It's a cold, wet Tuesday night in December but there is no place I would rather be than stood in a queue amongst other metalheads outside of Bristol's Marble Factory, eagerly awaiting a sold-out night filled with all things Metal and Hardcore.
The wait wasn't long before the party got going with French Metalcore four-piece Resolve first out onto the stage. Their set is both uplifting and energetic; yet filled with some disgustingly heavy breakdowns. They bring things to close with "Older Days" from 2023's Human which has a bass line so gloriously harsh that it felt as though it rattled my very soul.
The vibes were well and truly vibing by the time thrown emerged, the stage filled with fog and backlit with strobes. An assault on the senses; the Swedish outfit delivered an onslaught of Punk-inspired Nu-Metal/Hardcore tracks from 2022's EP Extended Pain and 2024's album Excessive Guilt.
The crowd knew what was about to come as Buster Odeholm started the kick/snare beat and the opening 'phonk' sample began to play for breakout hit "on the verge", the audience screaming "I've tried to come to terms with my mind" along with Marcus Lundqvist before the chuggs of Johan Liljeblad and Andreas Malm guitars, down-tuned, seemingly, to the depths of hell itself, sent the room into an absolute frenzy.
The main support act for the evening were Newtown, Connecticut-based Currents, shoving a mixture of Djent and Progressive Metalcore into the ear holes of the, now swollen to almost bursting point, Bristol crowd. Bassist Christian Pulgarin is a blur of spins and kicks across the stage; whilst Brian Wille delivers a combination of cleans and harshes that are truly sublime. "Unfamiliar" from 2023's The Death We Seek was a personal highlight showcasing the progressive side of their particular brand of metalcore perfectly.
The calm before the storm as stage crew hurried to set up for the main act; special shout outs to the sound engineer for the Nickleback medley that kept the crowd going in anticipation, belting out everyword to some of the Canadian legends classics.
It's been a whopping seven years since Sheffield's own While She Sleeps last played in Bristol, explained guitarist Mat Welsh; that night in 2017 was at the 450 capacity The Fleece, but tonight in front of a sold out crowd at the 1400 capacity Marble Factory, the band promised that it would not be seven more years before they are back again.
Coming off of the back of a predominantly sold out twenty date European tour (that saw Malevolence as main support rather than Currents), Mat mentioned that the band were "a little scared that coming back to the UK the crowds would be naff...but its fucking sick, we're so proud to be back home".
There are a few things that you are guaranteed at a Sleeps show; unbelievable musicianship, some ridiculous breakdowns, but what you will also get is an insane amount of energy. Following openers "PEACE OF MIND","LEAVE ME ALONE" and "ANTISOCIAL"; it didn't take long for things to really kick up a notch. Frontman Lawrence 'Loz' Taylor ordering the venue security to step up to the barrier before demanding the crowd send each and every person over the top during "THE GUILTY PARTY", to which they were all too happy to oblige. "Bristol you fucking delivered... showing Europe how it's done". Later repeating the same request for "ENLIGHTENMENT(?)" at the back end of their set; but with the added encouragement of trying to break the venue record, "if you have never crowd surfed before, then this right now is your fucking chance... get over this barrier".
"You Are We" felt like a real shared moment between band and audience as Loz encourages everyone to "get up on your friends shoulders", torches on phones turned on as the house and stage lights go down.
Titular track from the latest album "SELF HELL" has all of the hands in the crowd up and swaying along with the band.
Fan interaction was on point during the set with "SYSTEMATIC" seeing the crowd getting down low before jumping up and going absolutely mental at the breakdown; then, towards the end of the song, we see Loz's first dally into the crowd, taking a leap off of the barrier before taking a lap around most of the venue atop the crowd.
Sleeps set comes in with a huge finish. We were treated to the return of Anthony Diliberto from Resolve lending his vocals to "Silence Speaks", before Loz went into to full 'mad lad' mode, with the help of the crowd, hoisting himself up onto the venues balcony level before taking a leap down into the middle of the assembled masses.
Now back onstage, Loz casts an array of roses, carnations and a host of other blossoms into the crowd for the highly emotive "TO THE FLOWERS"; before the night finally draws to a close with high tempo fan favourite "SLEEPS SOCIETY".
Even though we have been taken on a ride through almost a decade's worth of the bands back catalogue; from 2015's Brainwashed, through 2017's You Are We, 2019's SO What? and 2021's SLEEPS SOCIETY, up to current release, 2024's SELF HELL; sadly the night feels like its all over far too soon.
While She Sleeps continue the UK leg of their tour, alongside Currents, thrown and Resolve through to December 14th.
It's sad news that we may not get many more nights like tonight down at Marble Factory, with the announcement that the building's owners will not be renewing the venues lease beyond next summer it seems as though another storied local venue will be lost. In the words of the Music Venue Trust "In 2023, more than one venue closed every week. Of the 366 small music venues Ed Sheeran played while learning his trade, at least 150 are now closed. Another 72 Grassroots Music Venues significantly reduced or ended their live music offer in 2023. 38% of Grassroots Music Venues in the UK made a loss in the last 12 months. The sector operated on a 0.5% profit margin overall while running live music events at a £115 million loss.".
A recent UK government Culture, Media and Sport Committee report stated "grassroots live music venues, the local, limited capacity venues integral to the pipeline of creative and professional talent and key fixtures of our communities, are now facing a crisis of soaring costs and closures. Artists, and the people who rely on them for business, are facing a cost-of-touring crisis and finding opportunities squeezed. Promoters are less able to put on shows or make them financially viable. Festivals, electronic music venues and even academies and arenas are not insulated from the impacts". It's encouraging to hear that serious talks are being had that a £1 levy may be added to each stadium/arena level concert ticket that will be used to help support grassroots venues, artists and promoters.
Standing on my soap box briefly if I can, without the hierarchy of small grassroots venues providing a place for artists to learn their trade, evolve and earn a living, potentially, who may have ended up as your next favourite band in 5-10 years time may not get that chance. Support grassroots venues, support your local scene, support smaller artists, show up for the support acts, buy their merch, get the bassist a beer, hug the lead singer, tell all your friends, SUPPORT GRASS ROOTS MUSIC. And if you have 5 minutes, please check out the work of the Music Venues Trust.
