When she emerges onto the stage at to the sound of a low drone at The Exchange, Holysseus Fly is obscured by a net curtain. She begins with her back to the rapt audience, enigmatic through the shroud as she begins to sing Bloom – “Don’t expect me to sing / I’ll bloom / When I choose to.” In a simple but hugely effective piece of stagecraft that is indicative of the entire show, she turns to pull down the curtain, revealing herself. And if this hometown launch of her EP Birthpool is about anything, it is about Holysseus Fly revealing herself, exposing her art as well ..read more

  (Photo by Alysse Gafkjen) Two songs into tonight’s performance, singer-songwriter Ben Folds declares “It’s the first night of our UK tour. This is the night that sucks, and the rest of it will be amazing.” But many false things have been said in jest. When, less than 10 minutes earlier, Folds entered stage left and saluted the crowd with a small glass of liquor, it turns out to be an insouciant entrance that sets the tone for the evening; Folds, with a full band set up of guitar, bass, drums and a musician switching between synths and mouth instruments, effortlessly delivers a wond ..read more

As I enter Wake the Tiger for their winter event Meridian Moonfrost it is clear I’ve made a major error. The dress code was ‘Ice and Frost’, apt for a party that celebrates the nights drawing in and the cold seeping into our world. For some reason, I totally ignored this suggested dress code and came wearing an orange shirt, and thus stuck out like a warm thumb in a frostbitten hand. The level of audience dressing up speaks volumes for the engagement fostered by Wake the Tiger – the party is made by the attendees as much as is it made for them. Everywhere you look, there are people in ..read more

An oft overlooked pleasure in the gig-going pursuit of a favourite artist is that, if your fandom endures for long enough, a descending career trajectory can see one baring witness to heroes in settings surprisingly intimate. On the back of a trio of beautifully anachronistic albums in the mid-2000s and his reaching a new audience as the male half of Zooey Deschanel fronted retro folk duo She & Him, there was a time when Matt Ward enjoyed invites to Glastonbury Festival and packed out shows at venues as sizeable as Shepherds Bush Empire. Tonight sees the Portland-born singer-songwriter-gui ..read more

Already one of the most unusual and captivating experiences in Bristol, Wake the Tiger is continuing to expand its otherworldly offering with late-night celestial celebration Moonfrost. Featuring live music, performance, interactive quests and mind-blowing circus performers, the event should perfectly capture the magic and magnificence of the interactive walkthrough venue. With the nights getting longer and days shorter, Friday 10 November will see the Dream Factory transport visitors to a parallel world of luminescent mushrooms, mind-bending passageways and otherworldly creatures. Guildk ..read more

  (Divide and Dissolve) On the night of Wednesday 6th September I ‘popped my cherry’ in more ways than one; I attended my first live metal/drone gig, and I wrote my first gig review. The acts to not-so-gently welcome me into these new experiences were all duos, with Blacks’ Myths performing second, after Trigger Discipline had set the mood with some doom pop originating from Massachusetts, USA. Drinks in hand, heads forwards and lights dimmed, Blacks’ Myths set began with the vocal sample which also opened their 2019 album Blacks’ Myths II. “Deepfakes and deeperfakes, truth has been hollo ..read more

  (Divide and Dissolve) On the night of Wednesday 6th September I ‘popped my cherry’ in more ways than one; I attended my first live metal/drone gig, and I wrote my first gig review. The acts to not-so-gently welcome me into these new experiences were all duos, with Blacks’ Myths performing second, after Trigger Discipline had set the mood with some doom pop originating from Massachusetts, USA. Drinks in hand, heads forwards and lights dimmed, Blacks’ Myths set began with the vocal sample which also opened their 2019 album Blacks’ Myths II. “Deepfakes and deeperfakes, truth has been hollo ..read more

An early September weekend with thousands of Bristolians flooding northwards across the Downs can only mean one thing – Forwards Festival is back, bringing together the city for a brace of line-ups combining heritage acts with up and coming stars. Friday First up for us on the West Stage is Ezra Collective, the supergroup heaving their headspin jazz funk onto the bulging crowd. “This music is just written for everyone to party and have a good time” claims drummer Femi Koleoso, before the powerful trumpet stabs of Ife Ogunjobi do just that. Victory Dance sends the audience i ..read more

After it’s inaugural outing last year, the second annual Forwards Festival – featuring a healthy line up combining established artists with up and coming talent – returns to Clifton Downs on 1st and 2nd September. A slight format shift sees the festival taking place on Friday and Saturday this time (rather than Saturday and Sunday) so we’d advise any Friday revellers to book some annual leave or at least pre-load at the office by sneaking some liquor into your usual afternoon coffee. Friday Having earned the moniker “Queen of Neo-Soul,” Erykah Badu is one of a rare breed of artists who have ha ..read more

  With the pair approaching their ninth decades on planet rock, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry seem intent on seeing out what may be their final live tour with affability and sonic punches. Famously grouchy and often at political loggerheads, the duo have seemingly come to terms with their personas, and combine onstage humour with a rattling setlist that powers through the The Who’s biggest hits. For this short UK tour, they have enlisted the help of the Heart of England Orchestra. Often a gimmick – orchestras are now hired to provide a sonic platform for everyone from Goldie to Fabio an ..read more