Hotel Mira return to the UK on their ‘Pity Party’ tour with quite the opposite of pity

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Charlie Kerr of Hotel Mira, taken by Mel Tumber

Canadian alt-rock band Hotel Mira returned to the UK with their Pity Party tour, but there was no negativity nor pity to be experienced at this show. The third date of the tour was at Nottingham’s Bodega, which was chock full of excited faces and voices “singing the words in a different accent”, as frontman Charlie Kerr put it at the end of the show, which he dedicated to the gay, trans, and immigrant communities across the world.

Supporting Hotel Mira was King Blonde, marking this as their second time supporting the band at this particular venue as coincidence would have it. Gaining recognition from BBC Music Introducing, the Derby-based band interweaves influences from artists such as Nothing But Thieves and Jeff Buckley into their music, the result of which is a dreamy alt-rock blend making for a stunning and headbanging-worthy live performance. During one song, the lead singer left the stage to perform in the crowd, proving that, despite being a small band, they clearly know how to rouse their audience, and most definitely have a successful career ahead of them.

Hotel Mira entered the stage with an explosion of energy with their first song, America’s Favourite Pastime’, the opening track of their 2025 album Pity Party. In a smaller venue like The Bodega, the passion of the band and fans was practically bouncing off the walls. Up next was King Of The World, initially starting softer and slower, but soon launching into something that was impossible not to dance to, with booming bass and a riff that could easily get stuck in your head.

Lead singer Charlie (described affectionately by a fellow band member as a “sexy spaghetti noodle”) was dancing just as much as the crowd, prancing around the stage and flipping his hair. He often took advantage of his proximity to the audience, leaning in close to fans and giving them the special moment of singing lyrics to one other - I even found myself in this position during This Could Be It For Me, my personal favourite from their discography - despite being behind a camera, I was able to connect with the band on a personal level - something that is always a perk of smaller venues and will leave a lasting effect on me and other fans.

A standout moment of the show was during the emotional Speaking Off The Record when Charlie walked into the crowd and invited everyone to hold his hands as he sang, further solidifying the band as one that cares deeply about their fans and their engagement with the show. Other high moments were Dancing With The Moonlight, an upbeat song that could get anyone moving, and Vampire, which had the crowd yelling “hey, vampire!” during every chorus.

Hotel Mira is a band that knows exactly how to give any show a vivacious atmosphere, and there is no doubt that British fans will be left feeling invigorated and eagerly awaiting the next time they return to the country on tour.