Crofters Rights 11th May
Alesund
Ålesund uplifting, evocative, cinematic, haunting & incredible live
The first thing we note of the Bristol based 5 piece is there appears to be only 4?
Vocalist Alba Torriset explains that bassist Chris Axe is missing owing to a family emergency.
We are interested to see how this affects the dynamic of a band (Will Montague – guitar, Mike cooper – drums, James Graham – keys) renowned for their layered eclectic sound. We needn’t have worried, as soon as the first notes escape from Alba into the ether we are hooked.
Crofters is a great venue, where many a local band has cut their teeth, but Ålesund feel so much more than this. This is a band on a cusp on something very special. One song away from greatness & international recognition.
The ultra clean, pitch perfect vocal is enough on its own to make every hair on your neck stand on end.
When coupled with dreamy pop hooks, atmospheric soundscapes & alternative rock riffs its a gig with so many WOW moments.
The effortless way the bands sound fills every inch of space in the atmosphere is truly mesmerising.
Ålesund are a band that you feel as much as you listen to them. With innate ability to transport the listener to a multiverse containing golden summer memories, epic roadtrips & magical moments with the ones you love.
Its a epically strong 11 song set that builds & builds. “All Hail To Your Queen” strikes poignant & powerful emotions. “Lightning” showcases both the uniqueness of the band, Alba’s vocal & enforces their cross genre appeal. By the time we reach the middle of the set, every single person in the room is fully & emotionally invested.
We travel back in time with “Shift & Flux” before launching into a three song finale that includes the two latest singles “Never Enough” & “Rode Off Into The Sun” bookending personal favourite “Rhythm”. The latest singles are crying out for national radio attention.
This is a band that continues to grow, develop and become stronger. The only thing now holding them back is exposure. So we highly recommend adding Ålesund to your soundtrack of summer 2023.
Megan Dixon Hood
Megan gracefully waltzes onto the stage at Crofters, akin to a dandelion seed caught in a spring breeze. Her demeanor is that of a woodland sprite, playfully excited by her new surroundings. The crowd is palpably excited for an artist positioned between @auroramusic and @florenceandthemachine.
The journey to April’s debut album release, “East of the Sun,” has been complex, with the album coming together over the past two summers. However, like all epic fantasy world adventures, it is the journey to the final destination that provides the ultimate reward for the viewer/listener. Megan showcases an utterly spellbinding body of work that leaves many jaws on the floor. She is not merely an emerging talent, but a fully-fledged pop star ready to take her place on the biggest stages.
Ten tracks from her impressive debut album are a treat for the audience. Megan’s ability to conjure otherworldly soundscapes and fantasy elemental surroundings is truly magical. The album would not be out of place as a soundtrack for films such as Avatar. She is able to transport her audience from watching a performer dance in the temple of the Greek gods to dancing around the bonfire of a Viking encampment, and then strapping them into a rocket-ship bound for the stars. It is one thing to evoke those feelings for someone listening at home, but to convey them to a live audience is special. The crowd’s reactions range from astonished silence bursting into rapturous applause to being utterly incapable of resisting a primordial urge to move.
Standout tracks such as “The Garden,” “Athena,” “Third Lung,” and “St. Lucia” are honestly of another level.
Megan has an aura of someone who has combined the past lives of performers that have performed across time and space for thousands of years. Remember the name @megdixonhood; we are gazing out into the universe and seeing it give birth to a huge new star.
Fall Arc
Pleasant surprises…
I first caught Fall Arc (Piano & vox: Beth Loates-Taylor, Guitar & vox: Sam Powell, Bass: Joe Williams) at Inglefest last summer. I was drawn to the mellow vibes coming from the stack of hay bales like a honeybee to nectar. So, it was a wonderful surprise to bump into Beth and Joe pre-gig at Crofters and find out they were on the night’s bill. The trio’s static, stripped-back setup provided a perfect ambience to settle the crowd in for the night, wrapping us in a warm blanket of easy listening.
Beth and Sam provided effortlessly gliding and duelling vocals that, in some ways, reminded me of The Beautiful South. Joe’s bass added a lovely and dynamic complexity where required.
The six-song set breezed by like a lazy Sunday afternoon in a beer garden, punctuated with breaks in the form of the occasional retuning of a guitar and charming patter with the watching audience. Standout songs for me were most definitely “Cosmic” and the earworm that is “Harmony Wine,” both easy for the crowd to join in with even if it was their first time hearing them.
We were also treated to “Dress Me Down,” which will represent the band’s forthcoming debut single.
A feel good time, with a feel good band.
All images and reviews by
@bristolnomad_gigphotography / @thebristolnomad
@thebristolnomad / @bristolnomad_gigphotography
Role: Photographer / Reviewer / Interviewer
Chief, the one that bugs the team for team for their reviews and images. Creator and founder of The Bristol Gig Guide. Can usually be found swamped in admin or getting cramp kneeling at the front of a gig.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Gig Reviews, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots, Videography work, Interviews and Touring
First attended gig: Republica, circa 1996.
First gig shot: Hands Off Gretel, at The Louisiana!
Dream gig: Huge metalhead and my ultimate dream gig would be shooting my heroes Slipknot at a huge stadium gig, or as festival headliners. And to experience shooting a headline tour outside the UK
