Last weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of returning to Bristol Sounds for the third year in a row, for an exciting opening day which boasted bands such as Reef, A, and the legendary Skindred. Rock and Metal reverberated around the sunny city center from midday until almost midnight, bringing a refreshing line up, crowd and genre to the festival that also invited artists such as Busted and Annie Mac to headline throughout the week.
Arriving at around 2pm, I caught pretty much every act in all their glory. Mallavora were first to the main stage, and the lead singers' angelic screams certainly caught the attention of those early arrivals. Their lyrics brought attention to topics such as disability, mental health and gender inequality, adding an extra heaviness to their already powerful songs. They then passed the stage to Kid Bookie. With their incredible presence and impressive outfits, combined with their amazingly loud and raw performance, it’s safe to say I am now a Kid Bookie fan.
It was clear from the amount of merch I had seen dotted about in the crowds that the next act was highly anticipated, and that was no surprise. Local Bristol band Mother Vulture completely dominated the second stage, playing banger after banger that made it impossible not to get angry and let loose to. I was surprised that MV weren’t on the main stage this year, with their insane amount of energy and effortless ability to get everyone moshing, but it’s still easy to say that their set was one of the highlights of the day.
With similar, immaculate vibes, RXPTRS continued to keep the hype high on the second stage, with the crowd turning the entire food court into a circle pit, something I found incredible to witness. These two bands, combined with Tova and Cody Frost, helped the second stage become an endless supply of heavy metal energy that was a force to be reckoned with.
Back on the main stage, Lake Malice rattled through the amphitheater, providing their grungy alternative style to those relaxing under the blaring sun and preserving their energy for the big 3: A, Reef and of course Skindred. But before then, Kris Barras Band took over, and as the amphitheater filled up, so did the energy. Lead singer Kris Barras alongside his band members delivered a powerful performance, one much heavier than their early days of more blues and soul. After a few songs, Kris jumped down into the pit and interacted with the growing crowd, building that bridge with the audience that always makes for a memorable performance.
It wasn’t long before A graced the stage, with lead singer Jason Perry looking rather lost in his Just Eat uniform. This definitely caught the attention of everyone, and soon enough the band were kicking off their set with all their classics, from ‘Nothing’ to ‘Here we go again’. Suddenly, the hot and bothered crowd had erupted once again into song and dance, thanks to A’s seamless flow of energy and lighthearted jokes sprinkled throughout. The diverse age range within the crowd reinforced the true power of connection that music possesses. From long time fans, to their children, everyone was jumping and smiling through the whole performance.
Reef effortlessly took over, each song being sung back to them by fans adorned in the band's merchandise. I sat at the back and rebuilt some of my energy during this performance, and watched intently as each and every member of the audience soaked up the powerful set that filled the city with classic rock.
The venue quickly became jam packed as Skindred’s lead singer Benji Webbe marched out onto the stage, flying the iconic Skindred Flag whilst the Star Wars Theme tune echoed. This dramatic entrance quickly erupted into a chaotic, heavyweight performance full of their biggest hits that thoroughly shook the amphitheater. If there was a roof, it would have been blown off immediately. The audience beamed brightly with smiles, screams and the best kind of rage, and it was simply impossible not to stomp to the Reggae-Metal fusions.
The first day was nothing short of perfect, and with the summer weather, diverse lineup and the constant flow of rock, it will certainly be hard to top.
