The Horrors 

Live reviews

• The Horrors

  The Horrors at the Bristol O2 was probably the best gig I've ever been to, no competition. They're categorically my favourite band of all time, and seeing them play, right by the barrier, in such a brilliant venue was one of the best experiences of my life. This band's music is indescribable, and to hear it live is an otherworldly experience. 'Sea Within A Sea' was breathtaking as usual, and the classic bangers such as 'Who Can Say' and 'Scarlet Fields' from 2009's Primary Colours drove the crowd insane. It was also amazing to hear stuff from their newest album, Luminous; 'Chasing Shadows' was especially brilliant. Songs from 2011's Skying were crowd-rousing too, and everyone singing along to 'Still Life' was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard, even if everyone was a bit shouty and pitchy. Plus their live rendition of 'Moving Further Away' was spectacular, accompanied by a mind-blowing lightshow. I love seeing The Horrors play, because it's a chance to experience all the metamorphic changes they've made over the past decade or so in the space of an hour and a half. It was made even better by the outfit choice of guitarist Joshua Hayward, who came of stage in white builder's overalls (everyone went a bit mad at that point). Josh Hayward is mesmerizing to watch in general, especially when the song gets intense and he starts flailing about on stage. This, of course, is accompanied by the enigmatic presence of frontman Faris Badwan, who, without fail, manages to captivate the crowd every time. It felt like a privilege too to see the legendary Pyramid Synth in person; a synthesizer exclusively designed by the one and only Pete Fowler, of which there are only two in existence. The atmosphere at this gig was completely electric. You could feel the passion radiating off not only the band, but the hoards of fans packed into the relatively small venue. That's got to be one of my favourite things about gigs; you know everyone in the room is there for the same reason as you are - to see this band you're all so in love with. I should also add that the support band, Telegram, were brilliant too; I'd recommend them any day. In conclusion, if you ever get the chance to see The Horrors, DO IT.

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  by aniceiri

• The Horrors have come from a gothic, punk band from Southend-On-Sea to being one of the UK's leading synth-laden shoegaze, psychedelic bands of the noughties.

  You can see they blend a whole range of genres together, reverberated guitars that pulsate along with the walls of the largest venues, intricate synths, heavy basslines and crashing drums. All along with Faris Badwan's almost scary vocals (suitable with a name like The Horrors) make for an exciting live show. You can expect a mirage of lights and a wall of sound rarely broken. They change their songs to suit a live setting, sometimes drawing them out to give a euphoria rarely seen by guitar driven bands.

  In the smallest of venues they fit in well, with a more punky sound however have seem to set up in large venues recently with the release of their fourth full length album. They are well capable of playing arenas, although you may have to wait a while for that to happen. So for now, make sure you catch them in their smaller surroundings and make sure to catch the support bands, as they always pick a great lineup.

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  by ReverbNerd

• The Horrors put on a fantastic show, precisely because they are so incredibly eclectic in their style: their sound ranges from everything to indie rock, neo-psychedelia, post-punk revival, shoegaze, gothic rock, dream pop, garage punk and horror punk. With such an eclectic sound, it is easy to see why The Horrors put on such a terrific show. The bands played their classics such as ‘Scarlet Fields’ and ‘Who Can Say’ to the crowd’s delight. The audience was an insane bunch who took rocking to a whole new level. The lightshow on stage added to the atmosphere and created a crazy, fun and rocking vibe. The band members themselves are all crazy on stage, and move around as if they are on fire. Josh Hayward flayed around on stage like a crazy person and his guitar solos were out of this world. The frontman, Faris Badwan, is a force on stage and stirred the crowd into a frenzy, particularly when the band erupted into ‘Still Life’ and the entire audience began to sing along, extremely off key. Nonetheless it was a fantastic moment.

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  by sabraziz

• THe Horrors truly are a superb live band and in a relatively small venue such as the bierkeller packed to the low ceilings with die hard fans they truly shine. It was my first chance to hear them play tracks from their recent album V which were superb but it’s when the classics from Primary Colours were played that the audience truly lost it (in a good way). The only downside is the relatively short set of 12 tracks that lasted little over an hour. Let’s hope they come back with a bigger tour soon as I for one will bag tickets straight away.

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  by DorsetYiddo

• I saw the horrors a few days ago in liverpool. Having been a fan for a few years, but never seen them live before, the experience was a lot to tale in. The setlist was a great mix of songs from the four most recent albums. The lighting was incredible, and perfectly in time with the songs. The sound this band makes is unlike anything else, furthered by their constant creative changes in sonic direction from album to album.

  I would definitely recommend going to see this band live. It is an amazing experience both sonically and visually.

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  by Noiserock85

• Amazing show. The sound, for me, was the same Horrors of old, which has been diluted a bit on more recent records, than have crisper, more polished production. Songs old and new sounded great. 4th time I've seen the band and I think it was the best. Up there as one of the best sets of the year, after Nick Cave (@ O2) and Thee Oh Sees (@ Field Day) out of 30 odd bands seen.

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  by oxleyjon

• A great gig. Support band Baba Naga really impressed me with their doom-psych, each number being an extended offering. And the Horrors have never disappointe me in the three gigs of theirs I've seen, this time playing most of the best tracks from their new, fifth album, 'V', along with some crowd-pleasing favourites.

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  by john-preston-1

• Another great performance from the Horrors who also took time to say hello to all their fans at the end. New album V is cleverly produced as it maintains the traditional Horrors sound with hints of 80s new wave but in a modern way. They deserve every success.

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  by Kirs10