Live Review: Foxing, Sans Froid and The Earth and Me | Thekla, Bristol | 05/06/2025
In between their massive headline set at Portals and appearance at this years Outbreak, St Louis emo veterans Foxing return to Bristol on an extensive UK run in support of their breakout self titled album with local openers on every stop of the tour.
The Earth and Me
Re-emerging in 2024 after a six-year hiatus, Bristol post-rockers The Earth & Me start the night off to a glorious start. The decommissioned ship is transported to another place for a tightly packed thirty minute set of shimmering post-rock glory. Feeling like they’re musically somewhere between the high-strung emotional grandeur of This Will Destroy You, piano fused throwback of Maybeshewill and the playful math rock edge of Totorro. The occasional flurry of vocals and crowd chatter come without the use of a microphone, lending a post-hardcore edge to moments in the set and simultaneously feeling distant, yet intimate. It is a stunning showcase of the four piece’s material; highly melodic and soul stirring post-rock with a post-hardcore/DIY punk edge. Here’s to continued success for The Earth & Me after their time away, perhaps a slightly longer set in the future to hear them really flex those post-rock muscles, to have a bit more room to breathe and expand further. Regardless, they should absolutely have a space in any twinkly instrumental enjoyers’ music library.
Photo Credit: Taya Llewellyn
Sans Froid
Bristol art-punk four piece Sans Froid have been heralded with scores of attention over the past few years, culminating in the launch of their debut album in 2024. The title, Hello, Boil Brain, has all the detail to accurately describe Sans Froid’s sound, which is somewhat of a task when attempting to review. Avant-garde just about covers it; perhaps somewhere between straightforward, highly charged and soaring alt-rock/grunge passages, some touches of angular abrasive post-punk and a heaped dose of atonal prog. They sound massive tonight as the crowd starts to properly fill out, jaws slack and in awe of the cavalcade of madness being presented to them. Deranged atonal staccato melodies on the keys rhythmically counterpoint the drums and other instruments with otherworldly vocals sat atop the chaos. Sans Froid are truly something unique to behold and, without knocking the quality of tonight’s headliner for a single second, damn near stole the show. That being said, get out there and catch them live ASAP, there is nothing out there quite like what Sans Froid are giving out to baffled, yet adoring crowds.
Photo Credit: Taya Llewellyn
Foxing
After their sellout show last year at Exchange playing their debut album in full, St Louis emo sweethearts Foxing are back to show off new cuts from their barn burner self-titled album released last year. Coming in the middle of an extensive European tour cycle, book ended with their massive headline slot at the last Portals Festival and a marquee set at this year’s Outbreak, Foxing are on as great a form as they ever have been tonight. Aptly kicking off their set with the opening track from their recent album, ‘Secret History’ already has a fervent reaction, followed by a second helping with the angst-ladened indie rock vibes of ‘Spit’. Despite clearly being focussed on showing off their new material, Foxing are determined to stuff in some classics, deeper cuts and fan favourites along with the way. Nearer My God’s track, ‘Grand Paradise’ receives a roar of adulation from the crowd before bringing down the vibes for the high-strung piano led emotionality of Dealer’s, ‘Night Channels’.
Much like the supports tonight, Foxing sound spectacular in the enclosed hull of the ship, all their various instrumental layers from guitars, to keys and the various trumpet melodies flourishing accompanied by some excellent lighting. For most of the night, lead vocalist Conor Murphy forgoes crowd chatter to focus on his vocals, with the sparse interactions and thank you’s mostly led by guitarist/backing vocalist Eric Hudson until the last few songs in the set. The synth heavy break beat intro of ‘Gratitude’ brings the energy up and has the audience screaming along to the chorus and sits nicely before softer Dealer cut ‘Eiffel’. Clearly a fan favourite from the self-titled release, ‘Hell 99’ causes a fluster on the floor and kicks off waves of bouncing and impassioned screams. The flow of all the newer tracks woven between older ones works a treat; ‘Lich Prince’ fits right alongside ‘Looks Like Nothing’ and ‘Barking’, with the sole offering from Draw Down The Moon, ‘Beacons’, marking the beginning of the end for the night.
If anything, the final run of five songs shows just Foxing have grown from their roots without losing what made their audience fall in love in the first place. Despite touring the album in full last year, we’re still treated to the big hitters from their debut album, The Albatross. ‘The Medic’ can easily hold the mantle of a modern emo classic, followed by the title track of Nearer My God for another hearty sing along. Self-titled album closer ‘Cry Baby’ fits amongst their best like a glove, proceeded by a final one-two punch from The Albatross with ‘Inuit’ and ‘Rory’, getting some of the biggest reactions of the night. It’s satisfying to finally see Foxing getting their flowers and the adulation they’ve deserved for years as one of the best live acts in the modern alternative emo space. With their newest release boosting them to even greater heights, nights like tonight show that the band has no intention of resting on their laurels any time soon.
Photo Credit: Taya Llewellyn
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Thekla