LIVE REVIEW: As December Falls @ SWX, Bristol

Sunday’s are more known for being a bit sleepy, especially as the winter chill creeps in, leaving the somewhat warm confides of your house is a risk but AS DECEMBER FALLS at SWX is worth the chill. With DREAM STATE and LIZZY FARRALL in support, tonight’s billing makes for a powerful female-led night and and one that raises the banner for women in music.

The venue fills up quickly and a nicely sized crowd is already in attendance ready for the first act which is LIZZY FARRALL, the lightest band on the lineup and one that starts the evening off a bit more mellow. FARRALL has a fantastic voice and really fills the room as her blend of pop-rock are as catchy as they are contagious. The rest of the band made of one guitarist and a drummer really bring the performance together and add a little extra oomph to the live show. Lizzy even gets the crowd to do the classic get down and jump up, which this early on in the night is a risky move, but it is one that pays off as a fair amount of people join in with the revelries. Overall, a nice start to evening and one that gets everyone warmed up and ready for the next act.

Rating: 8/10

Enter DREAM STATE with so much energy they could power the entire venue. Jessie Powell is a power house on vocals and commands the stage from the first note to the last. The rest of the band are swinging around on the stage and it’s a surprise they don’t bump into each other more often. It really creates wonderful visual for the crowd and you can tell so many in attendance have come to see DREAM STATE. Each song raises the level that even the band’s more slower numbers are full of the same energy. Guitarist Aled Evans even braves it and gets in the pit, having the crowd circle pit round him, a move that really makes this show feel more intimate. It wont be long until DREAM STATE are headlining venues like SWX and beyond.

Rating: 9/10

Finally, it is time for the headliner AS DECEMBER FALLS. The band have been brewing in the background for a few years but this year they are taking it up a notch. Headlining some of their biggest venues in their career to date on the back of July’s Join The Club, the proof is in the pudding that 2023 has very much been their year.

Showing off a more pop-punk vibe, the sound might be lighter in terms of music but the energy is insane. Bethany Curtis, the charismatic lead singer, prances around the stage and really gets the crowd going with constant interaction from little waves, to even holding hands with one fan during Mayday. Taking the tone down half way through the set for a nice acoustic version of Happier, phone lights are out giving the moody atmosphere we love.

For most of the set the crowd have been happily singing and bobbing along, but bringing the intensity back up in the second half of the set, a pit is finally formed, especially when Jessie Powell from DREAM STATE pops on stage for a quick cameo. Seeing both women standing tall on the stage together was a beautiful sight to see and definitely made the night a little more special.

With the night drawing to a close, AS DECEMEBR FALLS make sure they close the set with a bang, starting off with I Don’t Feel Like Feeling Great, a wonderful song about, well, not feeling great and it being okay. It’s messages in songs like these that ring true with the audience and sends a positive message. Ending the whole show with standout single Ride, AS DECEMBER FALLS have firmly put their name on the map.

The show was fun, lively, with a cheeky guest cameo and great interactions with the crowd. This is what a show should be. Here’s looking to the new year and seeing what AS DECEMBER FALLS bring to the table next.

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Bristol from Serena Hill Photography here:

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