Crofters Rights 13th May 2023
Blank Atlas
May 5th 2023… The day the old maps were ripped up & we begin to chart a new course with a Blank Atlas…
The long time coming of Blank Atlas’ debut album “Dawn Chorus” and national tour to promote its release feels like the sails have been unfurled, the winds of momentum truly caught. And a brave new world is there for the taking of the Bristol based trio.
Friends since school Chris Simpson (bass) & twin brothers Dan (Frontman / Guitar) & Tom Thould (Drums) have garnered a reputation for blood n thunder live shows. Sweat dripping from ceilings, knees bloodied, crowds battered, bruised & smiling.
Saturdays hometown headliner at Rough Trade would prove to be no different. The curtain raised & bar set high as the uplifting melodies of “Flawless” ring out.
The band have assembled less a fanbase, more a militia. And despite the album being out for just a matter of days, the black T-shirt clad Atlas Army are in strong voice. Bellowing album tracks “This Mountain” & the brilliant “Problems” back at the stage. A stage doing its utmost,but ultimately failing to contain the insane energy emanating from the band. Watching Chris play is to be hypnotised by a drunk wizard who happens to be an epic bassist.
The mega strong set expectedly leans on the new album for 8 of its 11 songs, but there are some real easter eggs in there for long time disciples. Such as “Connections” & “I Feel Great”.
The band excel with top drawer, three part harmonies, dirty riffs and huge choruses throughout. Providing a sound that can shift effortlessly from pop rock to blistering hard rock with the subtlest of gear changes.
The show is pretty much everything you could want from a hometown gig, , album launch and a performance. Both band and fans quite obviously enjoying every second. As evidenced by some sharp wit from both that gave the evening a warm, uber friendly vibe throughout.
We finish…, how could we not? With Atlas anthem “Crush” And I think its fair to say the band have indeed crushed this night. We’ll be seeing a lot more Blank Atlas Tshirts around by the time this tour reaches conclusion.
Arimea
The Oxford quartet Arimea, consisting of Whitney Cooper on vocals, Tom Cooper on guitar, Joe Landles on bass, and Richard Stedman on drums, are a band in metamorphosis, and we could be about to see a gnarly nu-metal butterfly emerge from its chrysalis.
Classically trained, powerhouse vocalist Whitney steps up front and center to showcase a better set of pipes than a Scottish clansman and delivers a killer set with more energy than a school of piranhas at feeding time. The band provides the perfect platform for her to let loose.
The recent releases “Nostalgia” and “Rinse & Repeat” had teased us for the step change and abundance of new material that the band will be unleashing on us. Taking a step back over the past 18 months and locking themselves away to produce something fiery, fierce, honest, and organic, the entirely new set gives us a chance to sample eight of these new tracks. The nu-metal sound synonymous with Arimea blends with catchy pop hooks and well-used unclean vocals that show the exceptional range and control Whitney has over her voice.
Standout tracks such as “Far Forgotten” and the wonderful “Castielle” lay a marker down of how far the band has progressed in the past three years.
With their incredibly engaging live performances that frequently see Whitney off-stage and in fans’ faces, and the whole band’s approachable demeanor off-stage, it’s impossible not to develop a soft spot for Arimea.
And with the ability to pack a nu-metal punch as hard as tracks like the insanely catchy “Nostalgia,” we need not look back, only forward with excitement about what more they have in store for us in 2023.
shania twainsaw massacre
Firstly, we need to crown the winner of the “best band name we’ve seen in 2023” so far 
.
Secondly, we were darkly impressed with the five-piece. It was, quite frankly, a ridiculous performance for a debut show. Branded simply as “horrible music for horrible people,” there are soon going to be a lot more horrible persons about town if Saturday’s performance was anything to go by.
Flitting between shoegaze and heavy riffs, the somber tones punctuated by blistering drums were enough to elicit a full front row of nodding heads. Showcasing five tracks, including “Meat Cute” and “Room,” which are already available to stream on Spotify, it was a tempting first outing for a band stacked with individual Bristol-based musical brilliance.
The @shaniatwainsawmassacre1 should be the next tick on the “need to see” list for your melancholy musical fix.
@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
