WEDNESDAY 13 + THE SOAP GIRLS + THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR @ ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL – 4TH NOVEMBER 2025
Wednesday 13 return to the UK for the second time in three months on what is seemingly their own version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Never-Ending Tour’ (TM). I think the truth is that they can’t get enough of us Brits – and who can blame them! In tow, they once again bring The Nocturnal Affair, who seemingly are also in love with the UK. Completing the bill are The Soap Girls, sisters who were born in France but brought up in South Africa.
The Nocturnal Affair begin their set with a drum solo from Kyle Cunningham. Kyle is apparently imminently departing the band. Even with that being so, there’s certainly no shortage of enthusiasm coming from the direction of the drum stool! During the first song, there is the choreographed headbanging that I remember from when I saw them last time in Brighton. Thankfully, it’s not repeated during the rest of the set.
The lead guitar (including dual lead guitar) is tasteful but not flashy. Neither of the guitarists are trying to see how many notes they can squeeze into a bar. The soloing is lyrical rather than flash. Vocalist Brendan Shane is often on keyboards when he’s not singing. His vocals are powerful whilst remaining tuneful. He is the band’s founder member, and I hope that he is proud of what he’s created. There are multiple mic failures, but the band keep going completely unfazed. I didn’t spot a single missed vocal line. Cross Me Out apparently got into the Billboard Top 30 in the USA. If only the UK record-buying/downloading public had similar taste! Unfortunately, during this song, the bass cuts out.
They finish with their cover of Haddaway’s Don’t Hurt Me. Once again, I ask why? I know it’s a popular song with their fans, but there are so many of their own songs that are better. The Nocturnal Affair are dogged by technical problems during their set tonight, but ultimately their performance and their music wins out.
Next up, we have The Soap Girls, whose existence I was completely unaware of until relatively recently. They have an interesting backstory. When they were children, sisters Noemie Debray (guitar & vocals) and Camille Debray (bass & vocals) sold handmade soap for charity. Whilst engaged in this endeavour, they would sing and dance, which got them noticed. So far, so cute. As teenagers, they were signed to Universal Records and put on the path to a pop career. However, they had no creative control and lost belief in what they were doing. As a result, they took a more punk direction, self-releasing their records and thereby having complete creative control. They may not be millionaires, but at least they are artistically successful.
They’re certainly not divas either, mainly setting up their own gear. They have big blonde hair that Dolly Parton would be proud of. With their touring drummer (whose identity is unknown), they present themselves as a formidable classic three-piece. Both girls share lead vocal duties.
The first song has the memorable hook “fuck me fuck you”. It rapidly becomes clear that the band are very socially aware, with Camille speaking out about intolerance at the end of the song. There’s some very cool surf guitar in evidence, with Dick Dale being a very probable influence. Rise Above is about not allowing your circumstances to dictate who you are.
As musicians, the sisters seem almost telepathic. Camille’s bass playing is very meaty throughout. There appears to be a ‘growl’ setting on her mic. It may be dual channel, as sometimes the growl accompanies her vocal. As the set progresses, the growl becomes more prominent. I’m not sure whether it’s meant to be amusing, but as time progresses, it starts to make me chuckle. That notwithstanding, they’re a shit-hot live band with attitude and intelligence. If you don’t know them, check ’em out.
Tonight, Islington Assembly Hall is nowhere near sold out, which is rather a shame as this is a really good bill. Also, it’s surprising as when Wednesday 13 played in the UK three months ago, they didn’t play in London. Still, the band always play as if they’re playing a sold-out arena, so it’s still an incredible show.
The set’s intro is hugely choreographed, but it works. They’re certainly the most metallic of tonight’s three bands, but only in the same way as Black Sabbath were more metallic than Deep Purple, for example. In contrast to The Nocturnal Affair, the guitar soloing by Roman Surman from Look What The Bats Dragged In onwards is very flashy with plenty of tapping. The audience are nothing if not lively, as what looks like a flag hits the bassist in the face. It ends up under the drum riser.
Wednesday 13 (aka Joseph Poole) is not one to ignore his illustrious rock past. Thus, we get the Murderdolls’ Summertime Suicide, which has an almost identical chord sequence to The Only Ones’ Another Girl Another Planet, which I hadn’t noticed before. That’s followed by Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13’s 197666. This has such a vast Alice Cooper influence that I half expect Vincent Furnier to come striding onstage with a ‘cease and desist’ document in his hand.
Nowhere is another Murderdolls song, and something of a highlight. The band leave the stage for a while after I Walked With A Zombie, but return with the classic Bad Things. The back catalogue of Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 is revisited for a final time for I Love To Say Fuck, with Wednesday 13 unfurling an umbrella that does indeed say ‘fuck’!
Wednesday 13’s horror schtick is indeed entertaining, and the band have a marvellous armoury of anthems that they can deploy with great effect. However, the sheer impact of the support acts meant that, remarkably, Wednesday 13 weren’t the runaway highlight of the evening.
WORDS: MARK KELLY PHOTOS: CRIS WATKINS
GALLERY
