Live Review: Nemo - Gorilla, Manchester 15/11/2025
As the nights get colder and winds grow stronger, all everyone wants is a warm and cosy night of brightness, joy and entertainment. In this small Manchester venue, the heat was about to turn up and the lights were going to flash brighter than the sun. Running a one-person-disco for the night, Swiss singer Nemo was ready to get the room jumping with their brand of delicious dance-pop. Bringing their heart and soul to the forefront of this latest adventure, it’s time to experience The Arthouse.
To celebrate the release of their debut full-length Arthouse, Nemo did not just put on an average pop gig. It was a party, a shindig, a rave, all in a sweet one-hour package. Still coming off the high of winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024 on behalf of their native Switzerland, the full room of big personalities and colourful individuals confirms the aesthetic for the night: a gay village party away from the gay village.
Playing a number of their latest hits such as ‘Easy’, ‘Hocus Pocus’ and title track ‘Arthouse’, the greatest reaction came from the big fabulous track ‘God’s A Raver’.
Explaining the track is about finding a love so good and glorious that it mimics a religious experience, the artist guides the crowd through a dance made for the chant-worthy bridge as the song comes to its thrilling height. Even for the fans who only know Nemo for their Eurovision success, or the ones who have followed them throughout their musical career in the 2020s and know every word and every beat, everyone was taking part and letting loose.
An anthem that everyone can relate to, especially the LGBTQ community in attendance that night, there was nothing that could break the solidarity and unity that was forming before one’s very eyes in this venue. And that is the power of music.
Nemo even took the time to play a more heartfelt and sombre track mid-set; every artist takes this lull to pull at heartstrings and pluck tears out of ducts. Performing the track ‘Black Hole’, about the emotional aftermath of a breakup and how to bounce back from such an event, the room became near silent as the fans allowed Nemo to pour their sadness and fear out momentarily.
It showed that even someone with a reputation for being big and happy and in-your-face still is a human and has the capacity to feel hurt, sad, lonely and depressed. Heartbreak hurts everyone at one point in life or another, and Nemo showed there is nothing lost in being honest about this. The illusion does not break - the truth just shines just that much more.
All the fans want is authenticity and there is no one more authentic in that moment than the Swiss pop star.
As the night wound down, the closing number was an obvious choice. ‘The Code’ was the single that brought Nemo to full-on international fame, as this dramatic pop track was the one that got them the Eurovision win last year. This was the song everyone waited for. The one everyone knew, no matter how they knew Nemo previously (if they did).
The room erupted for one last blast before the house lights turned back on. This is a literal award-winning song and it was easy to see what made it a favourite. It’s flashy, it shows off Nemo’s vocals in a mighty range, and it’s a refreshing departure from popular music from other areas of the industry. It was the best way to close the night and the only way it could have ended in such a successful and energetic way.
Some artists are worth seeing for certain songs or for a certain genre-defining sound. When it comes down to Nemo, they are worth seeing live on stage for the full spectacle. The sights, the sounds, the sensations.
It’s a party and everyone is invited. It’s an arthouse and everyone is welcome in.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
