Live Review: IMMERSE, We Struck Gold, ToTouchTheFaceOfGod | The Crofters Rights, Bristol
On a mild bank holiday Sunday, there was a distinct buzz around the city of Bristol. Along Gloucester Road each bar was spilling out onto the street, and every genre imaginable was blasting out of open windows and car speakers as the population of Stokes Croft look forward to an additional day of their weekend with no work commitments - able to nurse their hangovers in peace and quiet, looking back on a wild weekend of frivolity.
ToTouchTheFaceOfGod
Outside the Crofters Rights a small que of people began to gather ready for doors to open for an early evening performance in celebration of the headliners latest single. In order to facilitate the venues regular club night the first bands would be kicking off the proceedings at 6:30pm, and with an unusually early door time following two nights of partying we did have our doubts as to how full the venue might be come kick off.
We have never been more wrong.
Kicking off a stellar bill with all acts local to Bristol, ToTouchTheFaceOfGod made a brutal entrance. This was filthy, new and exciting – and sounds exactly like the love child of Phoxjaw, El Moono & Loathe after a messy night out. Aside from tuning breaks, there was not a single moment in their 30 minute delivery where one member of the band stood still. When we first heard the band’s double feature ‘Rebirth‘(including singles ‘The Night of The Long Knives‘ & ‘Commit To Memory‘) last year, we were instantly intrigued – but baring witness to the bands live performance puts them on a whole different pedestal. Drummer Robert Taylor is a total machine, pulling the other instruments together and holding down the show for its entirety. ‘An Absence In Meaning‘ brought a shared catharsis, and anyone loitering by the bar instantly surged into the main room to soak up the rest of the show. Each member of the band brings their own unique stamp to the table, and they seem to perform simultaneously as individuals and as a collective in sweet, chaotic harmony. Four parts that make up the whole for a higher purpose.
Score: 9/10
We Struck Gold
Since erupting back onto the national touring scene at the end of last year, We Struck Gold have made their ambition crystal clear. This is a band that are a prime example of hard graft, commitment and songwriting prowess all wrapped into one hectic package – and their live experience showcased through a brilliant front of house mix projected all of the bands strengths to no end. Working hard on the follow up to the 2020 full length ‘To Conquer A Fear // All Life Is Divine‘ the band began teasing us with a new release cycle back in January – and their latest setlist is the first opportunity for any new enthusiasts to catch the material in a live setting. All in matching black, We Struck Gold delivered half an hour of melodic hardcore infused brilliance from start to finish. Their latest releases ‘Giving Up On Giving In‘ and ‘Dark Days‘ went down a storm, and whilst all of our focus was glued to the stage – there was an energy emulating from every corner of the room right back to the door.
Still incorporating some old fan favourites including ‘High Horse‘, ‘To Conquer A Fear‘ was a wise choice. The songs were well written from the start, and it’s refreshing to hear how the band have developed as a collective when delivering these to the audience. Vocalist Omar Al-Hinai has refined his craft during months overseas, and as the band appear live with more regularity it is clear that the harsh vocals have evolved and matured with every show. A fresh touring lineup has definitely provided the four piece with an advantage, as each musician is well versed in their craft and brings enough stage presence that forces the crowd to engage. There might have been a lack of big pits, but each member of the audience was transfixed on the performance – and wouldn’t have wanted to miss a single second.
Score: 9/10
IMMERSE
There was barely time for everyone to grab their drinks and get back from the bar before IMMERSE were ready to party. Following two nights on the road with appearances at Subside in Birmingham & The Engine Rooms in London the band could have been forgiven for being a little worn out, but the excitement on their faces was infectious and it was obvious that there was something truly special in store. All four members were driven by the crowd, and judging by their energy levels it would have been easy to assume they had spent the weekend preparing to throw themselves into a stand alone show rather than hauling themselves round dingy venues delivering the same level of quality.
Any reservations harboured by the crowd were quickly kicked to the curb, and as soon as vocalist Archie Hatfield picked up his microphone he made his expectations infinitely clear – Not one person was to remain stood still. The crowd obliged eagerly, and the venue was immediately full of flailing limbs, sweaty bodies and wide eyed smiles. ‘Red Shade‘ made its appearance fairly early on, and tracks like ‘23/19‘ split the room straight down the middle – making it difficult to keep your eyes on the band members while dodging flying fists left right and centre. It was the best kind of carnage, and included a huge dose of community spirit that the DIY scene is all about.
Taking a trip down memory lane, ‘Glass House‘ from the bands debut full length filled the venue with boisterous cheers and a huge chorus. Everyone in the venue knew at least some of the words to each track in the setlist, and at points it was difficult to separate the screams of the vocals from the belting voices of the crowd. When it comes to curating setlist’s, then IMMERSE are master craftsmen. The entire 40 minutes had the perfect balance of heartfelt singalongs and pure pent up aggression. Whether you came to dance or came to cry there was something there for everyone, and an emotional delivery of ‘Here’s Hoping’ had us on the edge of our seats from start to finish.
Of course the band had prepared an encore, but even if they’d held back an additional ten tracks that crowd would have still been calling for more. IMMERSE should be hugely proud of what they achieved.
Score: 10/10