Crushing a live set is easier said than done, but Pool Kids made it seem absolutely effortless at Bristol’s Exchange last night.
The evening opened with support from Coventry alt-rockers Blush Puppy, who battled through minor technical difficulties with a strong set before bowing out with a flourish with their latest single Under The Water from their upcoming EP ‘Here You Dream, and fan favourite Poison.
Peddle problems persisted for Arizona’s Sydney Sweeney, whose self-confessional lyricism and grunge-tinged indie riffs on the likes of Object Permanence and As Scared as Can Be impressed the growing crowd and certainly garnered several new fans once her strong set was over (including myself). Stating that she didn’t want to go back to America, for obvious reasons, I say if she wants to stay in the UK after the tour is over, I am sure we can figure out a way for her to claim political asylum.
Pool kids then sprang onto the stage and blew the roof off the intimate venue with the kind of set old farts like me still listlessly half remember to their friends about the time they saw [insert festival headliner here] in a club before they were famous.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Pool Kids’ days of playing smaller venues are numbered. They may only be three albums in, but they play like an act that’s been touring together for decades; there’s a synchronicity and a joy to their performance that is palpable.
It’s obvious, they are having as much fun playing as the audience is listening, as the quartet (except their drummer Cade) can’t help but smile while showing off the raw musicality and warm honesty that make them so special on their records and an absolute joy live.
Lead vocalist Christine Goodwyne is a commanding presence on stage (with an impressive high kick) who is clearly having an absolute ball as she warns the crowd to brace for impact before diving into the pit for the bridge of Easier Said Than Done.
Most impressive, though, is Goodwyne’s vocal range; capable of hitting the high notes and delicate melodies before belting out the catchy chorus on tracks like Tinted Windows, and Bad Bruise.
The good times didn’t let up, though, when the pit erupted during fan favourite Leona Street, and refused to close for the rest of the evening, and the party vibes were amplified when the room helped the band wish their merch guy Eric a happy birthday.
Ending a blistering set with the apt closer Exit Plan, it was clear in my mind as I headed back out into the miserable British weather that, if there’s any justice left in the world, I’ll be blathering on about how I saw Pool Kids at an intimate Bristol venue before they big.