Touring her most recent album and coincidentally one of my personal top three albums of the year, She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She, Bristol’s very own Marble Factory plays host to the Californian gothic folk goddess known as Chelsea Wolfe. This being Wolfe’s first Bristol show in quite some years, I was, of course, extremely excited, along with so many others, to witness what would be one of the most jaw-dropping performances I’ve had the pleasure to Witness.
Arriving early to the venue to take in the atmosphere, it was clear I was at a Chelsea Wolfe show; ninety per cent of the gig-goers eagerly waiting in the ever-growing queue were dressed head to toe in what can only be called their gothic black uniforms. To a passersby, it must have looked like a real-life army of darkness on the front line.
Making my way into the beautiful industrial venue which was hidden behind a large plastic curtain, which I am assuming was there to keep the incredible amount of fog inside. I could barely make out the stage from the back; If it wasn’t for a blue shimmering light in the distance, I would have been lost. I really was taken aback by the amount of fog inside, it was as though someone had accidentally left the machine on for a day or two before the night’s event, but from what I know and have heard about Chelsea Wolfe, this is exactly the vibe that she goes for and it most definitely set the mood.
The lights drop at 8 pm sharp when drummer Jess Gowrie, guitarist Bryan Tulao and synthesizer/electronics/bassist Ben Chisholm take the stage to begin the haunting electronic album opener, Whispers in the Echo Chamber. It wasn’t too long before Chelsea herself made her appearance to loud cheers and claps from the audience, but as soon as she began to sing, a beautiful, respectful silence fell across the crowd.
Chelsea’s voice is something to behold in a live setting, it really is. The complete control she has to be able to do such beautiful vocal runs in sometimes a whisper style singing is beyond amazing and hearing it done live is such a treat.
Chelsea and her band perform all songs from this year’s release (2024), She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She, with songs from her back catalogue thrown in, such as After the Fall from the Album Abyss, and heavier songs such as 16 psyche from 2017’s Hiss Spun.
This performance was arguably one of the best, if not the best, things that I have had the privilege to hear live, whether that be the tone of the guitar, the clarity of all the vocals or even the snap of the snare as it echoed throughout the Marble Factory, just utter perfection.
It would also be wrong of me to write this and not to mention the phenomenal lighting that was on display. I truly believe that the lighting designer/artist/operator/creator of the lighting deserves an award for what they have created to accompany such textured and well-written pieces of music.
A personal highlight of the show for me and for sure a lot of other people was the acoustic cut-back rendition of the song The Liminal; not only was this vocally and lyrically a tearjerker, but visually a spectacle. I was lucky enough to view this from the dead centre of the upper balcony. Seeing Wolfe standing alone in the middle of the stage with just an acoustic guitar inside what seemed like a tunnel of fire as she performed was breathtaking, and the silence throughout was spine-tingling.
Sonically, audibly, and visually beautiful, I will never forget this show.
I am a self taught Photographer and an aspiring reviewer.
I have been in and out of bands for the past 15 years and some, so thought it only makes sense to stay in the scene that has been the most important aspect of my life since I can remember, live music.
Available for:
I am available for small gigs, larger concerts, recording sessions and festivals.
First attended gig:
The first proper gig that went to that I can actually remember was Muse supported by a then lesser known Elbow and I think the main reason I remember that is because it was the first big concert that I was allowed to go to with just my friends. Obviously Muse were fantastic by the way.
First gig shot:
Im pretty sure the first gig I shot was for a friends band at a local social club with some sort of £30 Argos camera. You can only imagine the fantastic quality of the shots.
Dream gig:
My dream gig to shoot would most definitely be either Tool, not just because they are amazing but their stage and lighting is magnificent. Or I would love to shoot another one of my favourite bands which is Explosions In The Sky and that’s just because they are incredible.
