Alternative rockers Bôa took to Stylus in Leeds on June 17th, blending nostalgia and new material into a spellbinding set. The trio’s recent resurgence brought some younger faces into the audience, sparked by the virality of their track ‘Duvet’ on TikTok, but the crowd spanned generations, proving the enduring appeal of their music.
The set kicked off with ‘Deeply,’ a confrontational anthem that set the tone for the rest of the night, with more high-energy tunes to follow. Jasmine Rodgers’ vocals cut through the heavy backing instrumentals with distinction and command, as the audience clung to her every note.
Those in attendance were nothing short of entranced. The trio had us switching between screaming and swaying all night as they played through their eclectic catalogue. Perhaps the most heartwarming moment of the set was ‘For Jasmine,’ a song narrating a mother observing her child growing up. As Rodgers sang, “never stop learning… never stop wandering,” a hush fell over the crowd. We experienced the full impact of the band’s emotional range. This tender moment in the middle of the set proved that the trio do softness just as well as they do storm.
If the show hadn’t already confirmed that the band is at its peak—thirty years on from their formation—it became undeniable during the encore. They played the night’s most anticipated track, the aforementioned TikTok hit ‘Duvet,’ steeped in melodic melancholy. The crowd’s volume met Rodgers’ as she sang, “And you don’t seem to understand…,” the timeless emotion of the line touching us all. It was a moving and fitting close to a night that celebrated Bôa’s sparkling legacy and their bright future.
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