heads and hushed the chatter—an unexpected and beautiful moment.
The Midsommars
After a few more pints and a catch-up with friends, apparently it was my round again, although my mate had been there since lunchtime so I reckon the round tally was more fiction than fact, I caught the setup for Black Bordello. A five-piece art-rock outfit from Peckham, known for their theatrical live performances and genre-melting sound, they were clearly aiming for perfection. Their lead singer, Sienna Bordello, all operatic flair and magnetic energy, waited patiently as the sound engineer frantically reworked the wiring, chasing the elusive perfect mix.
When they launched into their set, it was like a jolt to the system, synthy hooks, angular guitar riffs, shifting soundscapes, and those distinctive, haunting vocals cutting through it all. Think post-punk meets gothic vaudeville with a splash of prog. The crowd lapped it up, this band doesn’t just play, they perform.
Black Bordello
I couldn’t stick around for the final acts, Jam Café was calling, but I left on a high. Another huge win for Will Robinson and the team behind the festival. The sheer range of artists packed into the line-up this year was wild, and I’m still kicking myself for missing some of the earlier sets.
Note to self: next year, book the full day off. There are at least 20+ bands from that line-up I want to see properly, and knowing us at NottsRocks, we’ll be chasing them down for gigs before then anyway. But hey, there’s always next year.
