Sisters in Arms - Larkin Poe Light Up Manchester with Raw Southern Power

Desh Kapur
Oct 21
3 min read

Manchester Academy, October 17th 2025

IMAGES AND WORDS DESH KAPUR

Sisters in Arms - Larkin Poe Light Up Manchester with Raw Southern Power

Southern Swagger, Electric Soul, And A Whole Lot Of Heart.

It’s a pleasant autumn night in Manchester, and the air outside the Academy hums with anticipation. Inside, it’s packed to the rafters — the perfect setting for Larkin Poe to kick off their UK and European Bloom Tour. The Lovell sisters have come a long way from their Georgia bluegrass roots; once the darlings of Americana, they’ve evolved into full-blown blues-rock titans. If you’ve not been paying attention, the Grammy-winning duo — Rebecca and Megan Lovell — are descendants of Edgar Allan Poe (hence the name) and, much like their ancestor, they deal in southern electric storytelling.

Son Little gets things rolling, stepping onstage with his trio and a sound that’s both lush and lived-in. His set draws deep from his discography — soulful grooves, blues-flecked edges, and vocals that sound like smoke curling through neon. Backed by DeShawn Alexander’s deep bass and keys and Steve McKie’s sharp, minimalist drumming, the trio sound effortlessly rich. It’s the kind of music that warms the bones before the storm hits

Just after 9pm, the house lights dim and Manchester roars. The reception is deafening, and rightly so. Rebecca and Megan Lovell stride onstage grinning ear-to-ear, flanked by their band, and launch straight into a volley of songs from Bloom — their 2025 album and arguably their boldest yet.

From the first note, it’s clear why Larkin Poe have earned their reputation as one of the tightest live acts on the circuit. Rebecca’s vocals hit like southern sunlight — pure, confident, and unflinchingly powerful. Megan’s guitar work is a show in itself: she plays her lap steel standing up, flat against her body, wringing slide licks and lead lines that sound like they were dredged from the Mississippi Delta. Together, they move with the swagger of a band who know they’re on fire.

Halfway through, the amps cool and the sisters bring it right back to their roots. The band gather around a single microphone — upright bass, mandolin, acoustic guitar, and brushed percussion — and Rebecca asks the crowd for silence. What follows is pure, old-school magic: close harmonies, aching melodies, and the kind of hush that only total respect can buy. It’s a stunning moment of intimacy amid all the volume.

Then comes “Mad As A Hatter,” their song about mental health, written when they were just 15. You could hear a pin drop. The emotion is raw and honest — a reminder that Larkin Poe’s power isn’t just in their riffs, but in their vulnerability.

Seconds later, they’re back to full throttle, tearing into a thunderous cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” It’s feral, fierce, and utterly joyful — a nod to the late, great Prince of Darkness, delivered with the grin of kids let loose in a record store. Extended solos fly, jamming breaks out, and both band and audience seem to be levitating on pure adrenaline.

The encore, “Bloom Again,” wraps it all up perfectly. The stage floods with colour, the sisters beam, and the crowd sings along like it’s gospel. It’s a moment that feels bigger than the room — one that hints at arenas and main stages yet to come.

Larkin Poe have always been good. Tonight, they’re transcendent. They’ve evolved from their bluegrass beginnings into a southern-rock juggernaut that can make a packed room feel like a revival tent. If country, folk, blues, or rock ‘n’ roll runs through your veins, this band is the real deal.

They came, they bloomed, they conquered.