Roses in Full Bloom: A Triumphant Summer Set at Rough Trade
Back in January, we tipped Roses as a band poised to bloom in 2025. Just over half a year on, amid the heat of a buzzing Bristol summer, that prophecy has already borne fruit. At a packed Rough Trade, the band took to the stage not as hopeful seedlings but as a fully unfurled presence—vivid, assured, and radiant.
Comprised of Emily (vocals), Megan (guitar/vocals), Reece (lead guitar), Joe (bass), and Sean (drums), Roses had played fewer than 20 shows when we first encountered them. But even then, the signs were unmistakable: this was a band with all the right ingredients—musicianship, chemistry, and a sense of identity still forming but already compelling.
Saturday’s seven-song set was a confident statement of growth. No longer confined by their pop-rock beginnings, Roses now draw from a richer musical palette: the rousing hooks of early 2000s indie, shades of Southern rock, and even subtle hints of country twang. Their sound has deepened, rooted itself, and is branching out in bold directions.
On stage, their evolution is just as striking. Where once there was polite nervousness, now there’s a playful charisma. The onstage dynamic—Megan trading grins with Joe, then Reece—shows a band entirely at ease with itself. It’s this visible camaraderie that elevates the performance from tight to transcendent. Nothing feels forced; everything flows.
Frontwoman Emily is a revelation. Effortlessly magnetic, she commands attention not with bravado but with charm, poise, and a sense of theatrical vulnerability. Her presence evokes echoes of Gwen Stefani in early No Doubt—equal parts quirky, emotional, and unpredictable. She embodies the lyrics, inhabiting them like a character actor, imbuing every line with nuance and sincerity.
From the opening jolt of “Don’t Wanna Stay” to the emotional crescendo of closing number and latest single “Paralysed”—a stirring duet between Emily and Megan—Roses prove themselves as purveyors of unfiltered emotional resonance. Their songs wouldn’t feel out of place on the soundtracks of the best coming-of-age films from the ’80s or ’90s: direct, nostalgic, and heart-on-sleeve honest.
That, perhaps, is the secret to Roses’ appeal. Their music lands on multiple levels: it’s instantly singable, emotionally piercing, and lingers long after the final chord—like a thorn in the heart or a chorus that won’t quit.
This summer, Roses didn’t just bloom. They blossomed into a band worth watching—and feeling—for a long time to come.
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Chief, the one that bugs the team for team for their reviews and images. Creator and founder of The Bristol Gig Guide. Can usually be found swamped in admin or getting cramp kneeling at the front of a gig.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Videography work, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Republica, circa 1996.
First gig shot: Hands Off Gretel, at The Louisiana!
Dream gig: Huge metalhead and my ultimate dream gig would be shooting my heroes Slipknot at a huge stadium gig, or as festival headliners. And to experience shooting a headline tour outside the UK
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