Live Review : Wednesday 13 + The Soap Girls + The Nocturnal Affair @ O2 Ritz, Manchester on October 5th 2025

Like a pumpkin left on the porch, Wednesday 13 is here to provide Halloween vibes after the big day has come and gone. Now whilst Wednesday 13 may have long ago decided the UK is a lucrative market for shock horror rock 'n' roll antics, this is his third tour of this isle in twelve months and there is a distinct whiff of diminishing returns. The 1,500 capacity Ritz has shifted 350 tickets, and even with balcony closed there is a distinct feeling of space. However, those who are here are determined to enjoy themselves as much as possible and the plus side of underperforming sales is that there is a lot of dance room that the evangelical ghouls to put to full use. 

The Nocturnal Affair hail from Los Vegas. They define themselves as a dark rock band and their definition of darkness is certainly much less cartoony and theatre macabre than of the headline act. They tout a brand of melodic hard rock that is shot through with a heft of emotional weight. Everything revolves round front man Brendan Shane. This is his brainchild, and he does an inordinate part of the heavy lifting when it comes to atmosphere and pathos. His voice is frankly astonishing, and it reverberates from deep baritone emotionality to guttural screams and growls. He uses a very similar style to Corey Taylor and has the same level of infectious Charisma. However, the brooding intensity is put to one side for the rather inspired closing cover of Haddaway’s dancefloor classic ‘What is Love’. A staple of school discos and every family wedding reception you have ever been to, a slightly disengaged crowd is now swept along and sing along for all that they are worth.

There is rather a shift in gear as we change from the lush emotionally wrought melodic tones of The Nocturnal Affair to the stripped-down feral punk of The Soap Girls. They consist of French-born but South African-raised sisters Noemie Debray (on guitar and clean vocals) and Camille Debray (bass guitar, death growls and ballerina moves). They are joined tonight by unnamed drummer (if he did have a moniker, we didn’t catch it) and are wonderfully simplistic, deconstructed alt-rock.

Projecting as a trio, there is no room to hide sound wise. Bass rumbles to the right, grungy guitar to the left and drums pound in the middle with a raw rhythmic intensity. They seem to be pretty pissed off about everything but particularly politicians and paedophiles, but don't make it clear whether they are one in the same thing. It is stripped-down base intensity that is the most infectious thing about them. Everything has been rendered back to its raw organic components and little Camille contorts around the stage like she is performing some form of deranged gymnastic routine. This is rock n’roll with no gimmicks (sliver bikini tops and the splits aside) and it is rather enjoyable in its primal glory.

Whilst Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13 had a cult following, Wednesday 13 came to prominence as the lead singer of the Murderdolls (though he did start off as the bassist). His affinity with this country comes from the fact that his solo career was born when he toured here in 2004 after the Murderdolls first split. As said, there isn’t a great amount people here but everyone who is in attendance absolutely adores Mr. Joseph Poole and is well versed in every word of every song. The infamous sprung dance floor of the Ritz is ballistically bouncing as the devotees huddled at the lip of the stage enjoy the once in a lifetime experience of having the space to move and dance. Wednesday 13 has never been backwards in coming forwards about his influences and essentially this is Rob Zombie filtered through a mash of Kiss and Alice Cooper. It is not strong in originality, but it still manages to be wonderfully enjoyable in a cartoon and schlocky horror film vibe.

It is all about the aesthetic and theatrical vibe (something he learnt from Cooper and Kiss) and the band are bathed in red during the whole set. Wednesday himself twirls his mike stand like a Majorette with her baton and performs with an infectious show business sparkle. Whilst there are shades of a Tempu Alice Cooper, he has enough charisma and stage presence to build his own persona. Musically, it is all big chorused melodic fare. The industrial influences are there to be found if you look for it, but in the main, this is catchy rock 'n' roll. Ashes (recognisable from Wayne Static's solo band) is now ensitue as a replacement for the long-standing Roman Surman (who ironically left the band to relocate to the United Kingdom) and he fills the void magnificently. It is all big solos and chugging guitars and he provides the perfect foil for Mr. 13.

Whilst he is still nominally touring to support this year’s “Mid Death Crisis”, he knows what his loyal supporters crave and almost half the set comes from his venerated debut release, “Transylvania 90210: songs of death, dying and dead”. Though if we are honest it doesn't seem to be much difference in how songs are received. Every track is greeted with fevered reverence, be it new stuff for the new album or be it a couple of wonderful snippets from Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13. The point is that Wednesday 13 is now the true definition himself of cult artist. It may feel that he is over here more than a he is in his homeland (hell he is back for Bloodstock next year) but he has collected a bevy of followers that would pay to go and see him every night of the year if they could. That is what is so joyous about tonight, it is the opportunity to stand back and watch the joy and love between an artist and their fans. It is a fantastic bond and union; they love Wednesday 13 and he loves them and frankly you can't ask more than that. 

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Wednesday 13 + The Soap Girls + The Nocturnal Affair