A cry of ‘12 3 4’ and we’re off. No nerves this time. Just confident delicious melodic alt rock. The strong female harmonies lifting the songs sky high. Arcade Who? My Precious Bunny is where it’s at. The progress and development, between their first show at The Great Escape to what is now their 5th gig is truly phenomenal.

World take note. You will love these songs. ‘Time’s That Passed’ is a drum free track driven by Lily’s clicking fingers and dueling sax and clarinet over organ, with gorgeous harmonies. It is simply sublime. Meanwhile Team Source challenges anyone to release a better song in 2926 than the glorious ‘Punchin’ which follows.

A quick round of hellos in the exceptionally convivial crowd and the venue gets darker for Jacks dreamy electronica driven soundscapes.

Enveloped in darkness the beats take us back to Artificial intelligence era Warp, which is high praise from someone who shopped in the old Warp records store on Division Street in Sheffield, while the home made super eight style films are projected above.

Coming early in the set Barcelona draws a big cheer from the crowd, as Jack bombs the pool. ‘Icebeing vs Cubzoa’ delves into glitchy Kid A Radiohead with Jack matching Thom’s falsetto pound for pound.

Our only complaint is that, despite being a solo show, there is not nearly enough Jack. The electrics bubble over the guitar and the venue is so dark it is hard to watch his playing style. But stick your ear in and listen, and all the reasons we would mention his name in the same breath as Neil Young or J Mascis are there. He is a phenomenal musician and he genuinely is one of the best guitarists we have ever listened to or watched play. There is a reason he has been snapped up by CMAT and is now touring the world on a daily basis.

Thankfully just to prove what we were thinking seconds before, the lights come up and Lily and Declan join Jack on stage. Suddenly we’re in kick ass indie rock three piece territory and they are playing hard guitar heavy dream pop good enough to knock your flat cap clean off.

The weight of the trio is gratefully received as the music makes the air move. The crowd is now noticeably hyped and rowdy as a looped riff gets ready to pounce. ‘Mid Air Collidor’ appropriately falls out of this maelstrom with its with a bass driven groove.

Choke dedicated to Sam of the Leaning Fame and his partner Lucy, makes us realise how far this album actually is under our skin. We know every word, and Jack explodes in perfect fuzzy Dinosaur Jr style, to bring the night to a close.

Love Thy Neighbour Presents: Cubzoa Live
Alphabet – 12th December 2025