Let’s get this out of the way at the outset: I attended Larkin Poe’s Bristol show at Bristol Beacon on Sunday as a fan first and a reviewer second. The Georgia-raised sibling duo of Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell have undoubtedly been the soundtrack to some of the happiest moments of my adult life. So it feels as though it’s my turn now to pay homage to—and wax lyrical about—one of the most influential and talented Southern rock, blues, Americana, and roots acts of their generation.
They arrived in Bristol on a wet October evening for leg three of a monumental twenty-four-date run that stretches across the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, and beyond. Have no doubt how in demand these Grammy Award winners are. International crowds are drawn to and captivated by their blistering slide-guitar riffs, soulful harmonies, and unapologetically Southern swagger—that Delta blues grit fusing effortlessly with contemporary rock muscle.
Raised in a musical family in Calhoun, Georgia, the Lovell sisters first made their mark as teenagers in The Lovell Sisters, a bluegrass-leaning trio that gained attention in Americana circles. After that project ended, Rebecca and Megan re-emerged in 2010 under the name Larkin Poe—a nod to a distant ancestor and cousin of Edgar Allan Poe—signalling a creative rebirth.
Swapping mandolins and fiddles for electric guitars and lap steels, the pair began forging a harder, roots-driven sound steeped in blues tradition but delivered with a distinctly modern edge.
Larkin Poe’s early records—Kin (2014), Reskinned (2016), and Peach (2017)—charted their transformation from Americana ingénues to blues-rock heavyweights. The breakthrough came with Venom & Faith (2018), which topped the Billboard Blues chart and earned a Grammy nomination, setting the stage for their ascent as leaders of the roots revival movement.
Subsequent albums, including Self Made Man (2020) and the covers collection Kindred Spirits (2020), showcased their growing confidence as self-producers and songwriters. But it was 2022’s Blood Harmony that solidified their stature—a swaggering, deeply personal record that went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
In early 2025, the duo unveiled Bloom, a bold and introspective new album that marks the next chapter in their evolution. Expanding their sonic palette without sacrificing the raw immediacy that defines them, Bloom finds Rebecca and Megan exploring themes of growth, resilience, and creative renewal.
And it’s that album—and the resulting Bloom World Tour—which finds us crammed into the opulent main hall of the beautiful Bristol Beacon.
Live, Larkin Poe are a study in chemistry and controlled chaos: Rebecca’s fiery guitar work and commanding vocals locked in with Megan’s searing lap-steel lines and rich harmonies. Their performances blur the line between past and present, channelling the spirit of the blues while speaking directly to a 21st-century audience.
The duo walked onto the stage to a rapturous welcome and wasted no time extending the weekend vibes with the pedal-to-the-metal strains of “Nowhere Fast.” One of three opening tracks taken from the latest album—alongside “Mockingbird” and “Easy Love Pt. 1”—it set the bar high. But when you’re Grammy winners, there is no bar. The duo set about peppering the packed crowd with some of the best Southern rock and blues you’ll hear anywhere on Earth in 2025.
Along with the music, the sisters’ obvious rapport and ear-to-ear grins pumped the room with a wave of infectious, feel-good energy. No one was going to leave the venue this evening without an equally wide smile and a rhythm coursing through their bodies—one that would no doubt continue to keep their feet tapping long after they’d managed to lower their adrenaline enough to go to bed.
The set itself consisted of 18 tracks, including a single encore, split into three sections. The back end of the first third was a lesson in everything that sets Larkin Poe apart from their peers. “Bluephoria,” the lead track of the latest album, “Bad Spell,” and a dose of nostalgia with “Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues” delighted the crowd before a jaw-dropping rendition of “Deep Stays Down,” with its instantly recognisable twanging guitar intro transporting everyone temporarily to the bayou of the Deep South. It’s a go-to recommendation for anyone unfamiliar with why Larkin Poe are a cut above.
Then came something of a tradition for a Poe show. Along with the rest of the band, Rebecca and Megan gathered around a solitary radio mic at the front of the stage for a traditional bluegrass-style acoustic set.
A pin-drop moment followed as we were treated to spine-tingling performances of “Southern Comfort” and a deeply personal—for both the band and myself—rendition of “Mad As A Hatter,” which is still causing goosebumps as I type this review and try to ignore the tears fighting to escape from behind my eyes.
The final third of the set was a pure knock-down, full-south, honky-tonk fun session. The anthemic “If God Is A Woman” and “Bolt Cutters & The Family Name” saw the band and fans alike singing in unison—the singing voices beside me occasionally giving way to screams of delight or comments of “just wow.” The whole venue joined in with chants of “woooo woooo, yeah, yeah, yeah” to bring the main set to a close.
The sisters briefly disappeared before re-emerging with the encore track “Bloom Again,” which served as the perfect and personal sign-off from a band that has transitioned from small-town Georgia, USA, to the world stage.
Thank you for everything, Larkin Poe.
@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
