LIVE REVIEW: Future Static @ The Louisiana, Bristol

On a hot summers day, the sound of metalcore and alternative music invaded an alternative city, and that sounds like the perfect way to spend a night! Especially in a venue like Bristol’s The Louisiana, whose upstairs live room had air conditioning that every attendee and performer could enjoy – other venues, take notes. Whilst no strangers to this kind of weather, it did feel like Australia’s FUTURE STATIC brought the excellent weather with them to deliver an energetic show alongside GIANT WALKER and ADHARMA. Would this gig bring the heat, or be too much to bear?

First to the stage was the ethereal metal band ADHARMA, making a great first impression on all the audience members from the first moment they entered the stage. The beautiful layers in the music with the guitar riffs and basslines are simply stunning to hear, and witness performed live by the incredibly talented musicians. The best aspect of the band was that their personalities shone through as they played. It was easy to see as an audience member just how much all the members enjoy what they play and, most importantly, believe in what they perform.

The vocals and lyrical content were fantastic, adding that ethereal quality on top of their progressive metal sound that took the songs to the next level. With themes like feminism and mental health struggles throughout their music, it showed how they felt about what they wrote about, and how fully they believed in their lyrical content. For example, they used a sample from Emma Watson’s 2014 speech at the United Nations when she became a UN Woman Goodwill Ambassador, which gave weight and gravitas to the performance with the actress’ important words on top that are still relevant to this day. Overall, ADHARMA delivered an excellent start to the show and left a fantastic impression on all who attended. It will certainly be exciting to watch where this band goes next because it’ll certainly be to better and brighter things. Not one to miss at any point.

Rating: 9/10

Next was heavy prog rockers, GIANT WALKER, showcasing their love for classic and alternative rock in their grooves and rhythms. The band mention their sound is inspired by SOUNDGARDEN and RADIOHEAD on their website, but a lot of their songs sound similar to alternative rock of the early 2000s, just with a fresh coat of paint that’s nostalgic and vibrant. Every part of their music, each layer and harmony really flow and jive together beautifully. For example, the drumming from Alex Black was impeccable and fantastically creative. A true talent behind the kit in this band, the different rhythms, riffs, and time signatures explored are fun to listen to and really work with their lyrical themes. Like ADHARMA before, it was fantastic to watch a band enjoy what they play and believe in the music they perform. Another great choice as a support band and one with a lot going for them in the future with new album Silhouettes on the horizon, GIANT WALKER are worth the time to watch anytime they’re playing.

Rating: 8/10

Finally came the heavy hitters, Aussie metalcore band, FUTURE STATIC, hot off the release of their recent album, Liminality, and kicking off their headlining set with a bang with their fierce sound and beautiful mix of unclean and clean vocals. With the fantastic …And The Walls That Were Built kicking off the set, the five musicians performed incredibly throughout the show, jumping with the audience, and playing around with each other, for example, drummer Jackson Trudel and bassist Kira Neil clinking their cans together after the first song. With a mixture of heavy and soft songs within the set, it showcases the variety and range that the band takes their sound in, keeping the unclean vocals even in the slower songs, and adding a lot of emotion and weight to the lyrics. 

As shown with some of the band’s interactions with each other, as well as the interactions with the crowd, including starting a moshpit with the crowd, FUTURE STATIC are a special prospect, one where their passion for music is evident on their face and in their performance on stage. The many interactions with the crowd, especially through songs like Plated Gold and Waves, also showcase their performance skills and how they’re all so connected to their fans. This is evident with the inclusion of their cover of Gasolina, a known fan favourite, as well as finishing the set with their most popular songs, Venenosa and Roach Queen, creating a fantastic set from beginning to end with no letting up and consistently brilliant displays of talent. 

Overall, an air-conditioned venue was the perfect place for three fantastic bands, that showcased their immense talents throughout each brilliant song they played in each set. Put together on this lineup was a genius move, they were different and iconic enough to stand out from each other whilst not sticking out in a bad way. All are worth the time and effort see live wherever in the country they’re playing, and should be supported through all their endeavours. ADHARMA, GIANT WALKER and FUTURE STATIC delivered individually amazing performances and came together to create one unforgettable night.

Rating: 9/10

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

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