Photo Credit: @midlandstomanchester
Words: Ariana Boga

Picture Parlour’s electrifying rock and roll confidence commanded the stage at Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield – their first headline show in the city. Fronted by Katherine Parlour and lead guitarist Ella Risi, alongside Michael Nash on drums, Joey Django on the bass guitar, and Kitty Fitz on guitar, the band combines punchy lyricism with captivating alt-rock, enticing crowds into ‘The Parlour’ – the title of their debut album, released in November.

Aimée Fatale opened the night with her 60s-esque cinematic glamour, blending a vintage aesthetic with modern indie-pop. Fatale showcased tracks from her recently released EP, ‘A Modern Girl’, such as the hauntingly lush ‘Apple Of My Eye’ and ‘Let’s Just Get Married’ – a swooning and stylised dream-like ballad. 

The unreleased ‘Rich and Shameless’ was a stand-out, with Fatale unapologetically manifesting a life of luxury and fame, with her performance mirroring just that. ‘Out Tonight’ was also a crowd-pleaser that explored drunken escapism and the hazy fever dream that accompanies it. 

The remarkable Fatale closed her set with ‘The Way It Goes’ – a bittersweet track about the grief of missing a lost lover, and being reminded of them in day to day life. This resonated with the crowd, and was deservingly met with a roaring applause to round off her stunning set. 

The effortlessly striking Picture Parlour took to the stage with an unreleased track ‘Strange Is Love’, followed by the haunting ‘Face in The Picture’ – described by the band as ‘a portal to remind the listener that the faces, feelings and wounds which fade as time progresses never truly leave us.’

‘Who’s There to Love Without You?’ followed with its punchy guitar riffs and persistent lyricism that refused to go unnoticed. The first track both frontwoman Katherine Parlour, and Ella Risi, guitarist, had written together, titled ‘Moon Tonic’, had its moment on stage afterwards – a soaring and cinematic anthem with stunning orchestration.

This was followed by the apocalyptic ‘Judgement Day’, which served as a dramatic statement of love and all-consuming devotion, with religious elements weaved throughout. With their grand instrumentation, the band commanded the stage throughout the track and unapologetically ..

The band addressed the exploitation of young female artists in the euphoric ‘Talk About It’ – a song about letting go and dismissing the ‘he said, she said’ discourse that comes with a life in the spotlight. Focussing on writing their own narrative in the music industry, Picture Parlour were unapologetically raw in their instrumentation and lyricism, particularly after recently gaining independence as artists and this ‘feeling as liberating as it ever could’ – in the words of Katherine Parlour.

‘The Travelling Show’ and ‘Cielo Drive’ followed – both reflective and ruminative tracks – before Picture Parlour closed their set with the song that catapulted them into the limelight, ‘Norwegian Wood’. With its spacious drums and contorted chords, the song felt like a confessional, allowing the audience insight into emotions of inner turmoil and loneliness that are often difficult to pin down. 

Picture Parlour put on a hauntingly stunning performance at Sheffield’s Yellow Arch Studios, showcasing their debut album, ‘The Parlour’, and its raw, punchy tracks. Their razor-sharp commentary and cinematic grit was unparalleled, providing a night of spectacular modern, energetic rock.