Echo & the Bunnymen put on a show at Bristol Beacon
The band had support from Erica Nockalls.
Photo: Press
With Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant the only remaining members of Echo & the Bunnymen, it’s clear to see that, after many years, this band still has it.
The historically listed Bristol Beacon was the venue for the night and the space had quite the buzz across the three floors in anticipation of the most successful band to emerge from Liverpool since The Beatles.
Erica Nockalls opened the night with her larger-than-life vocal range, complemented by the backdrop of her insane violin skills making for an electric set. Having previously been a live fiddle player for The Proclaimers, this was evident in her abilities on the night.
With some fans having followed Echo & the Bunnymen for all of 45 years, McCulloch has definitely still got all the charisma of a frontman and his voice is still sounding great — if not a bit more hoarse, adding depth and character. The stage lighting set the tone for the performance in a moody red hue, creating silhouettes around each member, adding to the dramatic vibe of the set. Ian wearing his trademark sunglasses and a casual fit allowed for each song to take all the focus whilst having the coolest, nonchalant feel about him.
Opening with crowd-pleaser Going Up, followed by All That Jazz which got everyone dancing with ease. Guitarist Sergeant had everyone in the palm of his hands with his never-ending riffs that carry each song so effortlessly. All My Colours (Zimbo) was second to last before the interval and kept the crowd captivated with heavy drums that radiated across the room. After the first eight songs ending on Bring on the Dancing Horses, McCulloch suggested everyone head for a “bevvy” for a 20-minute interval.
Returning on stage at 10pm to continue with some of their best-known tracks including Over the Wall, Nothing Lasts Forever and the haunting Killing Moon. A cover of Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side was met with mass approval after flowing seamlessly from Nothing Lasts Forever. An encore was imminent after much of the crowd were still waiting on tenterhooks for more of their back catalogue. The Cutter was last played but, if there’s anything that song can do, it’s bring the energy levels up — and the room clearly just wanted the set to carry on.
After the many roars from the crowd, Lips Like Sugar followed the encore, which was met with numerous cheers. Ian then met the audience with an impromptu chat that touched on deeper topics — such as his ongoing OCD struggles — all whilst being humorous and playful with the crowd.
To end the night, the slow yet atmospheric Ocean Rain allowed Ian’s vocals to take over and captivate the audience for one last time. This is a band who have stood the test of time through their passion and dedication to their craft and that alone is truly a beautiful thing to see.