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Paris Paloma live review: creating a welcoming community one show at a time

SWX, Bristol, 2nd December 2024

Even an hour after doors, there is still a large queue outside SWX. I walk past the hundreds of people circling the building, hoping to make it inside in time for Luvcat. For the first time, Luvcat is not accompanied by the rest of her band, yet this loneliness is barely noticeable in her peaceful, soft, yet commanding stage presence. With songs about femicide and dumping your first boyfriend on Christmas Eve, Luvcat has created an empowering yet mysterious and looming sound that one day could be the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack of a Bond film or, even better – an action drama with a female lead.

In between sets, the merch area is busier than ever, with the line wrapping all around the room. Upon having a look, I see the infamous bookcase. Throughout the tour, Paloma has encouraged fans to participate in the free book exchange. A free library filled with feminist literature and more, it is one of the things that sets them apart as an artist. It is not just about the music but about the community. The tour guide encourages everyone to wear fairy-inspired clothing, red ribbons inspired by ‘drywall’, or whatever fans feel comfortable and magical in. Alongside the book swap, people are encouraged to exchange ‘fairy messages’ with others, including favourite song lyrics, what brings people to the show, poems, and book quotes.

Paris Paloma starts their set with ‘my mind (now)’, the opening track of their latest record, Cacophony, with just her (nearly incomprehensible) raw acapella vocals and some soft distant instrumentals. The beat drops after the line “… to endure what you put me through, I don’t think you would pull out on the other side”, and the room is immersed with their powerful vocals, colour, synths, the rhythm of the drums and some dramatic brass. Whilst not all of these sounds seem to be performed live, the 1 hour and 15-minute set starts in the most cacophonous way possible, defining the album and tour title in just the first song of the night. Knowing that most of the setlist is expected to be much quieter, I know who I am here to see and that Paloma’s angelic vocals are the highlight of the performance.

Followed by ‘drywall’ and ‘as good a reason’, the room fills with the warmth of Paloma’s presence. The nurturing, empowering energy Paloma and their fans bring, where wearing flower crowns or big white flowy dresses does not define who you are, but a safe space to express your deepest, most authentic self. “There’s an old man somewhere, seething,” sings the crowd along with Paloma, “and spite’s as good a reason to take his power”, proving that no one can take this moment of self-expression away from them – including the pedalboard that Paloma’s dress gets stuck on, which is immediately laughed off, adding to the authenticity and genuine expression of this performance.

Whilst many of Paloma’s songs fuel the fire of this ancestral, feminine rage, it is not a women-only event. It is an incredibly welcoming and inclusive space, where everyone who resonates with the songs is part of the community – a community in which its members are frequently referred to as ‘fairies’. The fairy theme is more than just community; it is something magical, and everyone can sense that as the show continues, as the space is immersed with Paloma’s sonic magic. ‘the warmth’ almost sounds like a spell being cast, and I can feel its protection pulsate through my bloodstream; “It can’t hurt me, it’s still there but it can’t now the warmth’s returning.”

This feeling of protection only grows stronger throughout the set. Paloma tells us that she loved The Hobbit growing up and that Ed Sheeran’s ‘I See Fire’ is a huge musical inspiration to her, which is also why they bought their first guitar. You don’t have to be a Lord of the Rings fan to understand the honour of writing a song for its soundtrack, an honour Paloma fulfilled so splendidly with ‘The Rider’. She performs the track in full, and I immediately feel transported to this dark, windy, cold land far from here, trying to imagine what the Lord of The Rings universe looks like as someone who’s never seen it, but I know I would be safe under the spell of Paris Paloma’s sound.

Nearing the end of the set, we know the viral TikTok hit from 2022 is coming, and so the crowd is waiting in anticipation. Paloma expresses gratitude to the audience for their patience with her illness and for showing up to the rescheduled date. They also mention that they normally perform barefoot but had to slip on a pair of cheap socks due to the cold.

The first sounds of ‘labour’ echo through the room. Folk music has always been known for its origin in its authentic expression of ways of life – whether that is a way of life that has passed, is passing, or to be preserved or revived. The genre has historically been used to orally pass down community-oriented stories, characterizing one side of a cultural dichotomy, often speaking about historic and personal events, tragedies, and oppression – ‘labour’, discussing the ongoing effects of the patriarchy and its associated gender roles, the abuse that comes with it, and its gender inequality, is a song many people in the audience can relate to, which makes its ongoing online viral trajectory all the less surprising.

Right before the viral bridge, Paloma asks the crowd to sing along with her as loudly as they can if they know the words: “All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid. Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant. Just an appendage, live to attend him so that he never lifts a finger” – and Bristol shows up as expected, and the room is instantly saturated with the powerful voices of the audience “24/7 baby machine, so he can live out his picket fence dreams. It’s not an act of love if you make her, you make me do too much labour.”

Paris Paloma is the epitome of modern folk music, using her spellbinding vocals to create a community of people from different backgrounds that all connect through the day-to-day issues discussed in many of Paloma’s songs. Folk music is, and always has been, music by and for the people, a communication tool, and a way to connect with the community – Paloma has succeeded in doing exactly that, whether through the poetic and ancestral nature of her music, the ‘fairy messaging’, or the free library, it has brought people together. When many people continue to frolic, dance, sing, and connect with each other even after Paloma and her band have left the stage, I know I can say with absolute certainty that if the love for Paris Paloma dies, it would be “a bad thing.”

Words and photos: Willemijn Denneman, no use without permission.

Sports Team live review: bizarre and a whole lot of fun

O2 Forum Kentish Town, 25th November 2024

If there’s one thing Sports Team fans have come to expect from them, it’s the unexpected. From printing fans’ tweets on t-shirts to reposting snarky comments about them on social media to asking fans to go to their afterparties dressed like Jeremy Clarkson, there’s very little Sports Team could do at this point to surprise their fans. But tonight’s show proves the London indie six-piece still have enough mayhem to go around. For instance, before the show even starts, they have already announced the winner of an Alex Rice lookalike contest at the pub next door. Alex Rice, of course, is Sports Team’s infamously chaotic lead singer.

Once the lookalike competition is well and truly done, a motley crowd huddles around the stage at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town. Those not dressed like Jeremy Clarkson for the afterparty wear an array of Sports Team t-shirts. In the time it takes me to walk from the door to the front of the stage, I spot a shirt with some handwritten text messages about the band not being able to print branded tea towels in time to sell them and another with a hand-drawn Three Lions logo on it with ‘Sports Team’ printed underneath. I myself am wearing one with a picture of Rice and The 1975 frontman Matty Healy on the front saying “They r so sexy but not in a Harry Styles perfect man type way like in a slimy weird definitely stink way” on the back.

So when the band saunter on stage and launch into ‘Camel Crew’, the crowd is ready for whatever bizarre antics await. Before the first note has even been played, the moshpits have already started, and best believe the crowd won’t slow down until the show is done. People have come to mosh and jump, and whatever song Sports Team play simply becomes the soundtrack to do so. After ‘Camel Crew’, ‘Happy (God’s Own Country)’ and ‘The Game’ receive an equally effusive welcome. Moshpits and energy aside, it’s also impossible not to fall in love with the band themselves. Led by Rice, playing the role of an egotistical, larger-than-life rockstar, their coolness is infectious. While they know when not to take themselves too seriously, they also know how to put on a stellar rock show.

Despite fans not knowing the words, the still-unreleased track ‘Bang Bang Bang’ receives endearing whoops and cheers as people clap along. ‘The Drop’, which comes next, cranks the energy back up to 100%. Even the jazzy ‘I’m in Love (Subaru)’ is turned up a notch when played live. As arms flail and feet move, the band occasionally look up in awe, taking in the crowd’s euphoria.

Although the show has been relatively tame until now, that is all about to change. Much to security’s horror, the band demand the crowd make a human pyramid – something they had explicitly been asked not to do after doing so in Glasgow and Nottingham a few nights prior. And although the pyramids don’t entirely take form, the damage has been done, meaning that when the band start playing ‘Lander’, the crowd is riled up and ready. A sea of people sway from left to right in one synchronised movement as the soles of feet skim the surface of the floor below.

“When you’re pushing 30,” Rice starts, “and you’re still in a band, there are two types of band you can be in. One is the ‘cool’ kind, and the other is the ‘not-so-cool’ kind. This right here,” he says, pointing at the worshipping crowd below, “pushes us into the ‘cool’ category.”

As his comment is met with a unanimous roar, the crowd only gets even more excited. The band themselves play on, with older songs ‘Kutcher’ and ‘Winter Nets’ making an appearance.

However, the show’s final stretch is where Sports Team shine the brightest. They feed off the energy below as the crowd belts every lyric to ‘Condensation’, ‘M5’, and ‘Fishing’. It is at this point when, as if on cue, fans drop down to make an unreasonably large rowing pit that takes up a good portion of the show’s stalls, much to security’s bemusement.

When it’s time for the encore, a bizarre pod-like contraption made from tissue and hula hoops appears on stage. In true Sports Team fashion, Rice bursts out from the pod and, in a fit of laughter, goes straight into ‘Here’s the Thing’ with the rest of the band spilling out from backstage to revel in the sheer absurdity of the situation. ‘Stanton’ gives the crowd and the band one last chance to give it their all, and if you’re in the first five or so rows, it also allows you to hold up Rice as he crowd surfs, becoming one with the fans.

Seeing Sports Team live makes it easy to see why they are as popular as they are – while their lyrics often consist of biting critiques of late-stage capitalism and society, their shows are an entirely different kettle of fish. Both Sports Team and their fans know how to have fun, and in a world heading towards an uncertain future, sometimes having a space to let loose, wear a silly t-shirt, and laugh at the absurdity of it all is precisely the antidote the world needs.

Words and images: Sophie Flint Vázquez, no use without permission

Photography: Beauty School and Jetski at The Frog and Fiddle

The Frog and Fiddle, Cheltenham, 28th October 2024

Photos by Glenn Morrison. No use without permission.

In conversation with Sports Team: “Why should you make being in a band look boring? It’s really fun”

Whether or not you listen to Sports Team, if you frequent specific spaces on the internet, there’s a high likelihood you know the name. If not, then you’ll be familiar with their antics. Whether it’s printing fans’ tweets on t-shirts, buying a rickety van to drive up and down the country to promote their album, or feuding with numerous artists, Sports Team are practically inescapable. But online presence and assorted feuds aside, they’re determined to prove that being in a band – specifically being in a band as notorious as Sports Team – is really quite fun.

“Well, I suppose it was coming from a place when we were first in bands,” singer Alex Rice tells me. Sat next to bassist Oli Dewdney, the pair are on a sofa, taking a break from rehearsing for their upcoming shows and, indeed, from stirring up mayhem. “We were playing around South London. We were just getting started, and the whole way of conveying yourself was very aloof, in a way. It was very staged. It was all about how ‘cool’ or ‘introverted’ you could be. So the best way we thought about it was like, ‘Why do people pretend that being in a band is this weird, strange thing?’ and ‘This sort of strange, power dynamic with fans… isn’t this a fun thing?’”

“Most of the time, just bluntly, fans are kind of, like, better at making content than we are”
Oli Dewdney, Sports team

Rice continues: “Everyone has to do TikToks. So you can be upset about it and complain or you can do it your own way and try and make it fun. Why should you make being in a band look boring? It’s really fun.”

But it’s not just Sports Team – there seems to be an entire movement of artists focussed on making things fun. Whether it’s The Last Dinner Party or Chappell Roan, being cool and mysterious is out; theatricality is in. Complex concepts, elaborate costumes, and Performance (with a capital P) all currently take centre stage in the music scene. And although you won’t find Sports Team singing about Roman emperors (‘Caesar on a TV Screen’, The Last Dinner Party) or making crowds follow a dance routine while in drag (‘HOT TO GO!’, Chappell Roan) any time soon, they’re still very much part of the same movement. When they’re not reposting people’s posts mocking them, they’re asking fans to come to their shows dressed like Jeremy Clarkson. Otherwise, they’re announcing upcoming tours using the meme-ready Comic Sans or urging the people of TikTok to listen to their music: “If you like compulsory national service for all 18-year-olds, you will love Sports Team,” a recent post reads. The whole thing, of course, is entirely self-aware.

“It’s about putting everything on the table, you know, and kind of having it dripping in imagery and, yeah, just being a very proud maximalist. And I think that’s the kind of camp we’ve always sort of felt ourselves to be a part of,” elaborates Rice.

In a way, this maximalist aesthetic has grown with them until it’s reached its current form. “Most of the time, just bluntly, fans are kind of, like, better at making content than we are,” Dewdney explains. “And I think when you actually use stuff that’s made by fans, you get more of a sense of the way the world actually sees you. You don’t get to be whatever your dream portrayal of yourself is, where everyone thinks we’re handsome poets.”

“When you’re a kid, you can be very clear-minded about stuff”
Alex Rice, sports team

Handsome poets or not, Sports Team have come a long way since their formation. They first burst onto the scene in 2017 with their first single, ‘Stanton’, which sent ripples through the South London music scene – the same scene that has produced bands like Black Country, New Road, black midi, shame, and of course, The Last Dinner Party. By 2020, they had released their debut album, Deep Down Happy, which earned them a Mercury Prize nomination. The 2022 follow-up, Gulp!, also received widespread critical acclaim. But when albums one and two are out of the way, what does making album three – the not-yet-released Boys These Days – feel like?

“The pressure was off, in a nice way,” Dewdney asserts. “No one ever thinks their first album is going to do as well as it does. Then suddenly, that one kind of kicked off, so you’ve suddenly got fifty people dipping their toes in and wanting to, like, have their say in where the song is going. And [Boys These Days], I feel like we’ve sort of matured into it. We’ve got used to being in a studio, and we kind of know all the pressures that come with it.”

But while Deep Down Happy and Gulp! are filled with frantic indie rock, two singles in Boys These Days seems to be taking a different approach. Take the lead single ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’, a classy, jazz-infused indie pop track, where a narrator believes a red Subaru Impreza will transform their life. The rest of the album builds on this child-like view until it eventually becomes a snapshot self-portrait of the band.

All these new narratives come in, and everything becomes very conflicted, everything becomes politicised, everything gets questioned
Oli dewdney

“There’s stuff with hope, there’s stuff with disappointment, there’s stuff with longing and love. You know, there’s stuff with heartbreak. There’s always these different sides to it, so I think that’s what this album kind of gets across. It’s kind of like a cross reference for getting to the point we’re at in our lives,” Dewdney explains. Rice adds, “You’re dealing with a jungle of narratives that you have to deal with when you get to adulthood as well. When you’re a kid, you can be very clear-minded about stuff.”

Two singles in, it seems that Boys These Days will be equally ambitious and cutting as Deep Down Happy and Gulp! were. But while Deep Down Happy’s sharp, satirical lyrics captured the humour and frustration with so-called ‘middle-England’, Gulp! took a broader approach, critiquing everything from conspiracy theories (‘Kool Aid’) to late-stage capitalism (‘The Drop’). What Boys These Days holds, only time will tell.

“We’ve only released two songs [from Boys These Days],” Dewdney notes, “but you do kind of get that sense where it starts with a very idealised version of the world [on ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’] and then it kind of moves on. All these new narratives come in, and everything becomes very conflicted, everything becomes politicised, everything gets questioned.”

Online presence, lyrics, and music aside, Sports Team have also built quite a reputation for themselves through their live shows, with their power-packed discography soundtracking the rowdy chaos that fans have come to expect from their shows. But with ‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’ having – *gasp* – a saxophone, the real question is how well songs from Boys Thes Days will work when played in sweaty dark rooms all over the world.

“You feel something kick in. Something quite primal comes out”
Alex rice

“I think that’s what we’re working on at the moment. We wanted to come back with [‘I’m In Love (Subaru)’] first; that’s probably the most different,” Dewdney tells me. “You can get bored with making, whatever it is, like 160 BPM, drum, chorus, mosh, that sort of thing. So I think we’re excited about trying to perform it as well. Having a saxophonist has been really big in how to make us play different. You can’t rely on just loud thrashing anymore.” He adds: “I think it lets you have a set that’s got more dynamic in it so you can have quiet periods, and you can bring it back up again at different periods, too.”

These unruly live shows are the subject matter for their second single from Boys These Days, ‘Condensation’. Now, placidly sitting on a sofa on a Zoom call with me, it’s almost impossible to believe the two men on the call are the same ones that jump from balconies, crowd-surf, get told off by security, or, in drummer Al Greenwood’s case, getting their head cracked open by a cymbal, bleed everywhere, and continue to play while being treated with a first-aid kit (true story).

“You feel something kick in. Something quite primal comes out,” Rice explains as he tells me what it’s like to be on stage. “And I think it would be true of, like, 90% of people as well. More people than you’d think have probably got that kind of fight or flight instinct in them. If you go out in front of a crowd of 2000 people, you feel something kicks in, especially when you’ve got a group of five mates behind you. You’re confronting a group of people literally screaming at you. I don’t think any of us went into music being, like, born performers. You just kind of find it out when you get to that stage.”

So, with a UK tour ahead of them and having just announced a US tour, Sports Team are ready to hit the ground running, leaving a whirlwind of chaos behind them wherever they go. Boys These Days will shift slightly in its approach from Deep Down Happy and Gulp!, making it clear that an exciting new Sports Team era is upon us. And as pop embraces maximalism, there’s no better band to lead the charge than Sports Team. And hey, maybe along the way, they’ll be able to prove that being in a band is actually, really quite fun.

Boys These Days is out May 23, 2025 via Distiller Records and Bright Antenna.

Words: Sophie Flint Vázquez

Image: Bartek Szmigulski

Bob Vylan live review: don’t listen to the critics – punk certainly isn’t dead

Marble Factory Bristol, 25th October 2024

Visceral, high-energy, politics-driven punk rap packs a punch: Bob Vylan is not to be undermined. The 2 Bobs’ pre-Halloween show at Bristol’s Marble Factory was another stark reminder of their undeniable presence within the scene and why they are just so good at live music. Giant clown faces stared ominously down at the crowd, an element of the show’s following Halloween event but is strangely fitting to the vibe.

The setlist was packed with hard-hitting anthems, but starting with ‘Reign’ stands out. Bob Vylan’s Bobby Vylan spoke words which echoed and vibrated through the crowd. Electric atmosphere is a term that feels incredibly overused in music content, but there was genuinely an undeniable sense of energy within the room. When ‘Dream Big’ came around, Bobby became one with the crowd, the hands of fans reaching high to hold him up above.

Drummer Bobbie Vylan added an almost feverish layer to the show, with drumming that might seem erratic to the untrained eye but was undeniably precise, with every beat landing like a calculated punch. Each slap of the drum felt perfectly in sync with the chaos, and his performance was a reminder that there’s true art in disarray.

Between songs, the band openly spoke about the power of transformation. Their reminders that change is always within reach resonated with the crowd, leaving us all with a meaningful takeaway from the show. Deliverance of a call to action reinforced their status as agents of change within the modern-day punk scene.

As someone who came into this show pretty blind, having listened to very little of their discography and never been to one of their shows, Bob Vylan’s Bristol headliner was an experience which left me sweaty and battered, but with a new perspective on how I position myself within society and thinking about how I can use my voice for better change. And I can’t have been the only one feeling that way. Don’t listen to the critics – punk certainly isn’t dead.

Words and photos: Daisy Kent, no use without permission.

Ben Howard live review: a beautiful tribute to I Forget Where We Were

Bristol Beacon, 28th October 2024

As I am walking up to the Bristol Beacon on this moody Monday evening, the sky looks almost angry. Clouds darken the city with strands of the remaining light shining through. Immediately, I am welcomed by the calming presence of opener Daisy Rickman. Her white, flowing dress almost makes her radiate against the black backdrop. Paired with her angelic vocals, I can feel the tenseness lift from my shoulders and disappear into the beautiful sounds coming from the stage. The self-taught, multi-disciplinary Cornish artist treats the audience to a handful of ambient folk songs and brings us into the realm in which the different parts of her musical self operate and communicate. Even the occasional squeak coming from the strings is embraced as part of the ethereal sonic experience with which Daisy blesses the audience. Folk musicians like Daisy may not ‘warm up the crowd’ in a way you often see with more upbeat artists but she has the ability to make her character and soul shine through in her performance, making sure Bristol is ready to access those raw emotions buried deep inside and let the tears flow for the main act of the evening.

On this tour, Ben Howard plays his 2014 record I Forget Where We Were in full to celebrate its 10th anniversary – but not in the same way most artists celebrate these records. Unlike many other album anniversary shows I have attended, Ben Howard shuffles the tracks rather than playing them in album order. The show kicks off with ‘End Of The Affair’ and its acoustic first act, building up momentum to its almost cinematic, ominous and heartbreaking release. The nearly 8-minute-long track explores the theme of the hopelessness of the empty-handed party in the love triangle from Graham Greene’s 1951 novel of the same name. There is almost a hint of irony to be found in this song as the opener for Ben Howard’s nearly 2-hour show; a slow yet commanding introduction to the performance, immediately followed by the tragic lyrics of the second act: “This is it? Well this is desert. Go to him. What the hell, love?”. The atmospheric, expansive yet glooming feel of the first song is immediately contrasted with the optimism of ‘She Treats Me Well’. It is barely quarter past nine, and Ben Howard has already showcased his deft skill on the guitar, storytelling lyricism that transcends the communicative traits that folk music is known for, as well as the craftsmanship and passion of his fellow musicians on stage, and the spectrum of emotion available on this dark, mature soundscape of Howard’s own psyche. The choice to shuffle the album’s tracklist in this order has already proven itself to be outstanding – three songs in and I feel the music swirling throughout my entire body. The bassier tones and harrowingly excruciating lyrics feel like a pit in my stomach, yet the playfulness of optimism, the acoustic guitar, and classical instruments offer an immense relief, toying with the essence of human emotion, begging us all to ask the haunting question in ‘Small Things’: “Has the world gone mad, or is it me?”

‘In Dreams’, one of the more upbeat songs on the record regardless of its sad undertones, is the only track on the album and setlist that is under 4 minutes long – making me wonder if hearing it was just a fever dream as it continues into the expansive, steadily building, pulsating rhythm of ‘Time Is Dancing’. A long instrumental outro, followed by the percussion-heavy ‘Rivers In Your Mouth’, and I can’t help but feel like the show is losing some of its momentum. Some of the slower tracks – which are some of Howard’s best-sounding work – don’t all seem to translate as well in a live setting. Maybe some tracks just sound better in the comfort of loneliness and emotional melodrama, rather than a crowded room of people. Whilst there is some respectful chatter in the back of the room, the crowd still engages with the immersive performance happening in front of them. At this point, the production starts to catch my eye. Double-layered video content is displayed on the sculpture representing a large tree overshadowing the stage, with colourful visuals and film presented to the audience as a mixed-media experience. The lights shining through the gaps between the screens, illuminating the hall, reminds me of the remaining light casting through the clouds earlier this evening, and for a moment I feel connected to the outside world just as much as what is happening inside this room.

I often describe a good gig as one that will temporarily make me forget that there is a world outside those doors – including all its suffering, joy, and the never-ending presence of time. This show made me ever so aware of the world outside those doors but in all the best ways. The setlist provides a soundtrack to our thoughts and worries, to the suffering as well as the joy, and to the knowledge that time is always passing. Ben makes some remarks about time and emotions, playing these songs in different moods than they were originally written in, reminiscing on shows. The connection to both the performance happening right in front of me, and the knowledge that the earth will keep spinning regardless, was comforting for once. Rather than escaping whatever is out there bringing you down, I feel forced to embrace and accept it the mature way – a type of emotional maturity so well represented all throughout the record. Whatever it is, it will pass, and I know that to be true as the words to ‘All Is Now Harmed’ echo around the Main Hall.

My favourite track on the album, ‘Conrad’, marks the nearing end of the performance with only two songs left to play. In my right ear, I hear the woman next to me harmonise with the vocalists on stage and I can’t help but smile from ear to ear. “We’re alone, just like you said”, yet there is comfort in knowing 2100 folks are singing these words together, proving we are never really alone.

‘I Forget Where We Were’, the album’s title track, creates a captivating end to the show in its current live rendition. For a moment, I wonder if there is a problem with the sound, or if it is all part of the experience. I can feel the vibrations of my music in my bones, and the build-up of the harmonies briefly transports me to another realm. Brightly coloured lights and almost trippy visuals close the show under the guidance of the song’s instrumentals, wrapping up this performance perfectly. Relieved that Howard closes off this immersive, atmospheric, emotional night with a track with so much emotion and build, as the song implies, I briefly forget where we were. Maybe it was peace at last, but Ben Howard’s musical brilliance, bordering insanity, is worth every album anniversary for sure.

Words and photos: Willemjin Denneman, no use without permission.

The Story So Far Oxford review: therapeutic headbanging makes for a cathartic night out

O2 Academy Oxford, 25th October 2024

Nearly 20 years into their career, California-based The Story So Far show no signs of slowing down. Having just released their terrific fifth album, I Want to Disappear, this last June, and having supported pop-punk giants Blink-182 on tour, there was nothing left to do but embark on their own headline tour. And tonight, on a wet October evening, it’s Oxford’s turn.

Slowly but surely, fans of all ages filter in from the bustling streets of Cowley outside, donning either The Story So Far or similar bands’ merch. Neck Deep, My Chemical Romance, and Real Friends t-shirts are all in attendance. As the clock strikes 8 pm, The Story So Far stride on stage. With a respectful wave, they launch straight into ‘Big Blind’, the lead single off I Want to Disappear, which, when played live, is even more powerful than its studio counterpart. But whether it’s the mixing or simply an artistic choice, Ryan Torf’s drumming is overwhelmingly loud, which unfortunately continues throughout the entire show. However, the crowd seem unfazed. Everyone has come to have a good time, and that’s exactly what they’ll do.

Whether a track is old or new, the crowd welcomes it even more enthusiastically than the last

‘The Glass’, from 2013’s What You Don’t See comes next, and at this point, fans are well and truly warmed up, with the first few crowd surfers already having ridden the wave of arms below and made it to safety. The band themselves dutifully play on, rarely interacting with the crowd bar an occasional comment on whether a song is old or new. Occasionally, vocalist Parker Cannon raises one arm in the end as if to emphasise a lyric or control the crowd, but for the most part, he stands priest-like and commanding, a stoic contrast to the bedlam below. The Story So Far may have been together for many years, but they still look somewhat awkward on stage – almost as if they’d been placed there last minute and asked to perform. The fact Cannon often has his hands in his pockets or is otherwise clutching his t-shirt or a can of beer also doesn’t help. The crowd, on their part, don’t seem to mind in the slightest.

Each track is met with effusive uproar, whether it’s the pop-tinted ‘Out of It’ and ‘Proper Dose’ or the relentless ‘Things I Can’t Change’ and ‘Solo’. Whether a track is old or new, the crowd welcomes it even more enthusiastically than the last.

‘Nothing to Say’, a track off I Want to Disappear, is a definite highlight in the show. Its full-pelt drumming provides the essential rhythm for some much-needed therapeutic headbanging. In fact, the effusive movement from the crowd barely stops throughout the entirety of the show. But one of those rare moments of rest is the reflective ‘Upside Down’, where the headbanging comes to an abrupt halt, allowing for gentle swaying and head-bobbing instead. But with ‘You’re Still in My Way’ up next, the peace is short-lived.

Although classics ‘Quicksand’ and ‘Empty Space’ are noticeably absent from the setlist, ‘Roam’ gives the crowd one last chance to let out all their pent-up rage as they bellow its angsty chorus in unison: “You have no idea how unproductive it is to fall in and out of love as often as I do!” The song’s conversational bridge is also a moment of unity, as the crowd sing along to Cannon’s lyrics while guitarist and backing vocalist Kevin Geyer replies in earnest.

It’s an unusual way to finish a show for sure, but it works well

The show could have ended there, but instead, they play ‘White Shores’, the closest thing The Story So Far have to a ballad. It is also the only time an acoustic guitar can be seen during their set. As the phone lights come out – as well as a few furtive lighters – the sweaty crowd performs a heartfelt singalong while enjoying the comedown from the ruckus. It’s an unusual way to finish a show for sure, but it works well. It also means that when the crowd eventually flows out of the venue, they are no longer quite as breathless and spirited as they had been five minutes earlier.

The Story So Far’s Oxford show is fun, there’s no doubt about it. But compared to their peers, The Story So Far lack stage presence. But what they lack in stage presence, they make up for with an exemplary crowd. They may not be the best live band in the world or even in the scene, but what they can do is provide the soundtrack for a cathartic night out and an environment in which to scream, shout, mosh, and have a rollicking good time.

Words and photos: Sophie Flint Vázquez

The Story So Far Bristol live review: Californian pop-punkers rip the venue like it’s their second home

O2 Academy Bristol, 24th October 2024

A few months out of the release of their latest album, The Story So Far return to Bristol for a triumphant headline show celebrating the release of I Want To Disappear. Here, they’re headlining the O2 Academy for the first time in their career after playing it once before a decade ago supporting New Found Glory. Although the night isn’t sold out, it’s clear that pop-punk fans had come out in droves to see the Californians rip the venue like it’s their second home.

The last time The Story So Far played Bristol was a year ago, headlining SWX, where they opened with the lead single to the latest album, ‘Big Blind’. It left a lot of fans in the room bopping their heads waiting for them to play the classics. This time, opening with ‘Big Blind’ again had the entire room bouncing and screaming along to the lyrics louder than some of the songs they’d released years ago. From here, they lead straight into ‘The Glass’, considered almost a cult classic in the genre. It is a song that sometimes doesn’t get the love it deserves on The Story So Far setlists, but here it makes its presence known. People are climbing on top of each other during the entire song and belting out lyrics seemingly louder than vocalist Parker Cannon himself. This is the theme of the night for the entire hour-long set. In fact, it is hard to hear what is being played on stage due to the rabid crowd screaming along to every lyric of every song.

In the hour that they play, The Story So Far manage to squeeze in a whopping 18 songs into their setlist. With it being a tour to promote the new album, they play pretty much the entire thing, only missing out on ‘Jump the Gun’ and the title track ‘I Want To Disappear’. Due to the number of songs played in such a short amount of time, there was hardly any breathing space for anybody in the venue. The only breaks in the set allow for Cannon to introduce the other members of the band and their touring drummer, joking about the fact that he is single and has been “forever”.

For the last song of the night, to give the crowd some sort of break from the jumping, moshing, and crowd surfing, they play a new song, ‘White Shores’, about Cannon’s late father, takes the crowd into a sort of emotional rollercoaster. The song starts with just guitarist Kevin Geyer and Cannon playing together, with Cannon singing in falsetto. The crowd, seemingly tired, don’t know how to react to such a calm song. Instead, they decide to sit down and truly revel in the calm ending to a hectic night. Halfway through the song however, when the rest of the band kick in, the entire crowd jump and scream along to the lyrics one last time before the band swiftly make their exit.

Despite leaving arguably their biggest songs, ‘Quicksand’ and ‘Empty Space’, out of the set list, the additions of the new songs well and truly made up for their absence in what was a night I’m sure every fan in that room will remember for a very long time.

Words: Sonny Farman

Photos: Kate Feast

Wunderhorse live review: an electrifying performance with an incomplete set

O2 Academy Oxford, 11th October 2024

Naysayers have been saying for years (decades, even) that rock and roll is dead. However, they need not look further than the O2 Academy in Oxford last Friday night to be proven wrong. The venue’s main room is packed to the rafters, and what’s more, the average age is only around 18. The main act tonight is, of course, alternative rock up-and-comers Wunderhorse. The atmosphere is thick with anticipation from the eager crow: from people eagerly singing their songs to wearing their merch to some even sporting a mullet like frontman Jacob Slater’s, there’s a real sense of devotion from the young crowd.

Once the fourpiece do make their entrance, the crowd erupts, with people squeezing up against each other to get a closer look at the band. Donning a dark pair of shades, Slater looks the part of an enigmatic leader of a rock-and-roll cult. Wasting no time, ‘Midas’, the lead single off their eponymous second album, opens the set. ‘Midas’ may have only come out five months ago, but judging by the reception it receives, it is a staple rock song in the making. The next song is ‘Butterflies’ from Cub, Wunderhorse’s debut album and originally a solo project for Slater. Although Cub is far more pristine and polished than its follow-up, the live rendition is much rawer and demanding of the crowd’s reception.

The band bounce off this energy, and soon enough, everyone in the room – including Wunderhorse – is eagerly jumping and moving side to side

‘Girl’ and ‘Cathedrals’ receive an equally exuberant reception, and at this point, the band is in full swing. Harry Fowler’s roaring guitar pairs beautifully with Jamie Staples’ furious drumming, and Pete Woodin’s mechanical bass provides a bed for Slater’s signature growl.

The bluesy ‘Leader of the Pack’ is a definite highlight, as is its follow-up, ‘Arizona’. Both songs are amongst Wunderhorse’s best, and the crowd breaks into a frenzy as soon as they start. The band bounce off this energy, and soon enough, everyone in the room – including Wunderhorse – is eagerly jumping and moving side to side.

The set barely comes in at an hour, and the band play only twelve songs

The epic, near-nine-minute ‘Aeroplane’ provides a rare moment of respite, which follows into ‘Girl Behind the Glass’. Breaking the crowd out of their reverie, Slater then jokingly proclaims, “This is ‘Espresso’ by Sabrina Carpenter”. He dives right into ‘Purple’, decidedly not ‘Espresso’ by Sabrina Carpenter, but instead one of the songs that initially earned Wunderhorse their spot at the forefront of the contemporary rock landscape. Although throughout most of the show Slater, like the rest of the band, maintain their cool, collected image, Slater allows himself to simply appreciate the crowd and take in the moment as all 1150 people sing back the earworm of a chorus.

Absent from the set is ‘Superman’, a devastating song about unfulfilled potential. Although the band have not been playing it on every show this tour, its disappearance does not go unnoticed, making the ending to the main set a tad anticlimactic.

The encore also feels slightly disappointing. Although ‘July’ is supposed to close the show, a packed touring schedule leaves Slater’s voice worn out and unable to perform the unhinged wails and cries the song calls for. This leaves ‘Teal’ as the last song on the set. And although they don’t play ‘July’, ‘Teal’ still makes the crowd’s energy climax in unanimous chants as people sing along to its exhilarating verses. There is a collective groan as Wunderhorse leave without having performed ‘July’, but murmurs of appreciation can be heard as the sweaty and buzzing crowd spills out onto the street.

Wunderhorse’s show at the O2 Academy in Oxford is an interesting one. On one hand, there is the electric excitement of a genuine rock-and-roll band receiving their well-deserved laurels from the next generation of rock lovers, but on the other, it feels incomplete. The set barely comes in at an hour, and the band play only twelve songs. Although they cannot be blamed for not playing ‘Superman’ and ‘July’ – whatever the reasons may be – Wunderhorse have two albums, and Slater has a full-length solo project (Pinky, I Love You), so their time on stage feels woefully underused. The show’s short duration aside, Wunderhorse are still at the forefront of an exciting wave of new rock artists, and they’re definitely one to watch in the coming years.

Words and photos: Sophie Flint Vázquez

Sløtface shines at Bristol’s Exchange: a night to remember

Exchange Bristol, 2nd October 2024

Last night (2nd October) I picked up a last-minute review spot for a gig at Exchange Bristol, as friend and fellow TSM writer Jace was under the weather. And I was certainly lucky to catch an evening of music which I will not forget for a long time.

Sløtface (previously and still pronounced Slutface) are a Norwegian rock band, fronted by vocalist and songwriter Haley Shea. I’d heard of Sløtface by name but little more before last night’s gig, and my pre-listening mostly consisted of the bus ride to Bristol’s legendary venue.

Before I go to the main part of the review, I first wanted to just say how amazing Exchange is as a music venue. It has been a frequent venue for gigs for me over the last 5 years, and I will continue to go to gigs there for as long as I live. The staff are amazing, there is a good selection of local drinks and they are really supportive of smaller artists by making live music accessible for everyone.

The night was opened by the local band SunSpot. I’ve seen these guys a couple of times before, and they never fail to put on a good set. It was a mixture of old and new songs, including tracks off their upcoming album. ‘Microscope’ made its debut, and although only three of the five from the full band were there, it was still an energy-building opener to the night.

Immediately the energy was high, people were enjoying themselves and getting their groove on.

After a very quick changeover, it was onto SUDS. For those of you who don’t know SUDS, what are you doing? I first discovered these amazing musicians when they supported Spanish Love Songs at The Fleece earlier this year, and I have been a dedicated fan since. Their mix of indie rock, combined with the emotions and output that a good band needs makes them work so well. Their debut album, The Great Overgrowth, came out last year, and they are destined for even bigger stages.

Another quick change and it was onto the main band of the night. Although not quite sold out, the main room of Exchange was feeling pretty good, with the atmosphere almost electric and people buzzing to see Sløtface. Promoting their new album, Film Buff, they opened straight into the lead track, ‘I Used To Be A Real Piece Of Shit’, a song about changing and getting to know yourself. Immediately the energy was high, people were enjoying themselves and getting their groove on.

They kept up the pace throughout, with the guitarist coming into the crowd during ‘S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’, and it wasn’t long before Haley was also in the crowd, getting the mosh pit started. To begin with, any cis-males had to sit this one out, but soon after everyone was allowed in, provided they kept it a safe space (and they did!).

The crowd were so receptive and amazing, that we were treated to ‘Slumber’, a lesser-played but one of the band’s most popular songs

As the mammoth 19-song set continued, we were treated to some of the bands older songs, before coming back to ‘Lift Heavy’, and being told it was a mandatory dance song! The mood however quickly changed, with ‘Impression Of A Car Crash’, being told to keep quiet, before going back to one more party song, ‘HAPPY’.

For most of the shows, that would have been the last of the set. But Bristol wasn’t like most shows, and the crowd were so receptive and amazing that we were treated to ‘Slumber’, a lesser-played but one of the band’s most popular songs. The absolute vocal soup that is the ending to this song is so confusing, but works so well that it had me singing it all the way home. Sløtface is certainly one of my new favourite bands and I cannot wait to one day see them live again!

Until then, all that is left to say is thank you to all the hardworking people behind the scenes that make these shows happen!

Words and photos: Ted Stargatt