LIVE REVIEW: Mallavora @ Rough Trade, Bristol
MALLAVORA is a name to watch. Winning The Deal competition on Kerrang! to play Download Festival and also record an EP at Marshall Studios is a big stepping stone for them. Taking on a run of three Download warm-up shows, we head to their hometown of Bristol to catch the final show before they take on Download.
Bristol’s own HAMARTIA kicks off tonight with a heavy rock sound to ease everyone in. With beautiful vocals and an active string section, they make a mark on the night.
Being first on is normally a tricky slot, but quite a few people have turned up for them. This is shown with many cheers during their set. It’s nice to see the support from the audience, not just for one Bristol band but for two.
We even get some “spicy news” during the set, with the band swapping their bassist to drums and being joined by Chris from BLANK ATLAS on bass duties tonight. We can see the fun and refreshment this change has brought to the band, with lots of jumping and pure enjoyment on their faces. It’s not all fun and games, though. Going into Bloom, we are told it’s about being in a relationship where they are not good for you, and you aren’t good for them, and just letting go of it. Emotional lyrics mixed with some chunky riffs make for a lovely start to the night, with only more to come.
Rating: 8/10
Where HAMARTIA were ethereal, BEX brings balls-to-the-wall punk energy. Prancing around the stage and screaming every lyric, BEX really wakes you up and keeps you engaged. The easy-to-follow lyrics encourage you to shout them back at the band. However, the crowd is a bit on the quiet side, as noted by BEX themselves. This quietness slightly brings the set down, but it doesn’t deter BEX. They provide more than enough energy for everyone, with constant movement around the stage and keeping the songs down to earth. With their more punk themes, we also see BEX using their voice, announcing a song about men being jerks and touching girls. It’s blunt but to the point, and it’s good to see them giving a voice to people. Even if everyone offstage was static, they still go away knowing the name BEX.
Rating: 8/10
MALLAVORA champion accessibility at venues, ensuring their tour includes wheelchair-accessible locations. Bristol’s choice for this run is Rough Trade, a small 150-capacity venue in the heart of the city. Not only have they chosen a wheelchair-accessible venue, but there is also a small seating area for those who need it, priority spots at the front of the stage for wheelchair users, and a 15-minute break in the set for everyone to decompress and catch their breath. These are simple yet impactful steps, and it’s great to see a band prioritizing accessibility rather than crowd numbers on their tour.
Opening with Birth Of A Sun, we see three figures stand tall on risers on the stage, creating a very powerful image to start the show. The riffs ring through the venue as they continue into the second song, Wake Up, a powerful anthem about trans rights. The power and anger in the song resonate with the crowd, and you feel Jessica Douek‘s rage when singing the lyrics.
They also perform their new song, Skin, which was released on the day of this show. It’s about the struggle of identity, urging the crowd to scream, “I will not obey!”. Playing several new tracks from their upcoming EP, it’s great to hear the new material and see what’s coming from the band. Ending the first half of the set with Villain, they close the first half with a bang.
A short 15-minute break allows everyone to decompress, ensuring no one has to miss part of the set to rest. Returning, the band eases us into the second half with a nice rumble, checking in with the audience. As they kick into Origins, the break has revitalised the crowd’s energy. Hearing comments from the crowd, it’s clear how nice it is to have a break and not miss any songs when needing to get a drink or sit down. Showcasing the last song on their EP, about grief, Douek‘s vocals truly shine, demonstrating her skill as a vocalist. Her ability to transition from beautiful clean vocals to gritty growls showcases not just her talent but the hard work she has put into her craft.
Ending with what Douek describes as “the song that changed their lives and put disabled rage on paper”, they thank the audience and challenge accessibility in music. Kicking into Disorder, you can see why the song changed their lives and how it gives a voice to so many people with disabilities.
MALLAVORA demonstrate how easy it is to make shows accessible for all, even if it means sacrificing a bit of floor space for a small seating area and room for wheelchairs. More venues need to step up and provide space for accessible needs so more people can attend shows of all sizes. Finishing on a high note, it’s easy to see why they were chosen to play Download.
Rating: 10/10
Check out our photo gallery from the night’s action in Bristol from Serena Hill Photography here:
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