Floral Image - support from Elenwen & Heavenly Bodes.
The new material is giving me earworms of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and even early Manic Street Preachers
Upon requesting my press pass for tonight’s show, I was rather jokingly informed that I am fast becoming something of a stalker of Norwich band Floral Image! Then upon entering the venue, I was greeted with these words, “are you reviewing the Floral’s again. Have you got anything else left to write about them, that you haven’t already said”?
Well, let’s see how it goes shall we!
First up for me after missing Elenwen’s set are Cornwall’s, The Heavenly Bodes and they do not disappoint. Relatively fresh from releasing their second album in May they have had an extremely busy year, packed full of gigs and are about to set off to the Netherlands later this month for even more.
Twangy guitars, make me think of The Coral, The La’s and even Jake Bugg during De Groene Heuvels and Faux Pillars and then I am all over the place for the rest of the set mainly in a good way feeling Kings of Leon vibes when they are smashing out. The audience receive them well and judging by the rush to the merch stand, many people will be following them very closely here on in.
And so, to the main act, Floral Image.
With their up and coming (always difficult) second album currently in the making at their home studio, the boys are once again back in Town, playing to an almost near full capacity show, with just a handful of tickets remaining on the door at the last time of checking.
As ever when the Floral’s are on home soil, the place is absolutely buzzing with excitement with some audience members having travelled far and wide to be here tonight as their reputation continues to build at a pace around the UK and way beyond our shoreline, following some very well received European dates during 2026.
The new material is sounding as consistent as their previous recordings and absolutely wonderful too, giving me earworms at times of Black Sabbath, Hawkwind and even some early Manic St Preachers too! As ever there is such a great camaraderie on stage with each and every band member worth watching in their own right, as they all more than play their own unique part in creating a real togetherness to help create their very distinctive wall of sound. They are such a great collaborative, genuine unique talents.
From the first chord, they are off to a blistering start with new track, Who Turned Off the Sun? Lift Off and more new tracks follow during the eleven-song set, none of which in typical Floral Image fashion are ever two or three minutes long as each song takes off in its own unique way in epic proportions.
We’re soon into the old material with Burning 305 and Tiergarten booming out loud and clear as the room goes crazy, it’s a real frenzy in here with the good-natured crowd as the boys physcadelic soundscape swirls around the old church. It’s a real joy to see so many people enjoying themselves.
Once again, they have turned the NAC into their own Boogie Town as they close the night with the exhilarating; Howling Dog Song and we are left still wanting more as they depart.
Now that really was quite a homecoming gig, wasn’t it? Not only are these boys probably the tallest ever band to come out of Norwich, and I will dare to say it again, but they are also the finest of bands to come out from Norwich too and I don’t think anyone in here will be arguing about that this evening.
May the world know their name one day soon.
It just goes to prove that you can never have too much of a good thing!
Their new album will be released during 2027, and I am not the only one that is eagerly anticipating its release. Recordings, I am informed are going really well with the drum and bass parts already laid down.
A big tour will also be announced in the near future, so keep those beady eyes peeled. I for one will most certainly be back in the house.
Over and out, for now.
