With summer seemingly arriving early in the UK and temperatures unusually soaring, stepping into the claustrophobic void of the Exchange felt jarring. I was here to feel a different kind of heat this Thursday night, the kind only a loud, sweaty double bill of Brighton-based acts could deliver. Known as a hub for great art, tunes, and fun times, Bristol set the stage for a night that promised something special.
First up was the four-piece from Brighton, Congratulations, and let’s just say the odds were stacked against them. A support slot, in a small venue, on a school night, with the sun blazing outside. Not exactly ideal conditions. Then again, who said rock ’n’ roll was supposed to be easy?
If you had to describe Congratulations in one word, it would be confidence. These noise merchants didn’t even need to warm-up. Decked out in a wicked green tracksuit, vocalist Leg Stanhope brought enough energy to compensate for the sparse crowd. Never still for a second, their performance style could be best described as a punked-out P.E. teacher on overdrive. To the left of the stage, guitarist James Chellar—dressed like a demented indie sailor—fired off octave-soaked riffs and shrieking harmonics at breakneck speed. One thing was clear: Congratulations is no wallflower act.
Trying to pin down their sound would be a fool’s errand. Blending electroclash, hardcore, and garage rock might be hard to imagine, but all I can say is, it absolutely slaps live. Now signed to Bella Union records, Congratulations have yet to release a full-length, but I’m confident it will be brash, bold, and probably a bit bonkers. Tracks like “Ice Tea” and “Hosepipe Ban” capture their chaos best in the flesh, where the full weight of their sound really hits. After 30 shredding minutes, Congratulations leave the stage, and the crowd gets a short breather before Orchards come on.
At first, I was seriously doubtful that Orchards could top their supporting act. Those lingering thoughts were quickly proven wrong, though. Formed in 2017, Orchards bring more finesse to the stage while still packing tons of fun. Lucy Evers is an exceptional frontwoman. She’s chatty, mad, and always up for a bit of banter.
By now, The Exchange’s famous sweatbox has filled up nicely, and the crowd is ready to boogie. Touring behind their latest album Bicker, which debuted in March, the quartet is clearly having a blast playing new material.
While I expected Congratulations to bring the chaos, seeing Orchards bring the fire is a welcome surprise. Their tunes might have a pop sheen, but the emo and math rock elements shine through in a live setting.
Blasting through a 15-track setlist, fans are treated to favourites like “Be Here,” while the infectious sing-along of their new track “Groan” goes down as a crowd favorite. A third of the way through, the crowd begins jumping and throwing their fists in the air. This is when the band’s experience shines, turning every show into a party, no matter the night or size of the crowd. They know how to work a crowd with ease. They finish the set with “Luv You 2,” an early banger from 2018’s Losers/Lovers EP. It was the perfect closing moment to a brilliant couple of hours of music, before the band retreated to the merch table.
The Brighton acts made a fine pairing, reinforcing the sheer level of talent from the city. If you can pull a bunch of Brits from their beloved beer gardens and make them move like it’s a Saturday, that’s mission accomplished. Orchards and Congratulations—get them on your radar.
Photo Credit: Rhys Dolman
Words: Sam Walker-Smart