Review | Brave Rival vocalist bids emotional farewell to fans at The Wedgewood Rooms

It's been a full-on night.

Over the last five years, since solidifying their current lineup, the Portsmouth-based blues-rockers have gone from strength to strength. They’ve released two critically acclaimed studio albums and toured like it's going out of fashion, building an army of devoted fans – The Bravians – across the UK en route.

However, last month Josephine announced this would be her final show with the band so she could spend more time with her young family. This hometown show, originally a triumphant rounding off of a successful year, suddenly became a whole lot more.

Josephine and Bonnick started the band with drummer Donna Peters seven years ago, but the two singers have been performing alongside each for 12 years in various projects.

Watching the chemistry between them and seeing their confidence and pride in each other's formidable abilities has long been a joy of Brave Rival gigs.

Their vocals give me goosebumps more than once tonight.

Heavy is a proper old-school power ballad, and it lives up to its title in terms of emotional heft. There are numerous folk in the sold out audience with something in their eyes, as there are on stage. As the singers leave the stage, the rest of the band play an extended instrumental coda – a cathartic palate cleanser.

Rewind 100 minutes or so and the band are tearing into the opening brace of tracks from this year's excellent Fight or Flight album – Bad Choices and Seventeen.

Leaning more into the rock side of the equation than the blues, the songs provide an immediate demonstration of these two powerhouse vocalists’ skills.

In fact, tonight’s set sees them play the whole of Fight or Flight. And for the final three songs of the main set they bring out a string quartet – a live first for the band – to play the songs they used them for on the album. It certainly gives the songs an extra dimension – Blame The Voices builds to a positively Led Zep Kashmir-esque climax.

And if guitar solos bring you out in a rash, you're definitely in the wrong place. There's a reason their guitarist is nicknamed Ed 'The Shred' Clarke – the boy can, and does, play. Meanwhile the rhythm section of Peters and bassist Billy Dedman keep things on track, while also allowing for the occasional flourish.

If I have a quibble, it’s that there’s only space in the set for two numbers from their debut – Guilty Love and What’s Your name Again? But that’s nitpicking on my part.

They comeback for a single song encore of the epic Sink or Swim, with the band leaving everything on the stage.

The band deserve all the praise that’s been coming their way lately, but they’ve worked hard for it, and they are a simply awesome live unit.

However they have yet to decide their next step. But if they choose to bring in a new singer, Josephine’s left some mighty high heels to fill.