Live Review + Gallery | Dry Cleaning @ Strange Brew, Bristol

Dry Cleaning

Strange Brew, Bristol

13th January 2026

Kaya Oatley

8 years in the game and still at it, I’m a photographer and musician based in Bristol. I love the music scene with my whole heart and capturing the little moments that might be missed is all I want to do. Big canon apologist, tiny camera fanatic and fond of anything that reminds me of Frank Ferdinand.

Dry Cleaning played to a very eager winter audience in Bristol, showcasing their new record ‘Secret Love’

Dry Cleaning has been in my sights ever since my partner said everyone’s favourite thing: “This song makes me think of you.” Between their energetic, perfectly emotive guitar riffs and vocals that hit that spot in your ear that makes your whole head buzz, it’s safe to say they’ve become a firm favourite of mine — and of the masses.

Those masses braved the freezing cold and endless Bristol drizzle to make their way down to Strange Brew, an absolute Bristol institution. With pieces of light art, huge disco balls and drapes to match, the venue helps us remember all there is to love about Bristol’s music scene.

The band came out to raucous applause in an entirely sold-out venue and got straight to it. I was instantly enamoured, Florence Shaw’s deep, velvety voice cutting through perfectly. She’s got one of those voices you could listen to for hours, and her expressions and hand movements add so much to the sheer storytelling of it all.

The rest of the band were incredibly tight, bringing an energy that had even the January-bluesed crowd shuffling their feet. Tom Dowse oozed the effortless cool of the very talented, while Lewis Maynard kept things moving, the bass leading the way as he danced and jumped, plaits flying. Dry Cleaning didn’t miss a single beat, and the hour passed so quickly that I wished they’d play it all over again.