In an age when live music fans are still shelling out hundreds to relive the glories of bands long past their prime, it feels like a breath of fresh air to witness a packed room at Rough Trade, drawn by the magnetic pull of grassroots energy and raw, emerging talent.
The venue, dimly lit and pulsing with anticipation, buzzes with the kind of excitement that only a band on the cusp of something big can generate. Since forming in October 2023, Wyr (pronounced “wy-uh”), a four-piece outfit straddling the sonic line between shoegaze and post-punk, has been making waves across Bristol and South Wales. Tonight, they’re not just playing a show—they’re celebrating the launch of their debut single, “Anyway.”
Wyr hits the stage, and the air thickens. Frontwoman Maisie Cook, channelling a fierce blend of Katy Perry’s playfulness and Siobhan Fahey’s dark allure, locks her icy blue gaze with the crowd. It’s a stare that cuts through the room, simultaneously captivating and chilling. With the first notes of “Dead Repeated,” Maisie unfolds, a Black Dahlia blooming under dim lights. The crowd sways as the band envelops the space with a sound steeped in the moody, feedback-laden legacies of The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, and The Cure.
Backing her up are Milo Willicombe on drums and the dual guitar-bass talents of Dylan Marshall-Reddy and Josh Phillips, who seamlessly switch roles mid-set, proving their musical dexterity. Together, they craft a dense, reverberating wall of sound that serves as the perfect backdrop for Maisie’s ethereal presence and haunting vocals.
Tracks like “Cross the Line” and “Happy Face” pull the audience deeper into Wyr’s sonic haze. Fuzzed-out guitars and cavernous basslines merge into an intoxicating blend of post-punk grit and shoegaze dreaminess. Lyrics drenched in vulnerability speak of loss, anger, queer identity, love, Catholic guilt, and mental health, hovering just above the swirling guitars, drawing us further into their nocturnal world.
By the time we reach their debut single, “Anyway,” Wyr has already established themselves as something special, a cut above the noise. Their set hints at a deep reservoir of dark, atmospheric material, waiting to be unleashed in the months ahead.
The night closes on a high note, with the almost ritualistic chanting of “What You Are,” leaving us all suspended in the moment. As the lights dim and the last reverb-soaked chord fades into the ether, it’s clear: Wyr is more than a band to watch—they’re a force to be reckoned with.
@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
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