Ritual Union Festival is a yearly, one-day event taking place in the heart of Bristol, one of the UK’s cultural capitals, to shine a spotlight on some of the brightest up-and-coming musicians in the scene now. Taking place over four venues – the iconic SWX; Rough Trade and Strange Brew, all within a few minutes’ walk of each other; those who bought a ticket got the chance to experience some of the best music that the city had to offer.
For the sake of convenience, I mainly stayed in SWX, which was the largest venue – putting the bigger acts in the smaller stages gave light to overcrowding, especially with the split between all the acts on SWX and SWX 2; the upstairs stage – meaning that you could potentially see sixteen bands if you wanted to on one day. Not too bad for the ticket price. And the sheer variety of music across the board is unparalleled – the day for me opened with Zalizo, a band thinking deeply about pop, art and relationships and much of the trauma of hailing from Ukraine, a country at war – and being privileged to sing in your own language gave the festival a stance of inclusivity. The experimentalists offered a shoegaze vibe for the day and Regina’s haunting vocals created an ethereal atmosphere. The melodies with surreal and I really enjoyed their vibe – a slow-dance to get proceedings under way.
After a short climb up the steps to SWX 2 we got exposed to DBL-A, a rapper from Manchester who makes an instant impact, pressing sonic boundaries and fitting in with the theme of the festival by introducing us to what can only be described as punk-rap, one to watch with a banger infusion of indie and rock mixed together with an attitude that emerges out with confident swagger.
Back down the stairs it was to see country-punk artists Langkamer. By now the crowd was getting busier – but it was still easy to get to the front of most acts you wanted to see. Vocalist Josh Jarman tells the crowd a story of how he was injured in the mosh in SWX when he was younger – right there; he points to the crowd – and it’s a taster of things to come when punkier outfits like Gurriers take the stage. Langkamer got the crowd energised; a hometown show would always be exciting, and it felt playful, colourful and optimistic with a groovy; carefree vibe. The lineup was expertly curated throughout the day – no band felt too early – no band felt poorly placed.
I stayed in SWX to see Mandrake Handshake again for the second time last month; I caught them supporting Los Bitchos at The 100 Club at the start of March. They’re one of my favourite acts around now and I was kind of disappointed they didn’t have any merch available, but at the same time, it made sure that I didn’t spend as much money as I could’ve. They’re lively, a riot – and capable of getting the crowd ramped up for what was to come. Earth Sized Worlds is a hypnotic record that was played much in full here – and their ability to create a swirling; entertaining force of creativity is unrivalled – The Change and The Changing focus more on classic rock but there’s a solid mix of indie here – and rest assured; I’ll be there at their next gig. Because how could you not be?
Next on the bill was Keg. You want silly wonky fun you’ll get silly fun and that’s what they deliver, drawing on the influences of Talking Heads mixed in with the Yard Act-esque post-punk revival phase of the 2020s. They’ve got songs with their own unique elements that stand out amongst a field of crowded artists, lot of dancing and moshing kept everybody energised throughout with their antics being a delight to witness on stage. They have a madcap thrill about them that you can’t help but fall in love with – a band that you don’t really know what they’re going to do next.
If you look at them on paper you wouldn’t expect Getdown Services, Bristol’s own, to deliver not just the best show of the festival but the best show of the year so far; but they more than step up – mockingly referring to themselves as “Britain’s best band” on their Instagram with a stage presence and humour to back it up; and a punky, vibey energy that got the moshes going well and truly by this point. They’re a band that has earned a good word of mouth – pretty much everyone who has gone to a Getdown Services show recently has had a good time – and it’s due to their effortless, sincere silliness that you can’t not have a bad one. They reference Dick & Dom in the Da Bunglaow and ask the audience to yell out what town they think is shit – someone yells out local town Weston-Super-Mare; and another yells out “Hull” and is almost jokingly booted out of the venue. It’s a riot – Ben Sadler and childhood best mate Josh Law have the effortlessly CBBC-feel to them that make them unlike any other punk outfit. Were they Britain’s best band before? Probably not. Are they now? You’d be hard pressed to argue otherwise.
Gurriers are aware of how tough an act they have to follow; but if there was anyone who could follow Getdown Services it would be them – the Irish punks with a heart of gold. Both bands play again at Wide Awake in the summer and it’s a good warm-up for the prolific tourers; their mosh pit was the most fun mosh I’ve been in this year and it was hard not to get ramped up for it. It’s refreshing to be involved in pits when I haven’t always been able to this year and this marked the first – but not the last – pit for me; and by this point SWX was wet from spilled beer making it an entertaining task to stay alive in. Their album Come and See is one of the most highly praised debuts of 2024 – and they back it up with class and style. Dipping Out is a riot – a song about leaving Ireland to go and find work in the UK – and their barnstorming opener Close Call goes down a wonder.
My discovery of the festival is pop punk band My First Time, who look incredibly young and can’t be much out of school. Most of the acts here are bound for the Great Escape festival in May in Brighton and it’s easy to see why they’re hotly tipped to be the next big thing – expect them at Download and Slamdunk if they keep performing the way they have been. Isaac Stroud-Allen and Jordanna Fonsey make up an excellent duo from Bristol who have come out of University together and are able to poke fun at the laddish stereotype with Wind-Up Merchant “please uncle sam/I’ve had enough/of your backward views” goes down a riot with the Bristol crowd, who are up for seeing their local acts on the stage in SWX2. It’s packed out, hot, sweaty – and the crowd are up for it after the unrelenting mosh at Gurriers. With acts like Man/Woman/Chainsaw, you’re seeing the next generation of new; very much Gen-Z acts get ready to take centre stage.
Then it was back down the stairs at SWX to see CVC. The 80s synth inspired punk band had their fanbase “CVC, CVC, CVC” the audience chanted, and they delivered with a fun, dance-y attitude. There’s a touch of shoegaze to them with an Oasis-esque influence with touches of Kaiser Chiefs; laddish swagger and when they catch fire they really ignite, cheeky and lively from start to finish. Hailing from across the river in Wales they recreate 60s California for a band that has the same kind of vibes as The Heavy Heavy – psych-pop that go for a “peace, love and good times” attitude that transcend imitation to form their own voice. If you were a Zutons fan you’d be right at home here. They could be big. They probably will be.
The penultimate act of the night was the funniest – Paige Kennedy was a master at audience interaction “nobody in Bristol has a girlfriend?”; and dressed all in a dapper suit they look built for the Talking Heads audience, again very raw but very ready for the big time. Look out to see them at the Great Escape festival in the summer but I instantly became a fan after staying for the whole set – playing guitar the vibes felt infectious with What Does Your Girlfriend Think? Drawing from Scissor Sisters to really get the crowd engaged. Kennedy’s charisma makes them a highlight of the night as well – and it’s rare that you go this far into an evening without getting at least one dud. Ritual Union has none.
Last but not least was the excellent Billy NoMates; who I wanted to see ever since Victorious ’23 when my train got in too late for her set on the Friday. Her new album comes out in May and she is emotionally gifted live – cruelly clashing against Our Girl. Her post punk solo energy is high-energy and the whole band gives as good as they got – performing new tracks with conviction and for her it’s a very much a homecoming crowd turn; spending her 20s in a plethora of Bristol bands. She steers away from your Yard Acts and your Getdown Services and can feel right at home with what has came before on this stage but also offer something new and different – a real highlight evolving her music at every turn. The Test is a work of art and I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like to have been boo’d at a venue as famous as Glastonbury, very undeserving and very unjust. She’s one of the best and brightest artists currently touring – and I love, love that she’s kept going and making the craft her own.
To pick 3 favourite acts from Ritual Union is impossible. Daunting. But as is new-tradition, has to be done. Getdown Services – the first one, is surprisingly easy. It’s the best show and the most fun I’ve had all year. We go again in May. Secondly, Mandrake Handshake – just as good the second time if they were lost in the shuffle by what came later but making their presence felt and energised. Thirdly – and narrowing it down to three is where it gets *really hard* I can’t not go for Gurriers; purely down to the mosh. I would’ve liked to check out the acts at the other venues like Strange Brew and Rough Trade, but when the lure of SWX offers a lineup as good as this across the whole day; it’s hard to be pulled elsewhere.
You might also like…
