Bob Vylan doesn’t need press approval, which is just as well—there’s freedom in knowing their creative integrity won’t bend to anyone’s expectations. Last night’s sold-out show at the Marble Factory showcased exactly why the London-based, Ipswich-formed punk duo has become one of the most unapologetically raw and electrifying bands in the UK.
Since forming in 2017, Bob Vylan has been storming venues and festivals with a genre-smashing blend of grime, punk rock, and hip-hop. Their rise has been gritty, relentless, and fully DIY—full of blood, sweat, and uncompromising passion. This isn’t a band that panders; they are fiercely authentic, and that’s precisely why their fans, who cram into venues night after night, respect them.
Frontman Bobby Vylan, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, and drummer Bobbie Vylan—known simply as “the Bobs”—use stage names to keep their private lives under wraps. In an age of invasive digital surveillance, they fiercely guard their boundaries, choosing to share only their music, philosophy, and mental health journeys. Both band members advocate for clean, healthy lifestyles, shunning alcohol, smoking, and processed foods. But for all their guarded privacy, they are fully present on stage, embodying a fierce belief that the band is a vessel for sharing values and music—not the be-all and end-all of life.
The room was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with an audience primed for an all-out experience. From murmurs in the crowd, it was clear: fans knew they were in for something unforgettable. As the lights went wild, the two Bobs took the stage, with Bobby setting the tone in his first exchange, encouraging the crowd to “warm up” because they’d need it. A strobe light illuminated his silhouette as he stretched, a calm before the oncoming storm.
Then came “Reign,” and all restraint went out the window. With Bobby at the helm, the chaos erupted, the crowd following his every move. Bobbie’s drumming kept the tempo brutally high, setting a relentless pace that would barely let up for the rest of the night. By the third song, “Dream Big,” Bobby was already diving into the crowd, held aloft by a sea of hands, while others scrambled to capture the mayhem on their phones.
Bob Vylan’s sound is as brutally honest as their lyrics, taking aim at British society with a ferocity only punk can carry. Tracks like “He’s a Man” cut deep, skewering stereotypes and challenging listeners to confront their own perceptions. But the band doesn’t just call out the flaws—they push for change, pausing multiple times to praise those in society fighting for a better world. Their message: anyone can step up and be part of that change.
Each track came in hard and fast, with cuts from Humble As The Sun (2024), Bob Vylan Presents The Price of Life, and We Live Here. It’s incredible how much material this band has amassed in such a short time, with songs like “Northern Line” hitting all the harder in a live setting. This was a setlist for the die-hards who have been with them from the start and for newcomers just now finding themselves in the orbit of the Bobs’ gravitational pull.
As the Marble Factory’s floor turned into a heaving, surging sea of bodies, there was an undeniable connection between the band and the crowd. Bristol’s reputation as a “rebel city” meshed seamlessly with Bob Vylan’s ethos, making this an unforgettable night of cathartic release and unity.
Ending with the explosive “We Live Here” and “Hunger Games,” the duo left everything on stage. As Bobbie stepped from behind the drum kit to embrace Bobby, the ovation reached deafening levels, confirming what everyone already knew: this was one of 2024’s must-see gigs.
@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
