The Twang: 02 Academy, Birmingham

The Twang | Brogeal | The Bracknell
02 Academy, Birmingham
20th December 2025

Is it that time of year again already? Oh, where does the time go? Actually, where does the time go? Remember 2007, when The Twang were more of an exciting prospect than the Arctic Monkeys? Time flies, but here we are, in the cauldron of a what feels like a ‘derby day debacle’ with ya best mates in Christmas hats.

Traditions are kept, and as traditions go, accompanied by your memories of a Happy Christmas from ancient pasts, The Twang never fail to deliver a traditional knees-up. A chink of glasses all round, dear boy. Here’s to Traditions. Traffic mayhem and idiot drivers meant I only caught the last two tracks of the opening act, The Bracknell, a good band, like the Doves, with more guitars. They laid the table for the evening’s entertainment very well. 90’s guitars and cigar smoke vocals.

Brogeal, one of the success stories of 2025, then opened the cracker. Billy Connolly’s standard jokes and an explosion of sound that reinforces the idea that these boys easily fit this size of stage and venue. Even the hardcore ‘brummie boys’ took them to their hearts, roaring back a cover of The La’s There She Goes. Bang.

Now for the main course, The Twang, ladies and gentlemen, as three thousand madheads lick their lips like starving hyenas, though I suspect that may be sumat else. Opening with 10:20’s Take This On, it sets the scene. Hands up, sing along, scrumptious. Ice-Cream Sundae next. Yum.

The Twang have always had that gift of being able to capture what the ‘lads down the road’ do day by day. Drinking too much, being herded like sheep, breaking hearts and being heartbroken, bowing when the going gets tight and ever so occasionally a tiny ounce of rule breaking but willing to shout from the top of the pier for your mates, love and mischief covered in excitement. Pretty much like what Paul Heaton does. One of our most underrated songwriters and performers, Etheridge/Watkins, wears the same cap.

Etheridge is the kewell kid of the bunch, always has been and looks the best he ever has on stage. Life and soul of the party. Non-stop creating ‘dance-struts’ that we all copied. The lad who could stand at the bar, nod his head to the world, not say a word, but everyone wants to hear what he has to say. Don’t get me wrong, he doesn’t stare down a crowd like LG, but with his spine clocked to twelve and hand gestures galore, he owns that stage and every pulsing heart within the gaff. He’s our best frontman since the aforementioned Mr G.

Obvious standouts were your Either Ways, Barney Rubble, Wide Awake and Cloudy Room; it’s what the besotted loyal fan wants to hear, but it shows a band’s worth when they don’t have to play every track from the first album. Back Where We Started, Whoa Man and It Feels Like show the array of top pop hits their back catalogue holds. It was laid out like a buffet you’d come back to munch on time and time again. A refined repertoire of glorious guitars and drumstick lollies. Vol-au-vents are tasty, but the Twang provide a three-course meal. On The 24th was an addition to the set (while Father Christmas threw goodies into the crowd) that showcases the softer side of a band who were probably once stuck with the hooligan stigma, but as its Christmas, why not play the ‘modern day Fairytale of New York’ and cry with ya mates that sometimes you let the love of your life down at the wrong times. Get the mistletoe out and snog ya beloved. We still believe.

Everywhere you look throughout every track on the set, arms are aloft, voices are being stretched, and masses of mates dance and sing like they ain’t seen each other in years.

There was a tingling moment during Encouraging Sign when the lyrics “we still need you and nothings changed after all this time” reverberated around every crevice of the venue and filled every pore of your soul for what felt like an eternity as the crowd roared back in unison. We still need The Twang. Bring back 2007, I loved every minute, apart from during You On My Shoulders when everyone climbed on each other’s shoulders, I couldn’t see shit. I’m four foot nowt.

Happy Twangmas everyone x

~

All words by Eccie, find his profile here: 

Photos by John Evans – you can find him on Instagram here: