BIMM Live 2023 – What Went Down
By Resonate | May 4, 2023Words by Cameron Bishop
Photos by Alexis Meyrick
On the 28th of March, Thekla played host to BIMM Live, the showcase of upcoming musical talent coming out of BIMM right now (we previously featured BIMM Live in 2019, check out our website to see what went down). The small but packed room provided the perfect environment for new and up-and-coming talent to play alongside fully developed live outfits. With a colourful melting pot of different genres and musicians, BIMM Live has become a staple in the past couple of years – and for your entertainment, we’re going to fully debrief you.
M/X
M/X opened the night. The band have created a fantastic visual/sonic partnership that has been lauded by fans and tastemakers alike. Their influences are clear while stamping their own individuality on their music. With alternative, rock and punk to all be found within their sound, we were treated to an energetic performance. From the start of the first track, they revelled in the positive energy.
SHI-KAN-RE
Shi-kan-came through with riff-roaring guitars, pounding drums and grooving bass lines, and filled the tiny room. The band’s thrashing and infectious tunes made for a very strong showing.
FAMILY PORTRAIT
Family Portrait came and conquered BIMM Live. With a fantastic stage presence, they provided some hardcore music in a setting that needed it. With anthemic tunes and an emotionally-drenched vocal performance, there’s no doubt that the future of hardcore is in safe hands with this lot.
AXEL FRENCH
Axel French knows how to work a crowd, taking to the stage confidently, his poetic bars worked hand in glove with brightly picked acoustic guitars.
BUSTER
Buster came to BIMM Live to make an impression. He was one of the night’s highlights and one of the more unique artists on the line-up. With accompanying saxophone players and backing singers, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the quality of the ensemble. Nothing swayed me more than the quality of the vocals brought by
Buster himself.
LOVER
The first and most obvious observation about the band Lover, was their coordinated black suits, which led their post punk sound down to a T and made them look like a promising outfit from the off. With this unified look, it was not at all surprising that the band were as musically synced as their dress.
ID PLEASE
ID Please did more than enough to scratch the metal itch. These guys created an atmosphere, clenched it and kept it going throughout their small set. If the band lifted the energy of the place anymore, the boat would be flying, not floating!
IMMY
Immy and her band hit the stage at Thekla, bringing a different but well-welcomed vibe. With groovy drum beats, jangly guitar lines and neo-soul drenched vocals, Immy picked the crowd up with her infectious energy and left us wanting more.
G U Y
At first, I thought G U Y wouldn’t be for me. Being a die-hard rock fan myself, I wasn’t really expecting to enjoy his r’n’b infused rap, but as the song went on I found myself appreciating it more and more. The keys were a particular strong point that helped bring the whole thing together. This was another performance that felt fun.
The Sunshine Blues Band
The Sunshine Blues Band gave us a taste of classic rock and roll. You can never go wrong with a good singing drummer, and The Sunshine Blues Band had one and subsequently had me doing the twists! With a foot up on the monitor, we were treated to some amazing solo work from the guitarist and the bass player.
Witch Hook
Witch Hook have become a staple within the Bristol live scene. It’s hard to believe that a duo could sound that musically big, with sludgy, doomy guitars and thudding drums, it’s easy to mistake them for a larger outfit. My impressions on the night have held firm, I honestly have no idea how anyone can be that tight so early in their career.
CON
Con’s band came on a bit later in the night when things seemed like they were tapering down, until they started playing. Everyone in the band were fantastic musicians. The drums were tight, the bass was rhythmic, and the guitars were holding it down. The vocal performance was also phenomenal and fitted well alongside the calibre of musicians on stage.
IMMINENT THREAT
Along comes Imminent Threat. I cannot lie, once I heard the call for the mosh pit and I was straight in there. Like the pit, they did not disappoint. Again, I would say the inspirations were clear, this was just pure but exciting thrash metal – very much reminiscent of the early days of Metallica. The riffs were heavy and fast, the solos were squealing, and the mosh pit was intense, there’s not much else you could ask for.
All in all, it was a fantastic night with a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t expect. I saw bands I never expected to see, and I came out of Thekla excited about BIMM’s vibrant musical community. Most importantly, I feel the future of the Bristol music scene is bright.
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