Live Review + Gallery | Losing Dogs @ The Louisiana, Bristol

*Photography by Anna Hatfield (anna.h_photos)*

George Ward

Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.

Bristol post-punk group Losing Dogs take to The Louisiana, following release of new single ‘Lisbon’ in November

Last week, we were happy to catch rising Bristol post-punk band Losing Dogs at their hometown Louisiana gig. Supporting Toronto’s nostalgic post-punk artist Theo Vandenhoff, the band’s performance was confident, unshowy and tight.

Avoiding falling into the endless bog of samey post-punk bands, Losing Dogs’ lineup choices made them stand out. In particular, the synth was a welcome addition to their sound, bringing a refreshing brightness to the stage and complimenting the heavier, thrashier guitars.

Some of the most satisfying moments of the gig came during quieter sections, where the band let the tracks speak for themselves, rather than get lost in endless riffs. These moments truly let the songs breathe and allow us to appreciate the melancholy of the songwriting, influenced as much by Fontaines D.C. as it is the synthy post-punk of the 80s. When the riffs inevitably return, they feel heavier and more necessary, thanks to the contrast.

Another refreshing element to Losing Dogs is the sincerity of the vocals from frontman Cam. Much like Grian Chatten, his vocal style is not fussy and never once shows off, making for a compelling performance and giving the tracks more of a personal quality. While there is of course space for bands to experiment wildly with their vocals in the genre, sometimes this theatricality is just not needed; the sincerity works in the band’s favour.

We were even treated to a brand new song, written only a few days before, introduced with a humble “please bear with us” and a look of relief amongst the band members after they had nailed it. The highlight of the night came with set closer ‘Lisbon,’ their new single released late last year. Live, the track takes on a more shoegazey quality, with an impressively huge guitar sound from only one guitarist. It’s not hard to imagine how they could push this further with an additional member, and I look forward to seeing them explore this heavier sound in the future.

Listen to ‘Lisbon’ here: