I’m pretty sure that every band has that one show that has gone down in folklore amongst the dedicated members of their fanbase. That one performance that a mere mention of causes the eyes of hardcore fans to moisten as they either exclaim that they were there or that they’d trade their firstborn to have been there. For Hope of the States fans that night was in December 2024 at Manchester’s Gorilla, when the band made a live return after eighteen years which was as unexpected as it was emotional (more of which can be read in my review here). As their four date reunion tour came to its end the band though remained non-committal as to whether those shows were the start of a new chapter or one final hurrah. Eight long months passed before the emergence of a new song and the announcement of a second mini-tour, with the final date a return to Gorilla. It didn’t take much thinking time to decide that a return was needed.
Standing back in the Gorilla, pre-gig pint in hand, a strange feeling of familiarity struck me, but not just for being back in the same venue to see the same act after such a short period of time. Over the past year I’d often gone back to watch this video of the main set finale from the previous Gorilla show including the glorious subsequent audience sing along and relived the joy of the moment. Looking around the room it was amazing how many faces were present again, many standing in the exact same spots they had been in 2024 And whilst I didn’t actually go and speak to any of them it did add to the feeling that I was back amongst friends for the evening.
It takes a certain mindset for a band to start a show with a B-side, instrumental and the secret track hidden at the end of their debut album, but in some ways to understand that approach is to know and love Hope of the States. The sound was immediately vast, swirling and frankly humongous, and whilst first big hit of the night Nehemiah was slightly lost through overenthusiastic distortion the quality and crispness of the acoustics suggested the band had spent the past year refining their live performance. It wasn’t just the band’s output that felt fresher, frontman Sam Herlihy was in fine form throughout – a year previously he’d seemed nervous to the point of being overwhelmed at times, second time round he seemed relaxed on stage, joking about stealing flight cases from other bands, Guns ‘n’ Roses‘ November Rain video and having his son talk him out of wearing flares for the show.
Whilst the band remain coy regarding what the future holds for them, their silence almost seeming to trying to antagonise the audience, the addition of a further handful of new songs suggests that album number three may not be all that far away. The highlight of these was Footage/Steamtrain, sporting Cooper Temple Clause-esque guitar lines backed with an increasingly throbbing racket before escaping from its claustrophobic cage into something bright and hopeful, demonstrating that if the band are going to proceed they plan to stay loyal to the approach that made their first album such cult listening. By the time Long Waits in A+E reared its almost twelve minute head to finish the evening it was clear that something special yet different had occurred – not the outpouring of emotion and disbelief that the previous year’s show had seen, but a band in control and ready to recapture their glories. Whilst a heckle from the crowd of “Same place next year?” was deadpanned back with “Sorry, I’m busy” this didn’t feel like a last hurrah for a band who clearly have much still to give.
Were you there at the Gorilla? Have you been fortunate to see Hope of the States since they reunited? Make sure to leave a comment below.
Hope of the States performed:
Angels Over Kilburn
The Black Amnesias
a crack up at the race riots
Nehemiah
George Washington
Ghost Story
Footage/Steamtrain
Black Dollar Bills
The Red the White the Black the Blue
Billboard Mountain
Concerned Relative Blues
Sing It Out
Thee Seventies Song
Enemies/Friends
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The Last Picture Show
Houses on the Hill
This Is a Question
Long Waits in A&E
Alex Reviews Gigs 
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