It’s a Saturday night in Bristol, and there’s Hype in the air. The Louisiana is a venue steeped in history, a hub of exciting and new music; there’s no better place to kick-start this year’s Hype List Tour, with eyes on the future and led by two buzzing voices ready to grab attention and pour fun into your glass. Welly and Polly Money take to the stage and lay their markers down – you don’t want to miss a second of their soundtrack to come.
Polly Money takes to the stage with indie-pop brilliance. From the moment ‘Anything’ boots in, intentions are clear: being very brilliant indeed. Slick grooves and catchy hooks combine into a mix that has The Louisiana in awe. There’s a confidence that breathes not from pretence but pure authentic rawness. It marks an artist coming into her own with a set that welcomes an exciting new chapter. ‘i’m not proud’ is a sun-soaked pop diamond that grabs all gathered, and with new songs signalling the shimmering future before a grooving ‘Water’ brings proceedings to a close – Polly Money sets a marker for the Hype List Tour. One which sees her painting her portrait on the world in a way that’s nothing short of stunning.
With the venue at capacity, Welly arrive in a fashion befitting a band who’ve captured that moniker of being the best new pop-nonsense group on the planet. Introduced member by member as ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’ plays out, from the first note, energy levels rocket as fans throw themselves into every moment. ‘Deere John’ acts like a trampoline for bouncing bodies, while the heavyweight punch of ‘Cul-De-Sac’ rips at the norm with riotous guitar-punk fun.
Welly thrive when playing with the expected. Tales of everyday normality become anthems belted back at full volume. Taking time to chat about rhyming with Bristol, the difference between a canter and a trot, stories of gap years (with one lucky fan asked by Welly if “they’re between wives at the moment”) – it makes for a show both ambitious yet intimate, like chatting nonsense with mates. Even asking about the room’s favourite films leads to a demand for ‘Soak Up The Culture’ that eliminates thoughts of anything outside these walls.
‘Big In The Suburbs’ sits as their largest call to arms, and ‘Shopping’ is drowned out by the sold-out crowd. Ending with ‘Me And My Mates’ after running through the audience and shoes thrown through the air, Welly prove why they may be the most essential new live band in the UK. Not a bad way to kick off a tour, right? We’ll see you on the road.
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