On the evening of 18 June, the March Violets‘ warm-up gig was indeed just that: warm. With the temperature outside still hitting 24 degrees, the temperature inside the Retro Bar was through the roof as the tiny venue was packed with a sold-out crowd ready for an evening of career-spanning hits. Used to playing at much bigger venues, the band played this super intimate venue to kick off the UK leg of their 2025 tour.
Manchester favourites Moth Slut provided support, their roaring vocals and gothic guitars keeping the crowd spellbound as they bounced off the walls of the tiny stage. Braving the heat, goths wearing stripey tights and black velvet waved black roses in the air as the duo clawed and snarled their way through songs including ‘In the Dead of Night’, ‘Night of the Moth’ and ‘Forever, Again’.
The audience demographic proved just how much music can span generations, as The March Violets fans from the 80’s rubbed shoulders with a younger crowd while they attempted to cool off between the bands. Any age gaps were forgotten as soon as The March Violets took to the stage, with Lead Singer and author Rosie Garland’s stage presence creating an electric atmosphere before they even started.
Launching straight into fan favourite ‘Crow Baby’, the band’s set started as they meant to go on – a high energy, singalong journey through the band’s extensive back catalogue. “Let’s go back in time!” Rosie joked as the 1984 classic began.
Outspoken and unapologetic, Rosie spoke her mind throughout the evening. Dedicating ‘Radiant Boys’ to “the girls, the boys, and the neither” and ‘Hammer the Last Nail’ to the current “dumpster fire” political situation while the crowd roared and clapped their approval.
Backed by original March Violets guitarist Tom Ashton, and bassist and vocalist Mat Thorpe, Rosie prowled around the small stage like a caged Tiger. “Let’s say I didn’t sell your soul” she purred into the mic as the band launched into ‘Crocodile Teeth’.
In fine form, Rosie thanked the crowd for knowing all the words, joking that if she forgets the lines, all she must do is lip-read while they played career-spanning hits including ‘Walk into the Sun’, ‘Made Glorious’, ‘Grooving in Green’ and ‘1, 2, I Love You’.
The evening was infused with emotion as this is one the last events at the Retro Bar, formerly known as the Swinging Sporran. It’s been hosting punk, goth, and alternative events since the 80s but is set to close due to redevelopment of the surrounding area in July, leaving a gaping hole in the Manchester music scene. Thanking the venue and staff Rosie joked about the size of the place: “Normally at this stage we would leave & come back for an encore, but there’s nowhere to fucking go” while the crowd roared, whistled and shouted for more anyway. Ending with the “batshit bonkers” ‘Fodder’ before launching straight into their biggest hit ‘Snake Dance’, the heat did nothing to dampen the spirits of the crowd as they waved their arms in the air and sang along to every word.
As the band left the stage, the sweat-drenched audience crawled out of the basement bar and into the night with Rosie’s words ringing in their ears: “The world needs you. All of our strangeness & all of our weirdness make the world a better place. When you leave here tonight, make Manchester that little bit weirder.”
Words to live by, indeed.
Tickets for their UK tour are available here.
