There’s something uniquely powerful about a hometown show, and RØRY’s return to Southampton Guildhall was one of those rare nights that felt bigger than music.
The evening was beautifully set up by two support acts; Defences and Sky Dxddy. Both were strikingly different in their own styles, yet shared a similar emotional pull. Their hard-hitting lyrics and raw themes of self-discovery, struggle, and hope perfectly set the tone for what was to come, creating an atmosphere that felt cathartic from the very start.
Defences opened the show with a bang. The contrast between Cherry Duesbury’s soaring clean vocals and William Young’s raw screams gave their set a dynamic edge, beauty meeting grit in perfect balance. Duesbury’s voice shone effortlessly live, every note ringing true, while Young’s energy and rough-edged delivery kept the performance grounded and full of fire. It’s a sound built for the stage, powerful, emotional, and impossible to ignore.
Defences
Sky Dxddy brought something entirely their own, a raw performance they describe as trauma-core. Their songs are deep, emotional responses to experiences that no one should ever have to endure, and they deliver them with both fury and fragility. One of the night’s most striking moments came when a member of the crowd handed them their wedding dress, a symbol of pain they no longer needed to carry, and they tore it apart on stage. It was cathartic, emotionally charged, and utterly unforgettable; a physical act of reclaiming power through art.
Sky Dxddy
From the moment RØRY stepped on stage, there was a warmth and connection in the room that never once faded a sense that everyone was there not just to listen, but to feel something real.
I’ve followed RØRY and their husband for a while through their social media, where they speak so openly about ADHD, relationships, and navigating life with honesty and heart. That same openness carried through every part of the show, a raw vulnerability that made the evening feel deeply personal.
Halfway through the set, RØRY left the stage and walked into the crowd, standing in the sound booth under the soft glow of the lights. There, they spoke about losing their Mum to cancer 19 years ago and how, despite what people say, you never really reach “acceptance” in grief, you just learn to carry it differently. They asked the audience who among us had experienced loss, and almost every hand went up. Before performing the emotionally charged “Jesus and John Lennon”, they asked us all to hug the person next to us. In that moment, as the song began and they dedicated it to their late Mum, I looked around and for the first time, my own grief didn’t feel so lonely.
RØRY’s homecoming show was more than a performance. It was a shared experience with everyone in that room, emotional, vulnerable, and unforgettably human. A reminder that even in our deepest pain, music can still bring us together.
RØRY
Watching RØRY perform, it’s impossible not to feel proud of how far they’ve come. Having achieved significant commercial and critical success in their late 30s and early 40s, a stage in their career they affectionately describe as a “late bloom, they stand as proof that artistry and authenticity only deepen with time. This show wasn’t just a homecoming; it was a powerful statement of resilience, growth, and the healing force of music.
All images by Jesse Lawrence – @jlawrence_musicphoto
