Review by Abby Render –
On a Saturday night in Bristol the scope and variety of things to do are huge, especially when it comes to live music. Yet in the intimate upstairs room of The Lousiana, Manchester’s The Travelling Band delivered such a lively evening of great music, the crowd was transported to summer festival vibes once more; the perfect antidote on a rainy October evening.
My anticipation for an evening of fantastic music was confirmed by support artist Chloe Foy. Slick melodies, great harmonies with fellow band members and a voice reminiscent to Laura Marling. Definitely one to watch.
The Travelling Band bound on the stage bang on 9:30, delivering track after track of catchy songs, many off their third album ‘The Big Defreeze’. It may be one of the last few gigs of their tour but the energy and passion of the band are at a peak. The first few songs they perform are good, folky pop numbers, yet from “Borrowed and Blue,” the attention of the room is firmly caught and these guys show just how good their live experience is. Every single band member is animated and in the moment, the guitar is powerful and elongated and singer Adam Gorman shines in this song, with a rock edge similar to The Smashing Pumpkins.
No two songs sound the same, floating between folk, country, rock and pop throughout the set. A particularly good Neil Young cover of “For The Turnstiles” exhibited a flawless vocal performance from Jo Dudderidge with added harmonica and sing-a-long from the crowd which really lifted the room. The addition of Harry Smith‘s musical prowess, a member of Chloe Foy’s band, was brought in early on in the set and he remained a fixed member for the rest of the night; his violin and saxophone contributions were an excellent addition to the evening. Their earlier stuff went down great too, “Battlescars” from album ‘Screaming is Something’ had the crowd singing along word for word; a great country pop song with a catchy chorus and soothing guitar.
The crowd was quiet and polite with an air of contentment around the room as people listened with great fervour. There is clearly a large fan base and the whole night has the comforting feel of a hometown gig, though we are a way away from Manchester. The banter and engagement with the crowd added to this intimate feel, yet these boys need a larger stage. The electric finale was entertaining and musically sound, a particularly impressive performance from drummer Nick Vaal, however there was an air of disbelief then disappointment when the realisation dawned there was to be no encore.
The Travelling Band’s musical versatility and energy on stage displays their experience, they have three great albums under their belt, and many years of gigging small venues around the country. By the sounds of their new album it won’t be long until these guys are hitting bigger venues, and they are in no doubt ready for it.
Find out more about The Travelling Band at their official website
Gig Review: The Travelling Band – Louisiana, Bristol – Saturday 25th October
Review by Abby Render –
On a Saturday night in Bristol the scope and variety of things to do are huge, especially when it comes to live music. Yet in the intimate upstairs room of The Lousiana, Manchester’s The Travelling Band delivered such a lively evening of great music, the crowd was transported to summer festival vibes once more; the perfect antidote on a rainy October evening.
My anticipation for an evening of fantastic music was confirmed by support artist Chloe Foy. Slick melodies, great harmonies with fellow band members and a voice reminiscent to Laura Marling. Definitely one to watch.
The Travelling Band bound on the stage bang on 9:30, delivering track after track of catchy songs, many off their third album ‘The Big Defreeze’. It may be one of the last few gigs of their tour but the energy and passion of the band are at a peak. The first few songs they perform are good, folky pop numbers, yet from “Borrowed and Blue,” the attention of the room is firmly caught and these guys show just how good their live experience is. Every single band member is animated and in the moment, the guitar is powerful and elongated and singer Adam Gorman shines in this song, with a rock edge similar to The Smashing Pumpkins.
No two songs sound the same, floating between folk, country, rock and pop throughout the set. A particularly good Neil Young cover of “For The Turnstiles” exhibited a flawless vocal performance from Jo Dudderidge with added harmonica and sing-a-long from the crowd which really lifted the room. The addition of Harry Smith‘s musical prowess, a member of Chloe Foy’s band, was brought in early on in the set and he remained a fixed member for the rest of the night; his violin and saxophone contributions were an excellent addition to the evening. Their earlier stuff went down great too, “Battlescars” from album ‘Screaming is Something’ had the crowd singing along word for word; a great country pop song with a catchy chorus and soothing guitar.
The crowd was quiet and polite with an air of contentment around the room as people listened with great fervour. There is clearly a large fan base and the whole night has the comforting feel of a hometown gig, though we are a way away from Manchester. The banter and engagement with the crowd added to this intimate feel, yet these boys need a larger stage. The electric finale was entertaining and musically sound, a particularly impressive performance from drummer Nick Vaal, however there was an air of disbelief then disappointment when the realisation dawned there was to be no encore.
The Travelling Band’s musical versatility and energy on stage displays their experience, they have three great albums under their belt, and many years of gigging small venues around the country. By the sounds of their new album it won’t be long until these guys are hitting bigger venues, and they are in no doubt ready for it.
Find out more about The Travelling Band at their official website