From Down Under to Denmark Street: RedHook’s Fiery London Headline Debut

I entered as Defences were finishing up their set to a packed, sold-out show at The Lower Third on April 25, 2025, right in the heart of London’s Denmark Street, preparing fans for RedHook’s London headline debut. First impression of a band I was completely unfamiliar with: they can wail! The female lead singer, Cherry Duesbury, commanded the stage with unmatched energy, delivering a tremendous alt-metal sound that even ignited a small pit in the centre of the tiny venue — instantly making me regret not arriving sooner to catch, not just their set, but also the opening act, Eville!

As the lights dimmed, a distorted intro introduced RedHook to the stage. Cheers grew louder as vocalist Emmy Mack made her first appearance, as the band launched straight into “Bomb.com.” The packed crowd responded with unchained energy, ready to give their all to RedHook’s first London headlining show. Without missing a beat, they powered into their biggest party anthem, “Dr. Frankenstein,” sending Friday night energy levels through the roof.

Taking a moment to introduce the band while bubbles floated across the venue, Emmy announced that “Hot Tub” was up next, ensuring the party vibes stayed high.

“We’re gonna play a load of songs off our new record!” Emmy shouted. “This one’s for my witches!” as the first notes of “HEXXX” rang out. Emmy delivered the track like a woman possessed, joined by Eva Sheldrake from the evening’s opening act, Eville, adding an extra dose of lady power to the proceedings. Together, they had The Lower Third completely under their spell!

After a brief interlude, the unmistakable intro of “Pyromaniac” kicked in, setting the room ablaze — metaphorically, of course. Emmy, armed with a hand puppet from the song’s music video, added a dash of comic entertainment to the performance.

Following another quick break, they ripped into one of their heavier tracks, “Off With Your Head.” It was here that the ever-popular “everyone get down to the ground” move took place. While it’s almost a staple at modern rock shows now, it never gets old, and RedHook’s London crowd embraced it with full commitment. No exceptions! The energy rolled straight into another fan-favourite, “Low Budget Horror.”

When the beat of “Imposter” kicked in, the crowd jumped in unison, immediately followed by a massive clap-along. As with “HEXXX,” Emmy brought out Cherry Duesbury from Defences to deliver another round of electrifying metal energy.

At this point, Emmy, visibly humbled, thanked the crowd for selling out their first London headline show. The lovefest continued as guitarist Craig Wilkinson whipped out a saxophone, sending the crowd into a frenzy with chants of “Saxophone! Saxophone!” “Make some noise if you know the song ‘Soju,’” Emmy called out. “Put your money where your mouth is — who’s gonna come sing with us?” One lucky fan was pulled up from the audience to join the band, amplifying the crowd participation. Despite already racking up multiple high points, “Soju” cranked the night’s intensity up to eleven, with a massive circle pit erupting through Emmy’s encouragement.

“Okay, who wants a heavy one?” Emmy teased, as the pit widened all the way to the bar and “Kamikaze” projected the crowd into overdrive.

“This next song is very special, and it goes out to anyone who’s experienced sexual assault — you’re fucking heroes,” Emmy said, introducing “Jabberwocky.” The crowd responded with even more passion, showing RedHook just how deeply they were embraced by their UK fans. The song ended a cappella style, with Emmy leading a heartfelt sing-along before giving drummer Alex Powys a chance to shine with an explosive drum solo.

The night concluded with a relentless trio of outstanding tunes: “Dead Walk,” “Cannibal,” and a barnstorming closer, “Bad Decisions.”

This was a triumphant night for RedHook. Their UK fans made it clear — London is ready for more. This may have been their first headline tour, but judging by tonight’s electricity, it certainly won’t be their last. As word continues to spread about this Sydney-based band storming the world, RedHook’s future stages are bound to be bigger and brighter — a success that is more than deserved.

UK fans can only hope they’ll be back soon — bigger, better, and, if tonight was anything to go by, ready to move up a league in venue size.

You can watch Damian’s interview with Emmy herself here.

RedHook Setlist:

1. Bomb.com
2. Dr. Frankenstein
3. Hot Tub
4. HEXXX (with Eva Sheldrake)
5. Pyromaniac
6. Off With Your Head
7. Low Budget Horror
8. Imposter (with Cherry Duesbury)
9. Soju
10. Kamikaze
11. Jabberwocky
12. Dead Walk
13. Cannibal
14. Bad Decisions