Housed by the Wool Hall in south central Bristol, The Fleece has become one of the most well established venues in the region. The old concert posters that overlook tonight’s punters serves as a constant reminder of the many great acts who have already tread their boards. Tonight see’s Swedish septet Cult of Luna return after a five year absence from British soil. Home-town band Sonance kick proceedings off with a short set that is well received by the crowd. Second on the bill are North Somerset alternative/ambient band Blueneck. Their lamenting sounds win over the locals and once they have finished their short set, we are left wanting more. And so to tonight’s headliners. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to have seen COL live before will know that, when on top of their game, they produce one of the most frenetic and intense experiences in live music, across any genre. Tonight is certainly no different, with monstrous driven sounds straight from the off. As well as blitzing through tracks from their latest record Vertikal, the group also unleash a domineering version of ‘Finland’ from their 2006 masterpiece Somewhere Along The Highway. Having two drummers playing in tandem with such gusto is a true joy to watch in such an intimate setting as this. The crowd dutifully nod along in approval. An eerie and meandering ‘Passing Through’ drops the hard gained momentum, before ‘Dark City, Dead Man’ ensures that the pace was dropped momentarily. Having borne witness to one of the year’s best gigs to date, there are many satisfied punters exiting the venue. Why wouldn’t they be? Cult Of Luna are the best in the business.
