Review: Pale Blue Eyes, Strange Brew – ‘High energy fun’

Whenever I see a gig announced at Strange Brew it always gives me added incentive to go. With it’s walls packed with art, neon lights and giant eyeballs lit up and hanging over head, it has such a great feel to it.

So much more pleasant than just being in a dark room tucked away, it feels spacious and airy with quick bar access with great service, which is always a bonus.

When my super fan friend told me about this Pale Blue Eyes gig, I had to go.

Going in blind a little as their music is new to me, I had music mad Chris as my musical guide for the night who had discovered them playing at The Lanes in 2018 and has seen them countless times.

First up in support are Ciel and I’m struck by their heavy garage with singers lending a softness over their feedback to basics sound. I can hear Pixies, I can hear Nirvana and I can totally see why Steve Lamacq is a fan.

Baby Don’t you Know is set highlight for me with its perfect blend of indie pop and glittering vocals that make me with I knew the lyrics to sing along.

It’s a good sign when people are dancing not just at the front but dotted around the venue, I can see little pocket of dancers getting warmed up before Pale Blue Eyes.

The band get a huge cheer when they announce their own headline tour where will play The Louisiana next February.

The band rock out and end with Fine Everything, crowd now whipped up and dancing.

Pale Blue Eyes are here to celebrate their new album This House and they open with Take Me Over, a foot stomper which has the crowd me right down the front with everyone else dancing away driving the gears and delivering.

Their album deals with grief loss and heartbreak but live the songs seem triumphant as the band give it their all and they seem to love the response they get from a fever pitch Bristol crowd.

Matt fizzes with gratitude before smashing into Spaces, the music video filmed in Bristol’s very own Ashton Court. This song is uplifting and charges out of the blocks and doesn’t look back. So catchy.

The same can be said for often set closer Dr Pong as it gallops along with bass player ‘Strawberry Aubrey’ plucking his bass at a lightening and awe-inspiring pace.

Him and Matt seem to share a lot of moments and appear like brothers on stage almost playing just to each other at times. There is a lot of love in this room for this band.

Chelsea slows everything down and we all have a chance for a breath. This song shimmers and glides and is perfect in the Strange Brew setting. Especially as one fan’s glittery Pale Blue Eyes top catches the light in front of me as she sways along to the rhythm of the music.

A beautiful piece of music. Obviously, they pick up pace again with Our History, drummer Lucy drives the band along as the song reaches a fuzzy climax.

Sister is tonight’s set closer and energy in the room is mirrored from stage to crowd as everyone bounces up and down and I’m arm in arm with now sweaty friend having a great time, like a kid at a party not wanting it to end!

This is a show that has got me hooked on their music. Listening back to their music this has started some brand-new fandom for me.

A show full of high energy fun and band clearly in their element. If tonight show is anything to go by they will be back in Bristol soon.

Main photo: Matt Barnes

Read next:

• Review: Nick Hart & Tom Moore, The Folk House – ‘They tell stories that need to be kept alive’
• Review: CMAT, SWX – ‘A renaissance cowgirl dream’
• Review: BC Camplight, SWX – ‘His songs take on a completely new lease of life’

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