BRISTOL: The Thunderbolt

Saturday 26th November, 2022

7:30pm

Event information

The Monochrome Set return to The Thunderbolt to promote their new, 16th, album, 'All Hallowtide'.
Featuring original Monochrome Set members Bid (Guitar/Vocals) and Andy Warren (bass) with newest recruit, Athen Ayren on keyboards.
The Monochrome Set formed in 1978, and were heavily influential in the ‘post-punk’ scene that evolved after the initial scorched earth of punk.
The band’s early releases were on the legendary Rough Trade Label before signing with Virgin offshoot Din Disc. They also released several albums on the Cherry Red label, making a notable appearance on that labels’ well known ‘Pillows and Prayers’ compilation. Though The Monochrome Set split in 1985 the next decade saw several reunions for both live gigs and further studio recordings..
After a hiatus of over a decade the band reformed full time in 2010 and have since toured all over the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA, whilst also releasing seven new, critically acclaimed, studio albums. Now in their 44th year, they are beginning a new series of gigs promoting their latest album and playing songs old and new.

Support -
Poor Performer
Simon Rivers led The Bitter Springs for twenty-five or so years, a group which (largely) self-released a series of critically acclaimed records over more than twenty years. Weaving the messy threads of suburban life into dense tapestries, he has something of the Go-Betweens' gift for melody, something of Mark E Smith’s ear for language, something of Vic Godard’s common touch, and almost none of the acclaim that should have been his due." Since leaving his day-job as a postman, Rivers has been busy with what will be received as his "Meisterwerk", released under the name Poor Performer, the sessions for which produced such an abundance of marvels that the album, "Like Yer Wounds Too", will also contain a bonus CD with some of the songs he couldn't fit on the vinyl.   
As critic Jim Wirth put it, "A near-invisible presence on the margins of underground pop, Simon Rivers is well into his fourth decade of making sweet, powerful, crushingraddle lines between sharp observational wit, triteless emotion and sarcastic bastardry"

and

The Lovely Basement
Born from an attempt to imagine what the Velvet Underground might have sounded like if they were from Nashville, indie four-piece The Lovely Basement combine floaty harmonies, thoughtful guitar, smart lyrics and textured sounds. They've also been likened (Louder Than War, Shindig Magazine) to Yo La Tengo, Stereolab, Suzanne Vega and Galaxie 500.

Death, redemption, favourite places, outrage and modern bewilderment all find a voice in their shimmering collections of lovingly crafted songs.