By Eluned Darwin Goss, Fourth Year Law and French
Having released their album Role Model Hermit in July, Mary in the Junkyard began their tour mid September. The band has been non-stop for years, touring with Wet Leg last year and Sports Team the previous year. They have been busy impressing fans since 2022 but show no signs of flagging. This evening was a display of raw talent, including that of support band Glasshouse Red Spider Mite.
Glasshouse red spider mite set the scene for the evening: a varied soundtrack with a little playfulness yet intention in every song. 'Everybody Loves You' was a particularly enjoyed track, with heart-wrenching harmonies being followed by the band's humorous dead-air, in which facts about red spider mites were recited. The band's vocalists launched a debate about the meaning of 'factoid', which was trivial but accustomed the audience to the band's light-heartedness, having just been lectured by a serious-sounding robot on insects.
Mary in the Junkyard began with the new album's opening track 'Mantra III', which is slow and consists of one repeated lyric 'It is yours, babe, you deserve it', accompanied by the other band members' instruments: a sweet viola and some relaxed drumming. It was a captivating opener and the audience was immediately immersed, which makes sense as the song was originally used for the band to feel connected at the start of rehearsals.
The sleepy atmosphere was quickly brushed away with the transition into the band's top track 'Blood', a much more upbeat song, and even more energetic live than on record. As with many of their tracks, there is a mixture of folk and rock influence, and Blood's guitar riffs got people moving instantly - not just fans, but the band too.
The band got the crowd engaged by discussing the different venues around Bristol they had played, including Strange Brew and the Exchange. When asked which venue was their favourite, lead singer Clari Freeman-Taylor cheekily responded 'Thekla.'
'Tuesday', a single released in 2023, discusses feeling incongruous in an unfamiliar place. It begins with relaxed strumming of the guitar before hopping into a faster tempo and jumpy beats. The song swings between fast and slow, with an eventual build-up which transforms our gentle swaying to vigorous head-bopping. The song radiates a chaotic mindset, ticking off yet anther emotion on the set list. 'Myrtle' was another track which had people grooving. The rhythmic drums and pensive guitar lead to a vocal-less bridge before we return to hearing about the advice that 'Myrtle' has given.
'Crash Landing' brought us back to a mellow vibe, the unique lyrics 'You opened up like a coconut' sang by Freeman-Taylor in her bittersweet way. The beat of this song, consisting of Saya Barbaglia's — and David Addison's build-up of drums, induced a collective swaying within the crowd, and the feeling that we didn't want the gig to end.
Stas Forte
The band's 'last song' 'Mouse' matched this same sadness about the gig ending. It's a track that induces self-reflection about how we have changed. The lyrics 'I'm so sorry we drowned' sucked us boat passengers into the song. To have left the boat with that song would have left us feeling glum. But the band wanted to have a little fun and so returned for their encore with 'Drains', a single released in 2025. We were permitted a final boogie, leaving Thekla with a very well-rounded musical experience.
Featured image: Epigram / Eluned Darwin Goss
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