“A night filled to the brim with charisma and pizazz.” The Struts and Barns Courtney made their way to Bristol on October 5th to co-headline on the second to last UK show of ‘The Grand Union Tour’.

For eager fans, there wasn’t long to wait once inside the building; only 15 minutes after the doors opened, supporting artist James Bruner took the stage. A blend of charm and confidence, Bruner gave the performance 100% and for moments, you’d forget that he wasn’t headlining at his own show. By the end of the set his jacket had left his body, and his body had left the stage. James jumped down into the pit to get up close and personal with fans on the barrier. This show was my introduction to James and his music - it’s safe to say I really enjoyed his performance and I look forward to seeing where he goes. He felt like the perfect fit for this tour and made for the perfect start to the night. James Bruner is certainly one to look out for! 

The first of our headliners on this night was Barns Courtney, who exploded onto the stage sporting a statement star jacket and pointy white boots. Barns didn’t take his foot off the pedal once during this set, treating eager eyed audience members to an exhilarating, adrenaline-enhanced concoction of high kicks, mic swings and crowd dives. The boy didn’t stop. Barns is accompanied on stage by Brittany on drums, Jermaine on bass, Davis on keys, and Andrew on guitar (whose stage presence and flexibility was remarkable itself). Audience members sang along to every word of Barns’ songs and daren’t look away, for fear of what they might miss given the pace of his performance. Barns Courtney is a more recent discovery of mine who I found through The Struts. His Bristol set was unforgettable and electric - this man needs more recognition. He was the perfect mixture of grit and glam. I thoroughly enjoyed his set and I hope to see him play again when he next tours the UK. 

After much anticipation, the sirens sounded and The Struts made their grand entrance. The stage was theirs the second they set foot on it, kickstarting the set with “Primadonna Like Me”. The Struts have been on my ‘would love to see live’ list for a while now, so getting to capture this show was an exciting one for me. A charismatic quartet of effortlessly cool, glamorous and glittering individuals - we have Luke Spiller on vocals, Adam Slack on guitar, Jed Elliot on bass, and Gethin Davies on drums. This show was close to home for Bristol-born Luke. From start to finish the band poured everything they had into their performance. The live vocals and instrumentals were amazingly close to their recorded sound, each band member playing their own vital part in contributing to this live musical masterpiece. It’s clear that all four of these boys were born to perform and they had the audience in the palm of their hands. It’s safe to say that Luke Spiller is one of the best frontmen out there right now. The way he can conduct and engage with an audience is exuberant and impressive. The joy and energy that radiates from him is absolutely contagious. I think his feet were off the ground more than they were on it. I’ve had The Struts playing in my head constantly since seeing them last weekend, and I’m eagerly waiting for the day I get to see them live again!

The Struts and Barns Courtney continue ‘The Grand Union Tour’ around Europe throughout October. I strongly advise you to go see this one if they’re coming to a city near you.