Billy Nomates // Sage 2, Glasshouse Newcastle
Metalhorse in Motion: Billy Nomates at the Glasshouse
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Billy NoMates at Glastonbury ‘24 - Photo Credit John Hayhurst
This was my first visit to The Glasshouse (previously called The Sage), and I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’ve seen it across the river before but that’s about it. Billy Nomates was playing the smaller Sage 2 room, what turned out to be a brilliant venue even if it is a bit unusual, it was almost sci-fi like in its décor and design.
The support act was one woman performing as a circus act and contortionist, if I’m honest I wasn’t convinced to begin with, but she quickly won me round with her talent, her style and her incredible performance, Emily Sadler is an act worth keeping an eye out for, excellent, brave and different.
Billy Nomates, or ‘Tor’(short for Victoria) as she is more commonly known, has been around for a few years now, but during that time she has been building a devoted following. I saw her live for the first time last year and she blew me away, probably the best gig I’d seen in 2024.
I therefore jumped at the chance to drive from Yorkshire to Newcastle to see her new tour, especially as this year’s new album, ‘Metalhorse’ is a real step up and a brilliant record, which given the level that ‘Cacti’ set is truly saying something.
I wasn’t disappointed — this was Tor at full power. She’s clearly settling in with her band, even if she did make them squirm a little by joking that she “doesn’t like anyone” (to be fair, it came after a bit of banter about how quiet the audience was).
I already knew Tor was a wonderful singer and performer and that the band were tight from the previous show I’d seen, but what came across very strongly during this gig was her sense of humour, her warmth, her humanity. Tor has faced more than her fair share of challenges in the music industry — disgustingly unjust though it was, but she’s not let that stop her, she’s roared back with some amazing new music over the last couple of years.
The band’s performances have always burned with intensity, but this one hit a whole new peak, I was mesmerised. The new songs (and there was at least one that’s not yet been released), the old songs, the Metalhorse songs, all melded into one exquisite evening of live music.
Getting the crowd to sing along, then making a joke of asking them “if you weren’t here on a Sunday evening would you be home in your pants contemplating your life choices?” then hitting them with a powerhouse vocal performance, I could go on, this was yet another amazing show.
Old favourites such as ‘Spite’ were played but sounded fresher, more engaging, and at times more menacing, and the songs from ‘Metalhorse’ feel like they’ve taken things to a whole new level.
I do feel privileged to have seen Billy Nomates in this smaller venue as it’s surely just a matter of time until the rest of the world wakes up and understands the talent on display here.
Billy Nomates, probably the best gig I will see all year.
Written by Iain McClay