The Thekla, 23rd April
The finish line is in sight, and a mad sprint is in order; on their tour’s last night, STONE start strong. As a band named after the maiden name of frontman Fin Power’s mother, STONE bring a surprising sensitivity to what could be a run-of-the-mill bash of knuckles and heads. It’s their last night, after all, and this is a band with something to prove.
They start the rough-and-tumble with their latest single, ‘Left Right Forward’, and it brings out a side of the crowd as strong as the band’s Liverpudlian accents. Power wields his guitar like a gun, and it fires to a conclusion of boyish anarchy. This is a band who pay homage to their Britpop influences while still making something that feels both nostalgic and new: their unreleased song, ‘If You Wanna’, is as anthemic as anything Blur or Oasis have used to signpost summertime.
STONE split their bill between cult classics – songs like ‘I Got A Feeling’ – and greatest hits that unleash real hell, like ‘Money (Hope Ain’t Gone)’ and ‘Waste’. The lyrics are simple and spontaneous, but they’re mined from real honesty.
The bassist, Sarah Surrage, is described by Power as being so calm she could fly to Mars without a raised hair or shortened breath, and it is her who sings the barely-there female vocals that make the band sound like themselves. They may be a rock band, but their harder, angrier moments pulse through her like blood.
‘Stupid’, though, is where the sweat really falls from the walls. Power asks for the biggest mosh pit Thekla can order, and his crowd try their best to deliver. They’re a band who draw out the kids who need someone to say what they feel for them – the boys on all-nighters, the girls with cheap lighters – and it’s easy to see the community STONE have forged. When someone falls here, they’re picked up so quickly it’s hard to tell whether they were ever even down at all.
📝 @katejeffrie
📸 @ilnsimages
Kate Jeffrie @katejeffrie
Role: Lead Writer / Interviewer
I review gigs, and interview bands and musicians.
Available For: Gig Reviews, band interviews
Qualification: I study English Literature at the University of Bristol.
First attended gig: The first gig I remember going to see was Lewis Watson when I was 13, at a pub a few towns over from where I lived. My friends and I all loved him, and I remember how shocked I was that someone I had on this pedestal could be stood on a stage just a few feet away, drinking a beer and playing guitar!
First gig reviewed: The first gig I ever reviewed was Palace at the O2 Academy Bristol. As a band I wasn’t particularly well acquainted with, it was a testament to how live music can bowl someone over, even when it’s coming from strangers.
Dream gig: My dad saw The Smiths on their first tour, and since they’re my favourite band, I think seeing them in an intimate venue would be a dream
Isaac Stubbings @ilnsimages
Role: Photographer & Reviewer
Hey! I'm a photographer who uses music as a core influence in all my photography. I love looking towards colour and lighting to try and emulate a narrative that enhances my work.
Qualifications: I study Photography at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
Available for: Gig Shoots, Photo Shoots, Album and Single cover shoots and Touring
First attended gig: The first gig I went to was to see the band Beach House in Brighton when I was about 14. It was in a big church and I remember the dreamy vocals and synths sounded amazing with the acoustics of the place. After that, I was hooked on the experience of going to see live music.
First gig shot: In college I shot a couple of my friends’ bands in tiny venues, but I think the first proper gig I shot was Newdad at Thekla. Wanting to get back into music photography, I reached out – not really expecting to hear back – and it meant a lot to me when I was put on the list to shoot one of my favourite bands. It was such an enjoyable and rewarding experience for me, so after that I was set on pursuing it further.
Dream gig: Big question. There are so many I could think of, but it would have to be The Cure in a small intimate venue.