“I saved Mother Vulture,” read the free pin badges on the merch table at Rough Trade Bristol. It was a heartfelt token from a band deeply grateful for the support of its fans.
Back in late December, Mother Vulture fell foul of an unfortunate rite of passage affecting too many touring bands. Their van was broken into and then stolen outright, gear and all. After the band shared the news online, fans urged them to set up a fundraiser. It reached its £10,000 goal within an impressive nineteen hours.
Blown away by the response, Mother Vulture vowed to repay that generosity. Four months later, we found ourselves crammed into the back room of Rough Trade Bristol. Everyone lucky enough to secure a ticket had donated to the fundraiser.
How Do You Thank the Fans Who Saved Your Band?
Liquid State provided the first of two powerful female-fronted supports. Singer Keren Lea Ashley was also five months pregnant. Talk about starting them early.
The band projected a strong sense of togetherness from the outset. Ashley impressed with skilful screams alongside sincere, clean vocal work.
“Pop music you can beat your friends up to,” came next from Bitter Kisses. They melded gothic moods, danceable riffs and a twist of electronica. At this point, we were two for two on the blow-your-socks-off Bristol blinders.
Is Any Stage Actually Big Enough for Mother Vulture?
The Rough Trade stage is far from big enough for a band like Mother Vulture. In guitarist Brodie Maguire and bassist Chris Simpson’s case, we mean that quite literally.
The pair mirrored each other from opposite sides of the stage. They leapt from speakers, threw themselves into the crowd and regularly ended up on the floor.
Matt West’s drumming was equally energetic. Singer Georgi Valentine matched it with soaring vocals and serious presence.
Together, the quartet carried themselves like a band fully aware of their potential. Crucially, that confidence felt justified.
A now notorious and feral Mother Vulture gig aboard the Thekla in October was nominated for Gig of the Year. The band was also recently crowned Best Rock Band at The Devon Music Awards. Neon arrows are pointing towards Mother Vulture as the band to watch.
What Does a Band With Everything to Prove Sound Like?
The band stormed through a set of thrashy, punky and bouncy tracks. Most came from 2022’s Mother Knows Best.
There was the aggressive “Mr. Jones”, the catchy-as-hell “Monster Crunch” and singalong favourite “Rabbit Hole”. A few promised surprises were thrown in too.
Upcoming releases “Break Me” and “Slow Down” both appeared in the set. So did a stripped-down version of “Objectify”.
That arrangement gave Valentine room to show off his vocal ability. His off-mic high notes still managed to reach the back of the venue.
“Everyone in This Room Has Helped Us Be a Band Again”
“Literally everyone in this room has helped us be a band again, we can’t thank you enough for that.” Simpson gushed to rapturous applause and whooping.
Thanks also went to Rough Trade and everyone who helped Mother Vulture put on the free show. It ended in the only way that really made sense.
“GO BIG OR GO HOME” brought the room to fever pitch.
Are Mother Vulture About to Make Good on Their Promise?
Mother Vulture deserves the growing attention they are receiving. Their live performances are immersive, chaotic and technically impressive in equal measure.
There is also a humility to the band that makes the whole thing land harder. They clearly value the community that has held them up.
At this special show, band members personally manned both the door and merch desk. They gave their fans back the same energy and investment shown to them.
Then came the promise, in their own words:
“We are gonna make it if it kills us.”
