Review – Thrice , Marble Factory, Bristol, February 23rd 2024

Thrice - Marble Factory, Bristol - 23rd February 2024

Thrice are a funny band in a way. I’ve not once seen them at anything less than a sold-out venue, and they attracted a big crowd for the pandemic-delayed celebration of the anniversary of Vheissu at 2000 Trees in 2022. And yet they don’t seem to attract much attention by the music press or in social media. Perhaps that’s by design; the Irvine, California four-piece, led by singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue, are a reserved bunch – don’t get me wrong, they bring the energy on stage, but they definitely give the vibe that they’d rather let their art do the talking. And so it goes tonight, as the 90 minute set is barely interrupted, only briefly pausing between songs to note the source of the next track, or to thank the audience for their support.

The band are in town touring to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the seminal screamo classic The Artist in the Ambulance (a re-recording of which was released last year, featuring various guest artists such as Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra). Indeed, the first 45 minutes is dedicated to a play through of the entire album, chunky riffs and screaming vocals delighting the Marble Factory crowd who took every opportunity to show their appreciation, belting along with not just the title track or singles like All That’s Left and Stare at the Sun, but lesser known deep cuts (Melting Point of Wax, Silhouette). As a long-time fan who missed the original tour for this album, it was a great feeling to experience these songs played live with such high energy.

How do you even top that? Thrice chose to take us on a journey through the back catalogue, touching on both more recent output (The Dreamer off 2021’s Horizons/East) as well as old B-Sides (Motion isn’t Meaning). The high point was arguably early on, as the band launched into Deadbolt, a crowd favourite from their sophomore album Illusion of Safety), an instant roar of approval giving way to an enthusiastic sing/shout along. The Alchemy Index (Firebreather), Beggars (The Weight) and Major/Minor (Yellow Belly) all saw representation, and the set “closed” with The Long Defeat off of 2016’s To Be Everywhere is to Be Nowhere. Which would be a perfect way to end had it not been for the absence of Vheissu. Lucky then that the band came back for a short encore, adding Black Honey (To Be Everywhere…) and finishing up with Vheissu’s Of Dust and Nations and The Earth Will Shake, whose chanted vocals (“We dream of ways to break these iron bars / We dream of black nights without moon or stars”) serve as a perfect platform for crowd interaction.

Whether you’re a fan of early angsty-screamo type stuff or more modern, almost proggy take on the post-hardcore genre, Thrice have something for everyone, and their tight energetic performance (and light show!) make them one of the better live acts in rock -absolutely check them out next time they’re in town.