Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
It’s been quite a year for psych-rock singer and multi-instrumentalist Rosalie Cunningham. Touring extensively on the back of her critically acclaimed album To Shoot Another Day, she and her powerhouse band have spent much of the past ten months captivating audiences across Europe.
Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
With a new (and fourth) album in the pipeline, the new tour entitled Breaking The Fourth saw Rosalie Cunningham light the blue touch paper and stand back at Nightrain in Bradford.
Regular North of Here readers might recall my retrospective on Rosalie’s career earlier this year (The High Priestess of Psych), so I won't re-tread old ground here. Instead, let’s get straight to the matter in hand: an incendiary set at Nightrain, Bradford, delivered with all the theatrical flair, heavy vintage riffage, and hypnotic swagger we've come to expect.
Bradford Nightrain Gig Flyer
Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026
I’ve also waxed lyrical about Bradford’s leading rock music venue, Nightrain before (my article here) and it was fabulous to see the venue attract the calibre of Rosalie Cunningham to grace the stage there.
Dark Fighter Fan the Flames
Dark Fighter, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
To warm up the Bonfire night crowd Bradford based Dark Fighter, were perfectly placed to ignite things and romp though a setlist of their music.
With influences ranging from Black Sabbath, Fu Manchu, Queens of the Stone Age and 70s rock, their detuned desert rock went down well with the crowd.
Their sound was raucously noisy but by no means shy of hooks and it made for a meaty starter before the main course of Rosalie Cunningham and her band.
Neil Beattie of Dark Fighter, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Setlist: Talk Is Cheap; Vertigo; Sick Like You; Superstar; Monsters; Lazy Bones; Black As Night.
Dark Fighter, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Rosalie Cunningham Brings The Sparks and Riffage
Rosalie Cunningham and band, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Any thoughts of the band taking things easy into the first night of the latest UK tour were quickly dispelled by opening number “To Shoot Another Day” the title track of her latest album. With the intensity of a rapidly firing flashbulb the cinematic song sparkled and popped across the venue.
“Timothy Martin’s Conditioning School” and “Heavy Pencil” quickly followed. Mirroring the album running order, the vintage vibe of both tracks shone like the headlights of a Hillman Avenger. The first song’s choppy beats showcased the taut dexterity of the full band, whilst the 70s rock lilt of “Heavy Pencil” incongruously left an indelible mark, stamped fully with the searing vocals of Rosalie.
Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
With the bit firmly between their teeth, the set drew on more gems from Rosalie’s most recent album.
Instrumental “The Smut Peddler” wafted a more sombre mood into the room, its mystical, insistent beat punctuated by Rosalie’s snaking guitar lines.
“Spook Racket” also from same album, has a deep, rumbling undercurrent, tastefully coloured with swirling keys.
Its hypnotic sway and lyrical messaging act as a velvet, gold-embossed Tarot card drawn straight from Rosalie’s personal deck—an ominous yet seductive invitation:
“We come ‘round to your town. We’re bringing the smoke and the mirrors out. We pull up, you get down. We hypnotise you with our sound.”
Lucas Tadini, Rosco Wilson and Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
“Donovan Ellington” resplendent with its folky guitar motif lifted from 2022’s Two Piece Puzzle album, is an essential cornerstone of the live set. Epitomising the psych-rock ingrained into Rosalie’s vintage modus operandi, its prog leanings further catapulting the song into a resonating wall of vintage sound.
Rosco Wilson, Rosalie Cunningham and Joe Davies, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Two new songs, “The Medical Trials” and “Rabbit Foot” followed. Currently physically available as a double ‘A’ sided single (online or at the Tour Merch stand), they both held up brilliantly against the older established material.
“The Medical Trials” sees Rosalie’s effervescent and scintillating vocals really glimmer as she works her way up and down her impressive range as the texture of the song ebbs and flows, stops and starts with sure-footed sonic precision.
Swaggering its way around like a long-lost 70s masterpiece, “Rabbit Foot” featured Rosco Wilson sharing lead vocals while his and Rosalie’s dual guitars jousted their way through the arrangement.
Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Winding the clock back saw a fiery rendition of “Wool” a 2012 psych-rock classic from Rosalie’s formative Purson days. Its deep prog machinations and atmospheric heavy-rocking revealed the foundation that Rosalie’s current widescreen landscape has evolved from.
The spiky guitar opening infused by the warm keys of Tadini saw “Return Of The Ellington”, again another of the highlights from To Shoot Another Day, maintain the heights the band had now reached. Its jig-like melody, albeit stripped of the violin on the recorded version, lost none of its fervour, prompting some impromptu pogoing from an increasingly hyperactive Rosalie.
A pogoing Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
With the complexity, depth and rich tapestry of sounds within her sterling back catalogue, it was crucial that in a live setting, the band could deliver her vision. And deliver they did, the five-piece assembly of talented musicians—from Rosco Wilson’s and Rosalie’s dual-fused guitar pyrotechnics, Lucas Tadini’s keys and percussion to the rock steady backbeat of Joe Davies’ bass and Raph Mura’s drumming, the rich organic vibe—turned Nightrain into an opulent 70s den of vintage sound.
Lavishly topped with Rosalie’s charismatic stage presence and pitch-perfect vocals it transformed into a uniquely contemporary beast.
Lucas Tadini, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Joe Davies, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Rosco Wilson, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Raph Mura, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Finishing the set with “Ride On My Bike” from self-titled debut album, saw Rosco Wilson and Rosalie again ramp up the riffage as the tale of rubber and steel unfolded. After a fluid, Brian May-esque guitar solo delivered with the fizz of a fresh pack of orange Spangles, the final crescendo brought things to a crashing finale, bringing our journey through Rosalie’s kaleidoscopic world to a close.
Afterglow
Lucas Tadini, Rosco Wilson and Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
With a new album on the horizon for next year and new tour dates as noted further below, it’s an exciting time for Rosalie and her band as they continue to go from strength to strength.
Rosco Wilson and Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
The UK tour continues with the following dates which stretch through to 2027. In addition, there is also a further Europe tour squeezed in between, with dates across February 2027.
Rosalie Cunningham, Breaking The Fourth Tour Flyer 2026/2027
With such an extensive arsenal of supremely crafted vintage yet original material, a live setting provides such a wonderful arena to launch a consistent set of firecrackers, delivered by an on-fire band of musicians.
And the blue touch paper has now been well and truly lit!
Make sure you get down to one of the further explosive tour dates or check out the rich and rewarding back catalogue of the uniquely talented Rosalie Cunningham.
An airborne Rosalie Cunningham, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
Band: Rosalie Cunningham (Vocals, Guitar), Rosco Wilson (Guitar, Vocals), Lucas Tadini (Keys, Percussion, Vocals), Raph Mura (Drums), Joe Davies (Bass, Vocals)
Seat: Standing, front—right, left and centre!
Setlist:
To Shoot Another Day
Timothy Martin’s Conditioning School
Heavy Pencil
The Smut Peddler
Spook Racket
Donovan Ellington
The Medical Trials
Rabbit Foot
Wool
Return Of The Ellington
Ride On My Bike
Rosalie Cunningham, Raph Mura and Joe Davies, Nightrain, Bradford, 5th November 2026 (Image: Damien Wilkinson)
