Hotwax – recorded live in Hastings, broadcast on X-Posure with John Kennedy – Radio X, London – May 20, 2023 –
Hotwax, recorded live in Hastings, UK a few weeks ago and broadcast just this past weekend by John Kennedy at Radio X. Hotwax have been getting a LOT of attention lately, partly because they represent a return to Guitar bands and partly because, with the exception of Alfie the drummer, Tallulah and Lola aren’t out of their teens yet. But they sound like they’ve been around for decades. Tapping into a reservoir of influences, from Nirvana to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Hotwax have been paving a way of their own. With a no-nonsense approach and gobs of attitude. If anything, they are knee-deep in grunge for now.
As is evidenced by this recording of a gig they did in their hometown, the audience is clearly on Hotwax side and loving every second of it. I think it’s safe to say a lot of people are envisioning big things for this band in the coming months and years. The older they get the more their perspective will change and it’s going to be fun to see where they go. At present there’s a lot of teenage angst and “land of the absolutes”, but it has a worldly ring to it that will only go deeper and more profound as time goes by. The fledgling trio might be one of the most exhilarating new bands around right now, but they’re still rough around the edges. Their lyrics can be basic, often sticking loyally to an AABB rhyme scheme rather than branching out into anything more advanced. But, given the appropriate time to gain more experience and mature as songwriters, HotWax are showing all the signs that they could be mind-blowers going forward. And since their debut ep came out only a few days ago, momentum is picking up.
And starting today, they are hitting the road for what looks like a very impressive batch of gigs, including an appearance at the Mad Cool festival in Madrid in July (rapidly becoming one of the “must go-to” festivals in Europe for the summer).
Fingers crossed they come to the states at some point (sooner rather than later). But in the meantime, we have this live gig to dive into – and of course, head over to Bandcamp and grab their debut (I understand the vinyl is sold out, but . . .).
