Written by IM Community Reviewer: Sarah Kemp
On Saturday, 20th December 2025, Involving Music’s regular Community Reviewer, Sarah Kemp, headed to Exeter Phoenix to catch hometown favourites Die Twice, with support from The Kabins and Fever Rouge. The night marked another big moment for an Exeter band that has been steadily building momentum across the South West.
Hailing from Exeter, alt-rock four-piece Die Twice have already amassed a dedicated local following for their explosive live shows. Band members Olly Bayton, Billy Twamley, Finn ‘Blue’ Lloyd and Jake ‘Fig’ Coles are known for using their raw and romantic absurdity to lead the charge of a new wave of UK Rock and Roll. Their sound feels both immediate and assured. Beneath the energy sits a lyricism that belies their young age, drawing on influences that stretch from Jeff Buckley and Led Zeppelin to Arctic Monkeys, blues, pop and a subtle hint of math rock. Here’s what Sarah had to say post-gig.
I arranged to meet the band from Die Twice before the show to ask them a few questions. They were in high spirits and clearly excited about the night ahead. Being an Exeter band, they were hoping for a strong hometown turnout and had their fingers crossed for a sell-out at Exeter Phoenix.
The conversation got off to a great start when Die Twice mentioned they were already familiar with Involving Music and had read about us online. Olly, the singer, had briefly stepped out, but drummer Jake explained how the band came up with their name. With a gig fast approaching and no name decided, Olly apparently said, “If we don’t think of something soon, we’re going to die twice.” Everyone agreed it was cool and it stuck.
The Exeter Phoenix event marked the final night of their Perfect Tour, originally named after a song they planned to release. That plan has since changed, with the band joking that the title might now be a little…imperfect. When I asked about their favourite show of the tour, they felt Exeter would be hard to beat, though London had surprised them with a bigger crowd than expected and Brighton stood as friends jumped on stage to join them.
Some of the funniest moments, they said, came from Nottingham, mainly thanks to the backstage “hospitality.” No rider, no drink discounts, and possibly some water “somewhere.” What they found instead was one bottle of water, a half-eaten apple and an open packet of crisps. When asked what their dream backstage package would include, the answers ranged from beer and tea to tequila, chocolate, sweets, spag bol, and a little more rock and roll, a posh pack of cigarettes or cigars.
Jake said his favourite songs to play live were Jalapeño and Princess, which often open the set and get people moving straight away. Bassist Finn was quieter but looked every bit the rock star, his leopard print top did not go unnoticed. When asked about dream collaborations, the band agreed Fontaines D.C. would be a strong fit, though they were thoughtful about the idea of working with someone totally different, from Mick Jagger to a rapper.
I missed the first support band, The Kabins from Ottery St Mary, after briefly heading to 12 Bar to catch a friend DJ. While there, a few people asked how I kept track of gigs, a perfect excuse to talk about Involving Music. Apologies to The Kabins, I’ll catch you next time.
Next up were Fever Rouge from Brighton, with the main room around three-quarters full. Some of their tracks immediately reminded me of The Stone Roses, which made sense when I later saw them listed as an influence.
Die Twice stood side-stage watching and dancing along. The energy soon spread into the crowd and the barrier filled with smiling faces. Fever Rouge asked who was ready for Die Twice. The response was loud and lively.
By the time Die Twice took the stage, the room was almost full. While not quite sold out, the atmosphere suggested something close. The crowd skewed toward the early twenties, much like the band itself. Lead vocalist Olly worked the audience confidently, encouraging cheers as the rest of the band joined him on stage. The opening track hit hard, backed by strobe lighting and finished to whistles and applause.
Die Twice sounded tight and confident, delivering a set that mixed rocky intensity with moments of indie softness. Olly’s voice was lighter than expected and sat well against the band’s heavier moments. The crowd clearly knew the words to many of the songs, and Olly thanked them after each track, building a strong rapport throughout the set. At one point, the spotlight shifted to drummer Jake, who looked very comfortable in the limelight.
The energy stayed high throughout, and the band looked genuinely thrilled to be playing to such a responsive home crowd.
Die Twice are supporting The Molotovs at the sold-out Cavern show on 11th January. If you didn’t manage to get tickets this time around, they’re also set to appear at Boardmasters in 2026 and plan to focus on writing new material next year, with an album firmly on the horizon.
