Some live performances are enjoyable, some are unforgettable, and then there are those rare, transcendent experiences that imprint themselves onto the psyche. What Kelly Lee Owens delivered at Bristol’s Marble Factory on Saturday night fell firmly into the latter category—a meticulously crafted spectacle where sound and light fused into a singular, immersive force.
The Welsh producer, singer, and songwriter has long been celebrated for her ability to blur the lines between electronic experimentation and emotional resonance. But on this night, she did more than perform—she created an alternate reality. Waves of sound pulsated through the venue, enveloping the audience in an otherworldly dreamscape that felt less like a concert and more like a journey into the subconscious.
Originally planned to coincide with the release of her fourth album, Dreamstate, in October, the tour was postponed as Owens sought additional time to refine its production. It was, in hindsight, a masterstroke. The decision to delay—a choice that no doubt weighed heavily—paid off in full. From the opening notes, it was evident that every element had been fine-tuned to perfection, ensuring that Dreamstate was experienced exactly as she had envisioned.
A bold departure from her earlier work, Dreamstate seamlessly weaves together elements of pop, club-driven euphoria, and deeply emotive balladry. With contributions from Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers and Bicep, the album has drawn widespread critical acclaim, with The Guardian heralding it as “dancefloor transcendence by a true pop shapeshifter.”
That same sense of transcendence was palpable throughout the performance. The energy in the room surged as Owens commanded the space with effortless precision, her intricate blend of techno, ambient, and dream pop resonating with both emotional depth and physical intensity.
Yet, to simply describe Dreamstate in sonic terms feels inadequate—it is, at its core, about sensation. From the seismic bass that rattled through the floor to the ethereal white light washing over the crowd as Owens’ whispered vocals felt like an angel’s breath, this was an out-of-body experience in every sense.
Encircled by a hypnotic display of strobe lights, flanked by her decks, she set the tone immediately, launching into the album’s title track with an intensity that turned Marble Factory into a pulsating, trance-fueled utopia. The set balanced moments of soaring euphoria with hushed, intimate interludes—each transition executed with the kind of control that only an artist at the peak of their powers can deliver.
That euphoria reached its pinnacle with “Love You Got”, a track that transformed the venue into a surging mass of energy, the atmosphere charged like a small-scale nuclear reaction. Owens herself was a study in poise and power, utterly in sync with the sonic world she had constructed around her.
Ninety minutes passed in what felt like an instant. The crowd, locked into a state of pure sensory immersion, had been transported. This wasn’t just a performance—it was an experience that lingered long after the final note faded.
Kelly Lee Owens has always been an artist intent on pushing the boundaries of electronic music, but Dreamstate proves she is now operating on an entirely new plane. Whether through delicate vocal textures or hypnotic, club-driven beats, her work continues to redefine what electronic music can be—a deeply personal, transformative art form that exists beyond mere sound.
@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
