Bassist Celia Archer tells the audience that The Big Moon’s last headline show in Bristol was at the 450-capacity The Fleece. There’s almost 4 times as many people in the room tonight which shows how they have continued to grow in popularity since the release of their debut album back in 2017.
The indie quartet have built that audience largely through well-received sets at festivals and support slots for the likes of Pixies and Bombay Bicycle Club. Interestingly, the other support act for that Bombay tour was singer/songwriter Liz Lawrence who is also the opening act tonight. Lawrence’s sound has certainly evolved in the 4 years since that tour; there’s a Talking Heads vibe to the new material showcased tonight and they tell us they’re “trying out a new look of someone who has been to Eton”. It’s a strong opening set and a good reason to come back to the city’s Ritual Union Festival in 2024 where Liz is performing.
The Big Moon arrive at 9pm sharp and open with “Wide Eyes” from their most recent record, “This Is Everything”. It’s quite possibly the band’s best song and sets the tone for a night of perfectly crafted indie pop tunes. More than half of the set comes from that album which lead singer Juliette Jackson points out was released “a couple of Octobers ago”. They apologise for the delay in taking the LP out on tour which they say is because of “logistics”.
The delay means that the Thursday night crowds have had plenty of times for that wonderful album to get under their skin and this is clear from the singalongs. “My Very Best” is a highlight of the album and set and set-closer “Trouble” is given a reaction usually reserved for older hits.
The band come together at the front of the stage for an acapella opening of “Formidable” from their debut and it’s a chance to hear their wonderful harmonies which are sometimes lost in the mix when the guitars are turned up.
I believe this is my 7th time seeing The Big Moon live and it’s always a joyous, no frills live experience with the focus solely on the excellent songs (apart from maybe that one time Juliette was wearing a colander helmet at Glastonbury!) It’s a real pleasure to see them playing to the bigger crowds they deserve. By the time they return for the encore of “Bonfire” and, by-far their most streamed track, “Your Light”, the crowd have found their dancing shoes and are sent into the night with heads full of some of the catchiest hooks they will have heard at a show all year.
