LIVE REVIEW
FLORENTENES
NEWCASTLE THINKTANK
Photography: David Weddle @dweddlephotography
Artist: Florentenes Venue: thinktank
Date: 24th of April 2026
Words: David Weddle
Artist: Florentenes Venue: thinktank
Date: 24th of April 2026
Words: David Weddle
It was a Friday night much like any other in the city of Newcastle. Things felt a little quieter than usual as I made my way through the historic streets of "The Toon". I didn't really know what awaited me as I entered ThinkTank, a popular grassroots venue in the heart of the city.
I was, of course, at a gig, and not just any gig, because unusually for me I wasn't there to see the headliner, I was there for the support. The Florentenes, not an arena act just yet but well on their way, have been making waves of their own since their inception in their hometown of Bolton; that's right, this lot have northern musical talent coursing through their veins.
I hadn't seen them play live before, so I didn't know what to expect. As the lads walked on stage and got straight down to business with The News, they sounded great. The crowd was getting into it and having a cracking time.
There was a slight issue with the monitors, and frontman William Train Smith seemed to struggle with feedback momentarily, but luckily the sound engineer had it sorted in seconds; very professionally done.
That only added to the show's authentic sound in my opinion. Who wants things to sound like a record when you have the actual band in front of you? Get a bit of feedback going; it always gives an edge that is hard to replicate.
I was, of course, at a gig, and not just any gig, because unusually for me I wasn't there to see the headliner, I was there for the support. The Florentenes, not an arena act just yet but well on their way, have been making waves of their own since their inception in their hometown of Bolton; that's right, this lot have northern musical talent coursing through their veins.
I hadn't seen them play live before, so I didn't know what to expect. As the lads walked on stage and got straight down to business with The News, they sounded great. The crowd was getting into it and having a cracking time.
There was a slight issue with the monitors, and frontman William Train Smith seemed to struggle with feedback momentarily, but luckily the sound engineer had it sorted in seconds; very professionally done.
That only added to the show's authentic sound in my opinion. Who wants things to sound like a record when you have the actual band in front of you? Get a bit of feedback going; it always gives an edge that is hard to replicate.
As the band was playing a short support set, opening up for The Kairos, they were going to have to cram as much as they could into the short amount of time they had, something that they did with gusto. I have to say they did a fantastic job of getting the crowd warmed up. And their rendition of Madeline was spot on, a real highlight of the night for me.
I would say that Florentenes are destined for something much bigger, and these early shows could end up being legendary as they gain more and more fans. It was great to see the lads enjoying what they were doing as much as the audience. Great stuff.
Loud, raw, and undeniably confident, Florentenes are the real deal. A masterclass in modern indie rock. If you get the chance to see Florentenes do their thing, be sure to check them out.
With their new EP Breaking News arriving on May 13th, the momentum behind this band feels unstoppable.
I would say that Florentenes are destined for something much bigger, and these early shows could end up being legendary as they gain more and more fans. It was great to see the lads enjoying what they were doing as much as the audience. Great stuff.
Loud, raw, and undeniably confident, Florentenes are the real deal. A masterclass in modern indie rock. If you get the chance to see Florentenes do their thing, be sure to check them out.
With their new EP Breaking News arriving on May 13th, the momentum behind this band feels unstoppable.
