LIVE REVIEW: Delilah Bon @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

A tour starter on a special occasion? A gig on Halloween night, within the capital of Wales, has all the potential to be a show of a lifetime. In addition, the show is at Clwb Ifor Bach, located on Cardiff’s infamous Womanby Street, and the performers are two rebellious artists, one in alternative pop, the other in brat punk? Well, attendees better buckle up for a crazy and enjoyable show, courtesy of DELILAH BON and support from TILLIE. In support of Delilah’s latest album, Evil, Hate Filled Female, with the word ‘brat’ considered the word of the year for 2024, it seemed like the best artist to celebrate the spookiest time of year with, both with the hypothetical thrills and real-life horrors of the world. But would this night be fun for the thrill-seeker or a true nightmare?

To kick the show off was TILLIE, an altpop artist from the US, bouncing onto the stage as a zombie cheerleader with her drummer as a Kool-Aid Man. She invited us into her ‘Tillieverse’, the name of her latest EP, and kicked off her set with mOmS bAsEmeNt and jeLLiefish aPocaLypsE, both energetic and fun with poignant messaging behind all her work. The reason behind the Kool-Aid Man costume became clear with the song kool aiD mAn, a song about summoning the mascot to take out those who harm your loved ones for you.

The song is a great example of TILLIE’s aesthetic of sweetness covering the dark and deep lyricism that’s inspired by her harsh reality. This is exemplified in bLeSs uR hEaRt and beTh aMpHeTamiNe, both songs confronting the horrors of the world depicted with pop passive aggression that works very well. Overall, TILLIE is a joy to watch perform with an infectious sound, raw and meaningful lyrics, and a great mind and voice presenting it all. A great support act that is definitely ready for their own headline across the country.

Rating: 9/10

Then it was Delilah’s turn to take the stage, introduced with an audio skit of the character, Harry Dick, harassing her and calling her, fittingly, a Brat, launching into the first song of the set with dynamic rage and fierce energy. This energy was not just from DELILAH BON, but also all of the band and dancers that joined her throughout the set in fantastically choreographed dances and skits that elevate each song into a memorable and poignant performance.

Of course, because it was a Halloween show, there were some special surprises. This included a performance of Clown, taken from her horror EP Ready To Kill, Drop Dead Delilah accompanied by the handing out of lollies and fun dances, and Freak Alert, where the dancers were dressed as police officers hiding dildos underneath their coats, fitting the theme of the song about calling out perverts. 

Whilst those moments of outlandish performance to showcase the ridiculous nature of the song’s themes, there were also a lot of care and vulnerable moments that were showcased with grace and excellence, for example, The Internet continues to be one of the most poignant songs in DELILAH BON‘s catalogue and was delivered exceptionally about how the internet stokes the fire in culture wars and harm to the transgender community. Another example would be the performance of Epstein, one of the heavy hitters on the album, Evil, Hate Filled Female, and is brilliantly done this night. It’s given just the right gravitas and punch for a tough subject and delivers the correct amount of anger needed for the song.

Wrapping up with the incredible Dead Men Don’t Rape, and an encore of Evil, Hate Filled Female and Maverick gives a fantastic finale to an overall amazing show, where both support and headliner were well matched but unique in their own style, and nothing short of incredible. A truly unforgettable show from start to finish and one that people should not miss. 

Rating: 10/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Cardiff from Stu Rowles here: 

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