By Rose Chaplin, Fourth Year, English
What do you listen to? A bit of everything? Simple Things is the perfect day festival for anyone with eclectic taste! Started in 2011, the day festival took place on the 8th November and is now in its 11th year. It has been recognised for its championing of experimental music and bringing artists to independent venues that support the Bristol local music scene. This is especially significant in a difficult period where many venues are having to close doors. Before the main body of the festival had even begun, there was also a series of headline gigs including John Maus, Daniel Avery and Autechre.
The day festival sprawled and diverged outwards from the Bristol Beacon, the heart of the festival. There were multiple venues around the city centre - Strange Brew, The Lanes, Rough Trade, Zed Alley and The Sportsman's pub.
The jam- packed schedule meant that most of my day was spent between the cosy art-encrusted snug of Strange brew and the versatile multiple Bristol beacon stages (Beacon Hall, Lantern Hall, Bridgehouse, Cellars), although the other venues also had lots to offer.
The day began with stumbling across 15 15 at Strange Brew. There is perhaps no better feeling than finding new music and the 5 piece Tahitian group delivered a fun and immersive potion of R&B, dancehall and electronic sounds. It felt like being pulled into a colourful cavernous world.
In the intimate back room, Lucy Gooch masterfully crafted a quilted dreamscape of elemental loops - exquisite vocals that surged amidst vast ambience. A stand out performance, also on the SB main stage, was a rare show from the enigmatic Florence Sinclair. Their set, combining hip hop and grime sounds with slow emotive experimental passages, was slick, sultry and oozed magnetism.
Next up was Eiko Ishibashi at Lantern Hall which was packed. I only managed to catch a few songs due to the scheduling running late, however the Japanese singer/ musician, accompanied by a full band, was magical. Her compositions were atmospheric and emotive, invoking her soundtrack work, paired with velvety vocals.
Over to Beacon Hall for the headliner Nala Sinephro. The Belgian- Caribbean musician and composer gathered celestial threads into a stunning performance of her album ‘Endlessness’. Bathed in gold light, Sinephro and her band delivered mesmeric experimental jazz, conducted in the most poised and graceful manner by Sinephro.
Back to the Brew for Swedish duo Horse Vision, fusing alternative indie with delicate melodic synth based samples. At points, the sound was shoegaze-y and reminiscent of Elliott Smith with soft vocals coalescing with blinking sound design.
Dry Cleaning, another headliner at the main Beacon Hall, really drew in the crowds. The post-punk four piece were effortlessly cool, fronted by the unbothered yet mellifluous lyrics of Florence Shaw, and held by strong guitar riffs and bass.
In the foyer of the beacon was the Bridgehouse stage, where Joshua Idehen brought boundless energy and joy to the evening. The Nigerian- British poet and musician was captivating, engaging the audience that spiralled up and around the beacon to move and smile. His music and persona is eloquent and witty, and combined with dance beats from collaborator Saturday, Monday, it was a rejuvenating performance.
The final act of the day for me was Smerz at SB. The Norwegian duo of Catharina Stoltenberg and Henriette Motzfeldt did not disappoint, bringing the ‘Big City Life’ experience of their recent album to Bristol. The gig was confident, fun and flirty - lyrics that feel like scrawlings in a diary with the romanticism of their urban offbeat anti-pop sound. The set climaxed with their recently viral crowdpleaser ‘You've got time and I’ve got money’, encapsulating their minimal, mysterious appeal.
Bruno Bridger
Simple Things delivered a day of sonic heaven for music nerds and appreciators of alternative sounds. I really enjoyed the community feel and that, in moving between venues, the city could be appreciated for its rich musical culture.
Like any festival, it was impossible to see everything you wanted, plus at points the scheduling and crowd congestion made the logistics of getting around quite clunky. However, the curation is current, exciting and allows for something for everyone, plus more to discover!
Featured image: Epigram / Rose ChaplinDid you go to Simple Things festival this year?
