Who
Euros Childs
Support
Selma French
Where
Bristol Exchange
When
14th December 2024
Price
£20.00
Who with
No-one
Position
Towards the front
Comments
I was delighted when Euros Childs announced a rare full tour, but surprised that he avoided the midlands entirely. I weighed up the options and decided that Bristol on a Saturday was a brilliant idea and to make the most of it, as Euros doesn't tour too often and I didn't want to miss out. Also his 2017 Birmingham gig had been glorious and I'm very aware that his live shows greatly enhance my appreciation for his music. I booked my usual hotel in Keynsham which has free parking and super easy trains to Bristol or Bath, and also asked for the Monday off work so that I could enjoy a day in each city. I resisted a Cardiff event claiming to have merchandise for Gorky's and Gruff Rhys as I was doubtful that it was worth tearing my plans up for, and it's hard to imagine that there would be much there that I couldn't buy online, from a show or which I already owned. It was my third stay in Keynsham and I prepared myself by listening to the Euros Childs back catalogue in depth, with a few extra listens to Beehive Beach to embrace the newer songs. I tried my best to avoid spoilers but I couldn't miss clues that Euros was playing Kitty Dear, Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd and Spanish Dance Troupe. Strangely enough I cannot find a full setlist for this show - I suspect that Euros was mixing things up a little each night - but it also feels like no setlist I could find online was complete anyway. If I'd travelled the week before my plans would have been foiled by a nasty storm and fallen trees, which was pretty bad in my area and I understand was even worse in Bristol. My local Christmas market had been hysterically cancelled on the night before the weather turned, but the Saturday and Sunday were genuinely awful and an amber warning for once understated the severity, as trees blocked pretty much every main road from where I live!

I originally planned to visit Bristol, go back to check in then return for the gig, before realising that a day in Bath then Bristol the following day was a much smarter plan, saving me from backtracking and allowing me to visit the many places in Bath that were randomly closed on Sunday. I saw that train chaos was expected on the Sunday also, but I reworked my plan to use the frequent buses then instead rather than be in thrall of the incompetence of the railways. I drove to Keynsham on Saturday morning, skipping my morning swim after some little shit had threw up in my local pool the night before. That totally put me off going, and it did make sense to leave earlier and enjoy a longer day. On the way I stopped for a breakfast wrap but allowed myself to be sidetracked by purchasing it from Leon instead of McDonalds. It was smaller but tasty and worth a try, and as the service was fast I can't complain. Whoever took the McDonalds wrap off the breakfast menu previously should be executed for crimes against humanity, and it is so far and away the best choice that it turns McDonalds from a terrible breakfast choice to the best one with the exception only of Popeyes and their even better breakfast wrap. I left my car outside the hotel for the day and walked towards the train station. I noted from a small sign that Keynsham Catholic Church was open so I popped inside, but one guy was in there infuriatingly, which made me less comfortable to wander around. My car journey had been swift despite some roadworks early on the M5, and skirting around Bristol rather than navigating the city centre was another huge bonus of a hotel elsewhere. The free parking and quick trains (and buses) in both directions made staying here an absolute no brainer.

I arrived in Bath and visited the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum and The Museum Of East Asian Art. I then backtracked a lot to find somewhere nice for lunch, walking through the pretty Christmas market but finding it too busy to seriously consider. I walked back to the train station and the Slim Chickens that I'd regretted not popping into on arrival, but as the queue was now very long I went to McDonalds instead, trying the new Terry's chocolate pie which I'd earlier discovered did not contain unwanted apples. I was smart enough to have my usual McFlurry to wash it down, as something that makes you so thirsty is simply not an appropriate dessert. Glad I tried it though. Also I was delighted to find St John The Evangelist's Church was open, and I revisited Victoria Art Gallery to see the new local artists exhibition. Given that the upstairs and all the bits I'd visited before were closed for refurbishment, it was great to come back without having to duplicate anything. This glorious day then took a negative turn as I found Google lied to me and the Museum Of Bath At Work was closed, but I could see from the small print on their website that this was indeed the case. So instead I visited The Jane Austen Centre, which was a little pointless as it had no genuine connection to her (she lived further down the street), but it featured some friendly and amusing period actors and a few displays to justify the high cost. Everything in Bath cost money, which is not cool, but it's an incredibly famous city so I guess it's unavoidable to help thin out the crowds a little? I then enjoyed a so-so pint of German style pilsner at Bath Beer House before getting the train back towards Bristol.

The train station was chaotic and incompetent as there was an overbearing queueing system to enter it, and then three trains were pushed ahead of the one I needed. The plus side of this was that it allowed the crowds to disperse ahead of me, and the crowds were a reflection of how insanely popular Bath is. There wasn't even an event on besides the exceptionally busy Christmas market. I got back and checked into my room, tidied things up a bit, charged my phone and used the shared bathroom. This shared shower was perfectly ok but was the main downside of not staying somewhere fancier. I'd planned to wear my SFA Furrymania top but I'd got it a little wet, so I set out again, this time finding the train delay worked in my favour and allowed me to catch it. I walked past the main Church tower and the very cute wonky Christmas tree in Keynsham to get there. I made some initial notes on my phone and also used my charger plug on the train to top up the battery as the late trains had made me have to rush. I dashed from Bristol Temple Meads to Cabot Circus for food options, remembering it for its lovely modern architecture last time. A Slim Chickens was ingeniously hidden on the top floor, which is something that sat navs fail to make clear enough, and as I had thought of visiting all day and also other times recently I figured that I was due a visit. It was a long wait but I enjoyed a large and tasty meal, although the downside was that I sadly was now missing the support act. But I knew that arriving hungry and thirsty would ultimately cause me more frustration and that I had to make the time to eat properly. The venue was either called Headfirst Bristol or Bristol Exchange (it may have changed its name) and I had no problems finding it. It was a beautiful historic building outside, and doors had opened at 7.30pm ahead of support act Selma French commencing at 8pm. I however was arriving at 8.20pm and only saw the very end of her set.

The barcode on my ticket was scanned and I was given a simple wristband, then I checked out the merchandise but Euros wasn't there and I already had all of the albums on CD and didn't spot anything that I needed. I got a very nice pint from the lovely bar before venturing into the room of the venue. In fact there was a second smaller room too which I understand was also hosting a show tonight, but the venue was rammed and the sound desk was more like a cabin and almost entirely blocked the view. Fans were all crowding at the back and it was a most unpleasant arrangement for all concerned, although afterwards I exited for the loo then came back in and made my way forwards, eventually securing a fantastic position. It's still not a good layout though, as having clear views from the back is one of the critical components of a truly excellent music venue. Selma French was on guitar and joined by another lady on keyboards, and it looked like I'd arrived at precisely the correct time as she finished her setlist with Tigers Never Smile - a Euros Childs cover from the overlooked Thrips album. Before the trip I'd read that Euros was playing on BBC Wales so had tuned in expecting a session and been annoyed to find it was just a play of this studio recording. However I was now winning, as this listen had made me familiar with the song and much better prepared to appreciate this moment. I hope that her set hadn't been entirely Euros cover versions, as I'd have loved to have seen that. My feeling was I'd missed out a little, but had been lucky enough to catch the natural highlight. After Selma finished I returned my beer cup to reclaim the deposit and popped to the toilets, noting the closed record store and thinking that I would have to come back here another time. I definitely was feeling I'd made a fantastic choice, and travelling further was much more interesting for sure.

By the time I secured my superior position near the front I noted that Euros Childs had either sold this place out or the venue had oversold it, but it was lovely to see a large and appreciative crowd. It made me wonder why he was also playing Cardiff, but the River Severn and 40 minute train ride means that Bristol is sufficiently far enough away to justify two shows, and the large crowd also demonstrated that it was the correct decision. Selma was tidying up her instruments and Euros also appeared wearing a red checkered top, talking to Selma and also clutching his setlist. The DJ played Brimful Of Asha and also a Nirvana song, and although everything was set up for 8.40pm Euros did not appear again until 9pm prompt. He'd now changed to a simpler black t-shirt and was still sporting his classic hair cut. He and the band were wearing white wristbands and I noted Selma French was accompanying him on guitar also, sometimes switching to violin. Stephen Black was on the other guitar and I recognised him, I think because he has played with Gruff Rhys in the past. He also has a solo career and is a talent in his own right, and the drummer also looked engaged and positive. Last time it had been just Euros accompanied by Rosie Smith of Oh Peas!, which had made for a spectacular show but it was lovely to have a full band of such quality and talent here. Channeling the same vibes as his earlier solo shows in 2006/2007, rather than playing the hits or his very recent latest album Euros was instead focusing on a bit of everything but placing new and unknown songs up front, which usually is a terrible strategy but which he pulls off due to how engaging and brilliant these new tunes are. He opened with one called Stuntman which was rocking and just wonderful, before announcing that the brackets from the title of Bits Of Me (Falling Off) were on sale at the merch store, before clarifying that it was obviously replica brackets that he was selling! Euros was on top form and the crowd were outstanding and appreciative, as he preceded the glorious Cuddle Up To The Bomb with a story about a guy and a girl both having matching bombs. He said it was fiction, but then clarified that it could have happened in reality.

Euros Childs was hilarious and engaging, and it made me wish that I could see him live every year. At the least I need to be willing to travel to see him in future, even if his membership of Teenage Fanclub doesn't draw me in as much as perhaps it should do. A clear highlight was fellow newbie One Shoe, which was absurdly catchy and made me think that the next album will certainly be a belter. Euros said that it was a story of the drummers wife who went to the gym before realising that she only had one shoe. He told of hearing this story and thinking "aha, that's a number one hit". In any sane world it surely would be, unknown songs of this quality are rare to the point of non existence. Normally it takes a few listens, but this one is stuck in my head already. Euros then refocused with a couple of tunes from Beehive Beach, which he made us feel was a distant career milestone and not his brand new album that came out just two months beforehand. He is so dynamic and forward-looking sometimes that it's hard to grasp. Euros mixed up the order of the two opening tracks, giving us See-Saw and then Black & White Dinner. They are lovely tunes, although both very gentle on record. For my money Ursula's Crow is the undisputed highlight of the album, and it would have been lovely to have heard that also. When I'd first heard that Euros Childs had been playing Kitty Dear, my thought was "why". It's a stupidly long song. Euros explained it was long and complex but that he would give us a codeword so we would know when it was over and were ok to applaud. He chose one phrase but then changed his mind and went with "corporate something" - sadly I can't remember what exactly. But his instincts were spot-on, it sounded incredible, and the rock-out during the In Siberia section and slamming the keyboards manically was easily worth the price of admission alone.

It made to want to revisit Kitty Dear and I actually split up the album from 2 into 12 sections, naming this revised version Kitty Chunks Dear! This enhanced my appreciation of the structure of the album and its individual sections, which surprisingly work perfectly well apart also. This show certainly made me less dismissive of some of his "lesser" albums. I'd considered Thrips to be a minor one but now I realised that it had a few great numbers on it, and also later tonight would enhance my appreciation of Refresh! For sure some Euros Childs albums are more experimental and of less worth, and I do struggle to imagine I'll ever hold Eilaaig or Face Dripping in high regard for example, but it did make me think that I needed to go back and give the darker corners of Euros music another listen. The rocking out made Euros drop his water bottle and setlist, and this is where I sadly lose track of the order songs were played a little. I believe he sang newbie Someone's Living In My Brain about having two people living in his head and said that songwriting was cheaper than therapy and he made a few quid out of it. Not much but enough to buy some Golden Wonder multi packs! That moment of insanity and wild imagination led nicely into Life In A Jar, which was the sole representative of the spectacular House Arrest album. He also played what he claimed to be a seasonal song but I can't remember what that was, and Euros firmly dismissed the heckle to play Christmas Eve, before clarifying that he couldn't remember how it goes anyway. Euros preceded That's Better by saying that it was as close as he could get to playing a hit. And sure, it should have been a hit but Gorky's are famous for having the most top 75 hits without ever quite reaching the UK Top 40, so I'm doubtful it's the "biggest song" that he has ever written.

In another world though it would have been number one, as it is a dead cert whenever I am choosing the tunes for a Euros Childs compilation. Euros strangely spelled out the song title before making a cryptic reference to it not being a freemason thing. But the highlight was the ending, as Euros took an excellent but easily overlooked section and repeated it manically and with increasing speed and energy. He said afterwards that they hadn't rehearsed it and that he had metaphorically pushed his band into cow pats by throwing that curveball at them. However they had adapted spectacularly and this has the potential to rival Sweet Johnny as a legendary Euros Childs live moment where everyone rocks out. Wobble On was another tune from Thrips and one I barely knew at all, and it was exciting and unusual. It has a majestic and weird charm and has been stuck in my head ever since. At this point I'm not quite sure on the order, but Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd was played either at or near the end of the main set. I'd resisted up until now but I could not miss shooting my first video of the evening, and due to the small venue and the relative lack of photography/videos being captured by others I'd captured a measly 24 photos of the show, some of which were just of the venue. My video was high quality and close up, and Euros announced that he'd written it when he had left school and for the purpose of the song his name was now Johnny. That tipped me off to start recording, but I wished I'd kept my mouth shut on the "why's that Johnny?" shout back as my voice ruins my video far too much for me sadly. Incredibly he was playing a twist of the demo version of the song that appears as a hidden track at the end of the 20 compilation album. It featured the wacky intro and a deliciously slow start before dramatically shifting to a faster gear. After the chorus it then slowed down again. It was magical and I've been waiting 26 years to hear this song live. I played it on my last day of school too and it's one of my all-time favourite songs. Just wonderful.

Euros was using a white keyboard with a larger red one underneath it, and the lighting was very minimal. All of the charm was on the quality of performance. I'm a bit fuzzy when but the band left the stage briefly to stand outside the fire exit, before coming back on. I'm not sure why it was advertised as a 1 hour set with a 10pm finish when it finished after 10.30pm, and I avoided checking the train departures as I didn't want bad news to ruin my enjoyment. Virgin Moon was explained as a scheme to monetise songs and seek sponsors. It included lots of namechecks I'd forgotten about such as Bet365 and Deliveroo, plus I finally clocked that it was primarily about Richard Branson owning the moon, hence the title. I was quick to add this lovely tune to my Euros Childs Greatest Hits afterwards. Euros even threw in a cheeky namecheck to Selma French as one of the brands, and she was certainly earning her keep more than 95% of support artists could ever manage to do. The one tune from Cousins was Jane (Not Her Real Name), and I shot my second shorter video. Euros briefly switched to guitar here, pointing out that he rarely uses it as standing on stage struggling to retune it is one of his recurring nightmares as he stood there and did exactly that. He also declared that the brackets on this tune were sadly not on sale. Euros joked about locking the doors while he retuned his six strings and made it clear that this was precisely why he hasn't play guitar for a long time. The Cousins album was a revelation I'd discovered after the 2017 show, where he played Dust and I'm A Yellow Bag, so having it represented again tonight was a joy. Alongside the fantastic Jonny album it offers a slightly different angle of Euros Childs, and both are avenues that I hope he strolls down again in future.

The crowd were mainly older and clearly from the days of Gorky's and one girl seemed to have a professional camera, but the vibes were positive and it did feel like most of the fans knew the material and had seen Euros before. I suspect that he has a strong following in Bristol, and its close proximity to Wales and Cardiff no doubt helps with that. Another delight was Godalming, which Euros explained was pronounced totally incorrectly to make it scan better as a chorus. This may well have been played earlier but I'm really not sure, but this made me realise that the Refresh! album had more going for it than just Pick It Up! and the delightful All Across The Car Park which has become a mainstay of my Euros Childs Greatest Hits as it segues beautifully into Over You. Euros introduced his band near the end to much applause, and again I'm not entirely sure if it was the last song or just the penultimate one, but the obvious finale of the show was Spanish Dance Troupe. I shot my third video and it was a perfect companion piece to Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd with its reference of coming back to school after six years. My video captured that, plus I couldn't avoid capturing the bobbing head of hair in the audience that I was trying hard to keep out of frame. I think this was the best and most enthusiastic crowd I'd ever seen for Euros, and I'm sure that it was a better show and a lovelier reception than it had been for Gorky's Zygotic Mynci in Manchester back in 2001. After the show Euros jumped offstage and through the crowd to get to the merchandise store, joking about selling his 50 or so albums. He was enjoying a busy tour, and had been in Cardiff the night before and would be heading to London to finish the tour the very next night. I am sure that he will be keen to revisit Bristol, just as Bristol will be delighted to have him back also. It is especially appreciated how Euros likes to throw in a couple of Gorky's songs. Last time it was (Do The) Chicken In The Jungle and Peanut Dispenser and the first time in 2006 he'd played Billy And The Sugarloaf Mountain and Pentref Wrth Y Mor. Sadly he didn't do it the 2nd and 3rd times I saw him in 2007, but I've always enjoyed the shows nevertheless.

I rechecked the trains and was delighted to see that it was still scheduled fine, so I dashed back to Temple Meads, missing Euros and Selma and the crowd around them on the merch stall. I wondered if there were any t-shirts I'd not noticed, but I wasn't going to stick around to find out. Instead I beat the crowds to visit the loo, as I'd been desperate to go since early in the set, enduring an almost torturous wait as I knew if I lost my place I could only get it back by some incredibly rude pushing in. The train station was lit up in pretty colours and I resisted trying to find the quicker back entrance, instead sticking on the less direct main road back. The outskirts of Bristol were otherwise exceptionally quiet and my ears were whistling slightly, and I sat down outside the train until its doors were unlocked, writing up the notes that make up this review. Due to Angelfire being shit and almost permanently down and amid the sheer bustle of Christmas I've struggled to find time to write up this review, eventually completing it a full three weeks after the show. Once I got back to my hotel room I stayed up later to complete my notes while some fucker was hogging the communal toilet, and I later redid my Euros Childs Greatest Hits to better represent the Beehive Beach album and also some of the wonderful tunes I'd heard tonight. It left me thinking that if I could bring someone along that it was almost impossible they wouldn't be utterly blown away by this glorious show. On the Sunday I utilised the buses back to Bristol and visited the M Shed. A couple of parts were closed and I also went to the Arnolfini Gallery and Royal West Of England Academy, but both of them feature changing exhibitions and will require revisits also. I did have more luck with Bristol Museum, trying my best to fill in the gaps from my last visit where I'd just ran out of time and rushed the last few rooms. I redid most of the top floors and the quality of the art meant that I didn't mind too much if I was duplicating myself. I also visited Zero Degrees Brewery and had food at the Christmas market (where some cheeky fucker wanted me to visit the cash machine rather than accepting card payment like everyone else happily does) before watching The War Of The Rohirrim at the uncomfortable but conveniently located Odeon in Bristol centre. I purchased six unnecessary but enjoyable chocolate coated marshmallows from the Christmas market and enjoyed them during the very empty screening. The following day I drove back easily, and this weekend was a success from pretty much every angle. I know that I need to go back to Bristol and Bath for more, but at least I knew that I was never going to complete them this time anyway!
Setlist
Stuntman
Bits Of Me (Falling Off)
Cuddle Up To The Bomb
One Shoe
See-Saw
Black & White Dinner
Kitty Dear Part 1
Someone's Living In My Brain
Life In A Jar
That's Better
Wobble On
Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd
Virgin Moon
Jane (Not Her Real Name)
Godalming
Spanish Dance Troupe
n.b. This isn't strictly in the correct order

Mark: 9.0/10