2025 will go down as an enormous year in the history of Alt Blk Era. Opening the year with a huge debut album release and accompanying sold-out hometown show, the band is already gaining recognition for their talents, notably receiving this year’s MOBO award for best alternative music act.
Alt Blk Era – BEX
The Key Club, Leeds – 16 April 2025
Words And Photography: Matt Pratt
The Alt Blk Era sisters have already become local legends in Nottingham, made no clearer than the large-scale mural painted of them in celebration of their album launch. So I was curious to see what the buzz for this exciting, young duo was like elsewhere in the country.
Early signs were enormously positive as the already upgraded venue presented a long queue stretching around the building. Dedicated earlycomers were braving the wet and blustery streets of Leeds in the hopes of securing an intimate reception with tonight’s headliners.
Having broken into mainstream consciousness with their album release, you would not have begrudged the pair for diving straight into some of their most popular new hits in favour of wider appeal.
Instead, the girls, clearly aware of the longstanding following present on this breakout tour, opted to open the show with a pair of songs maybe less familiar to new fans, Freak Show and Even If We’re Not: SOLAR.
In comparison to some of their recent work, the opening tracks might be considered more mellow and dark in style, generating an atmosphere of curious focus in the claustrophobic venue.
The dramatic start quickly leapt into the vibrant electronic sound which has gained the band such popularity, as the band opted for a playthrough of the entire Rave Immortal album in full.
The album largely focuses on the early lives of the sisters and bandmates, Chaya and Nyrobi, with a particular focus on Nyrobi’s personal experience with chronic illness and the support she received from Chaya throughout.
Chronic illness lends an interesting lens to view the tired notion that the alternative scene is a refuge for society’s outcasts. The cliché found so regularly in music, it can almost feel as though an ‘outcast’ is simply a contrarian with a quirky stylistic taste.
Alt Blk Era provide an important reminder that many people, through no fault of their own, are forced to find their way to alternative culture through active rejection from the popular scene, instead having to seek belonging in a community where no one identity is the identity.
Early into the album, we have two of the band’s most popular hits to date, and playing My Drummer’s Girlfriend and Hunt You Down back to back was always going to generate an electric atmosphere. There were few abstaining from singing along to the standout singles.
The second was even met with a new live music experience for me, a catwalk. Upon the climax of the song, where most would expect a mosh pit to kick off, the band requested that the crowd part so they, and confident members of the congregation, could strut their stuff up and down the room.
With each new song delivered, the energy reached new levels in the packed Yorkshire venue. I have heard stories of the atmosphere at the intimate early shows of Pendulum, as they rose to prominence two decades ago, and through the bone-tingling bass of Upstairs Neighbors, Come Fight Me For It, and Run Rabbit, I can easily draw parallels.
While I am sure there are many years of evolution left in this infant musical project, I am certain the band will have their sights set on emulating, and even exceeding, the success of the aforementioned Australian electronic rock legends. 
The evening drew to a close with a triumphant rendition of the pair’s breakthrough song I’m Normally Like This, as black and white balloons bounced around the room. The powerful electronic rock hit defiantly cements their identity and place in the world. They do not give a damn if you like it, they are normally like this!
Tonight’s show confirmed what I had already believed to be true. Not only have Alt Blk Era built a unique and engaging span of alternative music that performs excellently both live and as recorded, they have also grown a solid community of like-minded folk who relate to the adolescent struggles laid to bare in the lyrics of their sparkling tunes.
With the foundations of an unwavering body of support, alongside natural musical talent and artistry at such a young age, it is no surprise that so many are keen to pin plaudits to Alt Blk Era.
Their unapologetic identity is undeniable as they march intently into the spotlight, not as a product of what they are expected to be, but as the truest images of themselves.
BEX
Warming up the crowd ahead of Alt Blk Era’s headline performance, we had the enigmatic BEX. The eerie but entertaining personality of the performer generated curiosity as they delivered their unmerciful brand of fierce, alternative music. 
Alongside her exciting punk rock music, BEX was quick to assert her performing confidence, scolding us for leaving the room in silence after the opening song and demanding it does not happen again.
Should the lively original hits of the supporting artist not have been enough on their own, BEX was kind enough to give some exposure to another up-and-coming band, Green Day. Her cover of American Idiot was the perfect way to get the audience involved with all singing along to the timeless classic.
BEX closed off her appearance with a rendition of her song SPYD4 K1NG and, having heard the participation for the cover earlier wanted some of that singalong love for her own material.
The crowd duly yelled “bite down” on cue as BEX exploded with energy on stage with her final tune. Collapsing to the floor, laughing maniacally, she drew the curtains on her brief performance in an act true to the erratic energy of the engaging performer, whom I am sure we will see plenty of in the years to come.
