The Rezillos live: Louder Than War's warm verdict on the Hammersmith Apollo show

In November 2022, Louder Than War published a review by Harry Mulligan of The Rezillos at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The gig took place during the run of farewell shows by The Damned, with The Rezillos on the bill in support. Looking back at the piece, it stands out as one of the warmest accounts of the band's live work, though it is worth being clear from the outset that the review carries no numerical rating and no ranked verdict. Its praise is affectionate rather than scored.

What Mulligan seems to have responded to most was the strength of the band's playing. The rhythm section drew particular praise, described as excellent, and the review treats the engine room of the group as a central reason the performance held together. For a support slot in a large venue, that kind of tightness is often what separates a set that passes the time from one that lingers in the memory.

The vocals were the other element the critic singled out. The review highlights the work of Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife, both of whom are described as strong performers. Their contributions gave the set a sense of contrast and momentum, and the critic appears to have found that combination central to the show's appeal. The emphasis falls on what the two singers brought to the songs rather than on any single moment.

The review also noted the balance of the set, which drew on both older and newer material. Rather than leaning only on the songs that built the band's reputation, the show offered a mix that suggested the group still had something to say beyond its back catalogue. The encore was described as well deserved, a note that fits with the overall impression of a band that gave the room exactly what it had come for.

Taken together, the review offers a useful snapshot of how The Rezillos were regarded live in 2022. Its warmth rests on the basics done well: a rhythm section that holds firm, two vocalists who carry the songs, and a set that respects both history and the present. Without a rating to pin it down, the piece reads more as a considered endorsement than a verdict, and that is arguably a fair reflection of a band whose live reputation has always been built on performance rather than headline numbers.