Review: Softcult, The Lanes – ‘A huge sound and bigger message’

Winter has definitely made an appearance here in Bristol, and it was very much felt on Sunday while waiting in what seemed like an endless queue of people outside the cosy venue in the heart of the city, The Lanes.

We were all here, of course, to hear and see the Canadian duo consisting of twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, who make up the mighty shoegaze/dream-pop/grunge outfit Softcult.

The duo were not alone on this tour, either. They were joined by Brent McSwiggan on guitar and Phil Hirst on bass, both of whom brought the songs from the band’s EPs and singles to life.

I have to mention the diversity I saw in the audience that night. Not only did the show seem very balanced in terms of gender, but the age range was also impressive, ranging from 18 year olds to 60s and beyond. I even spoke to an older gentleman who told me he had followed the band up and down the UK on their tour.

The band took to the stage and, with a shared smile between the siblings and a quick thumbs-up, broke into a small intro jam before seamlessly drifting into the first song of the night: the dreamy, ethereal, and reverb-drenched Haunt You Still.

This was followed by Gloomy Girl and crowd favourite Take It Off.

Several songs into the set, lead vocalist Mercedes took a moment to speak about the worsening injustices and abuse that many minorities and women face in an increasingly misogynistic world.

She then discussed the song BWBB (Boys Will Be Boys), explaining it was written in response to the horrific Sarah Everard murder case. The song was dedicated to Sarah, and the crowd responded with a huge round of applause.

McSwiggan did an incredible job in recreating some of the more unusual sounds from the recorded versions of the songs. I was in awe watching him noodle around the fretboard while occasionally tap-dancing on his pedalboard.

The band ploughed through a mammoth 14-song set with tracks like Perfect Blue, Drain, and Heaven. They shared that they are currently working on their debut full-length album, and finished with one final crowd-pleaser that got everyone in the packed venue moving: Uzumaki, complete with the spoken word section from their Audiotree session.

What made this performance so special was not just the incredible energy the band exuded, or the stunning harmonies between the two siblings, or even the wonderfully written songs.

It was how the band took heavy subject matter and set it to such catchy, dream-pop tunes that are so easy to listen to. The combination of those meaningful lyrics with the beautiful melodies is pure perfection.

This is a small band with a huge sound and an even bigger message.

All images: James Crisp

This is an edited version of a review provided by The Bristol Gig Guide, the best resource for Bristol gigs.

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