When Simple Things Festival last opened their doors in October 2019, it’s fair to say it probably wasn’t on anyone’s mind that it would be the last for five long years. With the turmoil that the music industry has faced in the years since, it’s almost nothing short of a miracle that the Bristol festival even managed to make a grand return, but so much was the demand for their eclectic and far-reaching approach to curating lineups that it finally re-emerged for its tenth edition in 2024. Truth be told, it hardly felt as though there had been an absence, such was the strength of the selection on offer and the careful attention made to bringing in acts that have either been bubbling under or making a buzz throughout that half decade gap.
Being a Bristol-based event, one aspect that Simple Things has always managed to capture an excellent balance of is reflecting the broad scope that artists within the local scene possess, and interspersing them with an equally varied selection of acts from beyond.
Two examples that perfectly illustrated the South West’s stranglehold on the festival in wildly different ways at the start of the day were Lifter and MP3 Chainsaw, playing at Sportsman’s and Lantern Hall respectively. The former of the two eased an already-packed pub venue into the day with their emo-tinged folk, playing their first show as a six piece following the return of vocalist Olive Feathersone after a brief hiatus from the group. The addition of cello to the lineup has brought a new dynamic to the group since their early days, making a perfect marriage with frontman Harry Fanshawe’s often sorrowful songwriting and the delicate twangs of Angus James’ guitar.
MP3 Chainsaw, who marked their territory on Bristol Beacon’s newly-opened Lantern Hall early on in the day, only have one released song in ‘Clydecore’ to their name, but appeared more than capable playing to the vast space which filled out in impressive fashion for such an early show. While at times there are clear influences from UK garage and hyperpop, it’s the moments where they make nods to the likes of XTC and Blur that stand out and really add some extra dynamism to this promising group.
The next stop was Strange Brew to witness one of the most highly-anticipated sets of the day in L’Rain, whose last two albums Fatigue and I Killed Your Dog have been psychedelic revelations. There’s a loose and free-spirited fashion in how Taja Cheek and her band play together, allowing the already complex compositions to morph in fascinating ways. The way in which the chosen tracks blossomed in her half-hour set was indicative of her superb talent for not only arranging, but improvisation as well – something that went down a treat in her mid-afternoon slot.
Returning to the central hub of the Beacon and their Bridgehouse Stage in the foyer, it was a pleasure to catch a brief glimpse of Ziyad Al-Samman’s set. Despite the area not having the same sense of attraction as in previous editions of the festival due to it being more of an area for congregation, his DIY approach to creating earnest, 80s-inflected pop didn’t go unnoticed, and the few clusters of people at the front or looming over the balcony appeared to be lapping up his buoyant stage presence.
If Al-Samman was excitable on stage, then there’s very few words to briefly summarise the performance that followed in Beacon Hall from stalwart act Les Savy Fav. Having enjoyed the majority of their success in the late 2000s to early 2010s, their recent return to activity has been something of a revelation for both old fans and new, with the longtime followers gladly imparting tales of how rambunctious their shows were back in the day.
It’s not an exaggeration when people bandy about the claim that Les Savy Fav are one of the greatest live acts to ever walk the earth. That is largely down to the extravagance of frontman Tim Harrington and his antics, which included but were not exclusive to: performing one of the longest knee slides I’ve ever witnessed, travelling the entire perimeter of the Beacon Hall, attempting to open the trapdoor on stage, doing windmills with his microphone on a comically long lead and allowing it to just land on stage rather than catching it, pulling his shirt over the heads of most people in the front row, and his most impressive trick of wheeling a large table into the crowd and surfing atop it as it was passed around the room. The band themselves are steadfast and entertaining to watch when your eyes aren’t being averted too much, but it’s hard to comment on how good they are when they’re constantly playing second fiddle to Harrington’s whirling dervish act, but after all these years I think they’re perfectly content with that. To put it simply – if you think you’ve seen it all, you haven’t.
It’s not easy to follow something as incendiary as Les Savy Fav, but as punters bundled out of the Beacon to various other destinations, London jazz duo O. were next on the agenda for the Wax must-see list. The effects-laden baritone sax of Joseph Henwood and the tightly-locked grooves of Tash Keary make the twosome sound like a much larger ensemble, with the sheer force behind their sound firing around the packed back room of Rough Trade. The duo impressed on Slice, their debut outing for tastemaker label Speedy Wunderground at the tail end of last year, but the live show is far more frantic and indicative of just how much effort and passion both members put into everything. At times they’re punkish like some of their peers, and other times they’re akin to something more cosmic – the shape of jazz to come, if you will.
In an attempt to squeeze as much out of the day as possible, the next two acts were only seen in brief glimpses, but enough to be suitably impressed by both. French noise rockers The Psychotic Monks were in punishing form, with plenty of abrasion and dissonance to dish out through their synth-heavy assault. Similarly, local favourites Saloon Dion were as acerbic as ever, with frontman David Sturgess constantly in a battle with the audience and never ceasing to lock eyes with them as he spat every line.
It was perhaps more the fault of the individual who had opted to see a large number of highly energised sets prior to witnessing Space Afrika, but the Manchester duo felt perhaps a little too bleak and oblique to suitably follow the run of acts that were witnessed before. To give them credit where due, their blurring of genres is fascinating, and their approach to experimentation and not following expectations is indicative of a project that has a lot of potential to be arresting in a live setting, but while their sparse electronic sound was engaging, it felt as though it might have been a more appropriate climax to a day spent differently.
While it had been fun to witness a number of acts for the first time throughout the programme, it only felt right to finish the day with a few trusted favourites, firstly with Warmduscher’s set at SWX. The London band never fail to bring their filthy, sleazy fun to the stage, and they’ve reached a point in their lifespan where every song in their set is a hit and is received as such. Tracks both old and new pack a punch, and despite an early run of ‘Midnight Dipper’, ‘Hot Shot’ and ‘Wild Flowers’, it didn’t exactly cause a lull later on with the band stacking the end of their set with the likes of ‘Fatso’, ‘Standing on the Corner’ and ‘I Got Friends’. They’ll never not lack in terms of entertainment, with their oddball ringleader Clams Baker Jr at the helm, but the band themselves really do elevate his boundless energy.
Closing off proceedings at Sportsman’s were LICE, who after a short period of hibernation and slight lineup changes are thankfully still as deranged as ever. Where the mania of other frontmen witnessed throughout the day has a playful edge to it, there’s always a feeling that Alastair Shuttleworth is genuinely on the brink of destruction – a man with a personal vendetta against his audience. Their satirical tirades are still present across the new songs, and they’re as brash and uncomfortable as ever.
From one hometown show to another, finishing the day as last-minute standins were the in-form SCALER, whose titanic brand of electronic rock shook Beacon Hall in style. Their live shows are always an attack on the senses, with their amalgam of synthesised noise and futuristic visuals both vying for the attention of the audience. While it may not have been as grand of a finale as some might have hoped, with many opting to retreat to the comfort of their beds by the time they took to the stage at midnight, SCALER were still stunning, and felt like a fitting end to a day that perfectly balanced experimentation, intensity and riotous fun as they do themselves.
It would be a shame if a festival as important and committed to pushing boundaries as Simple Things is were to suffer the same fate as many others and either enter another hiatus or call it a day, and if they needed to stress how vital their existence is to the wider music scene, then the brilliance of their 2024 comeback speaks volumes for that cause.
Words: Reuben Cross // Header photo [SCALER at Bristol Beacon]: Khris Cowley
Find out more about Simple Things Festival via their official website. Listen to the official playlist of artists performing at the festival below.