Every time we see Kite Thief live, they have pushed the envelope of what you think is possible. Returning to their home city midway through their UK headline tour of the EP “Ambiviolent,” the quintet of Elin (vox), Max & Josh (guitars), Henry (bass), and Zac (drums) once again put on a show that is screaming for national exposure.
Already capable of penning anthemic tracks with apparent ease, Ambiviolent, in our opinion, is the EP equivalent of Vukovi’s longer play “NULA.” In its ability to stir raw emotion, hurtling the listener across the full spectrum of feelings like a rollercoaster with no brakes. A big statement? Well, we are prepared for anyone to try and prove us wrong. The five tracks course with the power of a pyroclastic flow, scorching everything in their path. Intoxicating melodies, pummeling rhythms, and unrelenting riffs fire like neurons into synapses of every listener.
It’s the ability to take those connections from an auditory experience to a visceral visual experience though that sets Kite Thief apart from their peers. The band is a live music machine, every member a cast-iron cog playing a critical part in the overall mechanics of one of the best upcoming live bands in the UK right now.
Their show at Rough Trade may have caused some structural damage; the band appeared wired into the mains power supply from the start, and that charge was instantly transferred into the packed crowd. The eight tracks delivered at an unrelenting pace that gave the crowd zero respite. You were either going hard or going home.
In Kite Thief’s most technically ambitious show to date, the crowd was treated to an unforgettable dual vocal performance of “Judge Judy and Executioner” with Elin joined on vocals by Georgi Valentine of Mother Vulture. Before the professional vocal collective Wilder Vocals joined the mix for astonishing renditions of “Allegedly” and “Ambiviolent.” The band’s ability to push creative and technical boundaries is something that befits their destiny of becoming a national name.
Kite Thief is ready; Bristol isn’t capable of containing them any longer.
@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
