The ‘Welcome To My House Tour’ brought Brighton rock band Yonaka to Birmingham’s XOYO for an explosive performance. Having first seen the band five years ago, I am always excited to see how they reinvent their live shows and elevate their craft- it’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed

The first support act of the night was trap-metal artist Mimi Barks who took to the stage with a striking presence. Barks’ set was brilliantly chaotic and full of energy, a great way to kick off the evening. Noisy were up next and their performance was a whirlwind of fun. From the moment they walked onto the stage to the moment they left, the room was bouncing. Noisy brought the venue to life and I have never seen better support act-audience engagement.

After a short while, smoke filled the stage and the familiar sounds of ‘By The Time You’re Reading This’ blasted out. Yonaka instantly captivated the audience with their vivacious stage presence as they worked their way through the song. An electric run of hits followed, including a handful of tracks from their debut album. Front-woman Theresa Jarvis effortlessly commanded the stage and the crowd reciprocated her energy. 

Before heading into a string of songs from their latest EP, Welcome To My House, Jarvis encouraged the crowd to join her in singing the titular line of the next track ‘Hands Off My Money’, noting how good it was to hear people sing it once the track had ended. Jarvis’ vocals were flawless throughout the entirety of the show but ‘Welcome To My House’ was a particular shining moment.  The whole band must be applauded for the passion they put into their performance, Yonaka are truly a spectacle to behold. 

Following ‘I Want More’, Jarvis and bassist Alex Crosby strip things back with an acoustic version of ‘Give Me My Halo’, creating one of my favourite moments of the night. The delicate moment is shattered by their explosive new track ‘PREDATOR’. Yonaka always give their heavier songs justice in a live environment, thriving under strong guitar riffs and thumping bass-lines. Guitarist George Edwards joins Jarvis in singing ‘Clique’, another of the band’s heavy hitters, and I was pleasantly surprised by his vocal ability. After the ever-powerful ‘Rockstar’ the band left the stage as the crowd chanted for an encore. The iconic ‘Seize The Power’ finished the night on a high and received a monstrous reaction from the audience. 

From intimate acoustic tracks to roaring rock anthems, Yonaka’s performance was oozing with confidence and versatility. With each performance the band demonstrate a stronger sense of showmanship and never fail to put on a fierce show. I cannot wait to see where Yonaka go next with their music and I am even more excited to see how they bring it to their live shows.

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