Damp Matches celebrated a landmark moment for the Norwich scene on Friday 7th November 2025, throwing a raucous debut-album release party at the city’s beloved Norwich Arts Centre that felt equal parts hometown homecoming and coming-of-age.
The band — fronted by the magnetic Helena Lewis — packed the room with friends, fans and a few curious first-timers, turning the compact, columned venue into a pit of singalongs, happiness and genuine celebration. The crowd, wearing come party hats and throwing balloons in the air, were all ready to congratulate the band on their huge success.
The night marked the arrival of Damp Matches’ first full-length album, “It Won’t Take Long”, a record the band has been teasing across socials and backing with a vinyl pressing campaign that amped up their grassroots following.
Musically, Damp Matches live is everything their press materials promise — a bruising, anthemic hybrid of alt-rock and indie with flashes vocal delivery from guitarist Will Calvert and towering leads from Helena. Lee Jaggard behind the drums, teamed with Dominic Clarke and Stephen Spiers on guitars, the team is complete.
The band have built that reputation on consistent live work across East Anglia, and their confidence onstage at Norwich Arts Centre made the new material land harder: riffs were punchy, choruses big enough to take off, and the rhythm section kept a relentless momentum that had the crowd breathing as one.
The setlist cleverly mixed the freshest tracks from It Won’t Take Long with older singles that have done the rounds on local radio and at festivals. Newer cuts such as the single “Parasite” — which the band pushed ahead of the launch across streaming platforms — sat comfortably beside fan favourites like “Sweet Nothing,” a single that helped define their recent rise. Moments of call-and-response between Helena and the audience turned planned breaks into rapturous singalongs, and a mid-set slowdown gave space for the album’s more reflective moments before the band hammered the tempo back up for the finale.
Support on the bill included local outfits who matched the night’s energy and helped build the room into something electric before Damp Matches hit the stage. Spineless and Lease on Life got the crowd going crazy before the main event— a perfect illustration of how Norwich’s DIY circuit and institutions like the Arts Centre continue to nurture province-to-national trajectories.
The show was presented as part of a Pony Up series at the venue and carried the kind of promotional muscle that brought a full house, with tickets priced accessibly to keep the crowd diverse.
Beyond the music, there was an unmistakable sense that this was more than a band launching an album: it was a community marking the maturation of one of its loudest voices.
For listeners who missed the launch, the album and singles are available on major streaming platforms, and the band will have more dates as they push the record around the UK. After a night like Friday’s, it would be wise to watch this corner of the scene: Damp Matches just turned a milestone into a manifesto.
Follow Damp Matches on their Instagram account, and listen to the new album on their Spotify
Photos by @hayleajaynephotography
Full Gallery –
Broken Static Magazine 
Leave a comment