Live Review | Jeff Rosenstock @ Marble Factory, Bristol

Jeff Rosenstock

Marble Factory, Bristol

11th February 2024

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.

Jeff Rosenstock returned to Bristol with a full band, an insane stage presence and a hefty set of pop-punk bangers

The first time I saw Jeff Rosenstock perform was in The Fleece a few years ago. We were in between lockdowns, gigs were back (kind of), and Jeff and his band were having the tour from hell. With all the band viciously taken out by COVID except two, we were all waiting for the announcement of the gig being cancelled. But alas, Jeff arrived, politely and nervously agreeing to take a photo with a very excited George.

What followed was one of the most memorable gigs I’ve ever seen. With a combination of acoustic versions, stealing support band’s members and even bringing on Mclusky (!) to sing ‘Lightsaber Cocksucking Blues’, Rosenstock not only made the best of a bad situation, but arguably made it even better than it would have been.

Seeing him and his band take the stage at the considerably bigger Marble Factory on Sunday was a joy. Finally given the opportunity to show Bristol the full madness of a proper Jeff Rosenstock show, the band rattled through an epic setlist with as much energy and talent as they’ve ever had.

With their massive LGBTQ+/Weed/666 flag draped over the wall, System Of A Down’s ‘Chop Suey!’ blasted from the empty stage. Then, halfway through the track, the band rushed on stage, picking up their instruments and seamlessly taking over from the backing track and finishing it off themselves.

What followed was a celebration of Rosenstock’s newest album ‘HELLMODE‘ with a few fan favourites thrown in the mix. Hearing this album in its entirety was a treat; these tunes were made to be seen live, from the massive distortion of ‘WILL U STILL U’ to the beautifully quiet and sincere ‘HEALMODE’. Seeing Jeff and bassist John DeDominici have just as much fun as they did in their Bomb The Music Industry! days shows that they’re absolutely still making the music they want to – and it still goes just as hard.

In between these newer tracks were some classics too. These older tracks like ‘Nausea’, ‘Festival Song’ and ‘Wave Goodnight To Me’ just get better and better with time and seeing them performed in all their glory was a joy to watch.

The highlight of the night came in the form of ‘You, in Weird Cities,’ a fan favourite and for good reason. This track is a nostalgic ode to friendship and the raw passion on stage absolutely did it justice. With the crowd singing along to every word, the band, as tight as you can imagine, blasted through with equal parts aggression and joy.

Then, Jeff disappeared. The band died down, the audience looked a little bewildered but still high from the performance. But suddenly, the room was filled with cheers as Rosenstock appeared on the balcony above the crowd, owning a roaring sax solo. As he finally returned to the stage, the crowd were entirely transfixed until, with one kick of a pedal, the distortion returned and the full band kicked back into full gear.

The crowd was wild but not aggressive, the energy rowdy but not unfriendly. This is joyous music and you couldn’t help but smile along with the band. As they concluded with ‘We Begged 2 Explode’, there was such a feeling of nostalgia and comfort in the room that can only come from a gig like this. Jeff Rosenstock’s voice, his band and his energy are as good as they have ever been. He is, and has been for some time, a true legend of the punk scene.

Listen to ‘HELLMODE’ here: