WORDS RYAN WOODFORD / IMAGES SAM HOLT
Courtney Taylor-Taylor – Lead singer & guitarist
Peter Holmström – guitar
Zia McCabe – keyboardist and bass
Brent DeBoer – drums
It was a rather grey and dreary evening sky looming over Bristol before tonight’s co headline show by The Dandy Warhol’s and The Black Angels at Bristol’s O2 Academy. I didn’t have any expectations for this evening which on this occasion, certainly worked out well.
The Dandy Warhol’s were on first, the lights go down and Klaus Nomi’s ‘Keys of Life’ plays through the PA system as the band take to the stage, the crowd give a fairly warm welcome. The band kick things off with ‘Good Morning’ with it’s progressive, steady tempo. Courtney Taylor-Taylor is wailing in such a way that his vocal style reminds me of Iggy Pop. A couple of guys next to me, get rather emotional during this first number, embracing each other in a hug, as tears start to roll down their cheeks, I found this rather warming to see, the power of music eh.
The Dandy Warhol’s cruise into second track ‘Ride’ with it’s crunchy, distorted guitar sounds, this track has a rather grungy vibe accompanied by some dashing strobe lighting. Before third track ‘Plan A’, Courtney Taylor-Taylor finally says a few words and thanks the crowd for coming to the last show of the UK tour. Zia McCabe takes up her duties on bass guitar for this track whilst drummer Brent DeBoer and singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor are harmonising beautifully for ‘Plan A’ as the crowds sea of heads are bopping along in unison.
The biggest reaction during the set arrives when The Dandy Warhol’s kick in to their biggest hit ‘Bohemian Like You’, sections of the crowd are jumping, the crowd are wooing back during the chorus and keyboardist Zia McCabe is doing her upmost in getting the crowd going, Peter Holmström’s effortless guitar style is in full motion, the O2 Academy is rather lively.
The set is draws to a close with a couple songs left, lead singer Courtney Taylor-Taylor re-introduces the trumpet player who has been playing with the band for 10 years and also thanks the crowd, there’s a rather somber moment during penultimate track ‘Get Off’ as the crowd put their hands in the air with Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s as they share that connection.
Before last track ‘Godless’ Courtney Taylor-Taylor says to the crowd “thank you guys very much, god bless you all, I’m going to get drunk!”. With the band finishing a strong 12 song set, I am overly satisfied with The Dandy Warhol’s performance, the band from Portland, Oregon are veterans of the game having formed back in 1994 and their experience certainly proved they can still rock up there with the best.
Live Review Score – 7.5/10
Setlist
1. Good Morning
2. Ride
3. Plan A
4. Be Alright
5. Summer of Hate
6. I Love You (extended live version)
7. I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem
8. Holding Me Up (extended live version and trumpet)
9. STYGGO
10. Bohemian Like You
11. Get Off
12. Godless (with trumpet)
Alex Mass – lead singer, bass, organ/drone machine
Christian Bland – guitars, organ/drone machine
Jake Garcia – guitar
Stephanie Bailey – drums
Ramiro Verdooren – keyboardist, bass
Over to The Black Angels, the crowd has reduced slightly in size, the stage set up is looking less busy, the lights go down and the band take to the stage with Massive Attack’s ‘Angel’ playing throughout Bristol’s O2 academy. Lead singer Alex Mass sporting shades and a beanie introduces the band with a rather short “alright!”, as the band accompanied by a moving, psychedelic back drop, kick off their set with ‘History of the Future’ which is a heavy sounding start to this evenings set.
Song ‘The Sniper at The Gates of Heaven’ kicks in with Stephanie Bailey delivering a solid introduction on drums,
lead singer Alex Mass is now guitar less, it’s just him and his microphone and he’s waltzing around with his mic stand, the sound is pulsating and I can feel the vibrations from head toe, the O2 Academy is shaking with psychedelic rock.
My highlight from the set arrives when Christian Bland starts the intro riff to ‘Young Men Dead’ on his guitar, moments later the whole band all join in, the strobe lighting is flashing frantically as Alex Mass sings the opening line “Fire for the hills, pick up your feet and let’s go!” this song is big, bold and powerful, The Black Angel’s make their presence known and my god it feels monstrous.
Before the band kick in to ‘Empires Falling’, Alex Mass thanks the crowd and says “we are from North America” as a green light projects over the band and audience, the lead singer accompanied by a tambourine is now leaning over his microphone, bassist and keyboard player Ramiro Verdooren is looking moody cool, picking at her bass guitar and has really been in the moment all night.
The Black Angel’s wrap things up by inviting The Dandy Warhol’s back on stage (much to the crowds delight) to help finish the show by covering The Velvet Underground’s ‘Sister Ray’, this a real wholesome moment and one that everyone enjoyed. What a poignant moment to end this incredible show and tour.
Live Review Score – 9/10
Setlist
1. History of the Future
2. El Jardin
3. The Smiper at the Gates of Heaven
4. Firefly
5. UKR
6. Without a Trace
7. Young Men Dead
8. Empires Falling
9. Grab as Much (as You Can)
10. Manipulation
11. The River
12. Entrance Song
13. Black Grease
14. Turkish
15. Snake in the Grass
16. Molly Moves my Generation
17. Sister Ray (The Velvet Underground Cover) (With The Dandy Warhols)
FOLLOW THE BLACK ANGELS
FOLLOW THE DANDY WARHOLS
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
