Creeping up on their 10th year in the biz, Bristol’s Breakfast Records has earned a solid reputation for putting out some of the city’s most stonking indie, folk, and punk releases. With their outfit Get Down Services making waves and Bristol’s independent spirit running through the label, the timing was perfect for another round of their annual shindig, Breakfest. This DIY celebration brought together good tunes, good vibes, and a reminder of just how vital small labels are to a city’s musical lifeblood. Attendees knew to expect surprises, spontaneity, and a day celebrating the community behind the music just as much as the music itself.
Judging by the cloud of ciggie smoke outside Strange Brew, the audience would be teeming with musicians, diehards, and those in the know. With 13 bands booked for a mammoth 10 hours of music, Breakfest was nothing if not ambitious. Sets alternated between the venue’s main stage and the smaller back room, with only a 15-minute turnover between acts. The day’s energy never dipped for long, and the atmosphere remained tightly wound from start to finish.
First up was the new outfit 0800-RODEO. From the first note, they set the tone for a long, energetic day full of variety and surprises. Bright, upbeat melodies cut through a scene often dominated by heavier, abrasive textures. Their sound fell somewhere between The Ramones’ relentless drive and airy new-wave shimmer. Catchy, quirky, and surprisingly sharp in their songwriting, they proved a perfect way to kick things off.
Speaking of abrasive, Bureau De Change was ready to wake up anyone looking to get the most from their day ticket. Their songs about office chair torment, dumb men, and therapy hit hard and sparked the first headbangs of the day. Sardonic humour and good-natured banter set the stage for a friendly, relaxed, yet explosively fun atmosphere. Check out their track “Resistance” for a taste of wiry post-punk dragged kicking and screaming into 2025.
Next, we caught one of the fest’s highlights, Classic Trucks. Josh, co-founder of Breakfast Records, led the band with indie-country vibes that brought a fresh twist to the lineup. Fans of Big Thief or Divorce would no doubt enjoy Josh’s cosy tunes. Slide guitar, keys, and shuffling drums encouraged gentle swaying rather than moshing. With Strange Brew now nicely filled, the set carried a welcome intimacy, letting the audience sink into the warmth of the performance. Nepotism be damned if the tunes are this good—only joking, Josh.
I must confess that hearing Zach Thompson’s soundcheck had me bracing for Bob Dylan worship bordering on the insufferable. Luckily, I was dead wrong. Thompson’s set and influences proved far more varied. A true balladeer backed by upright bass, fiddle, and one outstanding drummer, he drew the audience in with captivating tunes like “Ireland’s Child” before finishing with a gypsy-jazz flourish. By the end of his 30-minute set, the room was spellbound, each note holding attention in a rare, magnetic way.
Just as spellbinding—though on the opposite end of the sonic spectrum—were Melbourne dance-punks Gut Health. A heady collision of erratic guitars, dual drummers, and propulsive bass, frontperson Athina Uh-oh had the crowd locked in within ten seconds. Imagine an amped-up B-52’s fronted by Siouxsie Sioux—their sound was groovy and ferocious, blending dancefloor rhythms with raw punk energy. Not a diss to the rest of the bill, but Gut Health’s stagecraft was on another level: commanding, playful, and impossible to ignore. They came to kick ass and take names, and delivered. Definitely keep an eye out for them.
Seven hours in, Breakfest was far from finished with surprises. Enter: Vanity Fairy. Imagine a one-woman human glitterball dropping sultry disco bangers with full, flamboyant flair. Her kitsch-pop landed like a bolt of neon in a day heavy with snarling Jazzmasters and politically charged performances. Despite only having 30 minutes to light up a dingy back room with bone-infused light fixtures, she stood out as a dazzling curveball. She easily captivated the crowd, leaving many buzzing long after she finished.
Varied, friendly, and often very funny, Breakfast 2025 proved a brilliant day out for anyone invested in the independent Bristol music scene. Sets flowed effortlessly, and the room brimmed with musicians, aficionados, and casual listeners sharing beers and soaking in the communal spirit. The festival was a testament to what makes Bristol’s culture so engaging: passion, cooperation, and mutual respect. It’s a reminder why small labels matter, why local acts deserve attention, and why the energy in a packed back room can outweigh any stadium gig.