Gigs: Spanish Love Songs at SWX, Bristol

Gigs

7 Sep

Last night, we had the pleasure of catching Spanish Love Songs at SWX in Bristol, opening for Hot Mulligan on their current UK tour. On a sweltering day of a dying summer, we headed into the modern surroundings of the recently redeveloped SWX in Bristol. The venue’s air-conditioning was no match for the summer heat and the sheer number of bodies inside of a capacity crowd and it was as hot and humid inside as out.

There was a distinct buzz within, it seemed that as many of the crowd was there for Spanish Love Songs as headliners Hot Mulligan. Positioned under one of the venue’s air-con units for respite from the sweltering heat, it sadly came with not the best view. Even in all of my six foot-plus frame, I could only catch glimmers of Dylan Slocum and the rest of the band through the sheer volume of bodies in front of us. However, there was something in the combination of the heat, the half-obscured view, and the haunting emo-derived punk of Spanish Love Songs that seemed to be almost a religious experience.

From the moment that Spanish Love Songs opened with “Routine Pain”, you could see that it was going to be a tight set. Clearly well drilled from months on the road and five dates into the sixteen-date European tour with Hot Mulligan. Spanish Love Songs flawlessly played hit after hit in their nine-song set. You could feel emotion swell within the crowd with each note, it’s clear that these songs mean a lot to a lot of people.

After the now classic “Routine Pain” Spanish Love Songs played “Clean-Up Crew” the first of multiple tracks that would play from their recently released fourth studio album No Joy. despite the track only being out for a couple of months the crowd was singing back every line with the vigour of a church congregation deep in worship.

From what we could see it seemed like Spanish Love Songs were enjoying themselves back on a Bristol stage for the first time since early 2020. We swayed with the buoyant crowd as the band effortlessly transitioned from “Kick” to “Buffalo Buffalo”. The pair of emotionally deep songs creating a poignant moment in the band’s set. It struck us that Slocum’s lyrics found their perfect setting within the urban sprawl of modern Bristol.

After the lead single from No Joy “Haunted’ the religious nature of the gig hit its zenith as the band broke into “Losers 2”, the crowds clapped echoing the driving drumming of Ruben Duarte. The crowd clearly taking each line of the song to heart, with the lyrics encapsulating the millennial experience shared by many.

Fittingly the band followed “Losers 2” with “Losers” as the crowd erupted to one of the band’s many athems. It was clear that the heat was even getting to the band as bassist Trevor Dietrich removed his trademark barista-style beanie. You could clearly see even from our vantage point that the band where dripping in sweat in the late summer heat.

Closing with “Brave Faces, Everyone” Spanish Love Song kept the best to last with the title track of their 2020 album. With Slocum leading the crowd in one last anthemic sing-along, the song hit deep as the crowd erupted with emotion.

We had not had a live experience like Spanish Love Songs in a while they are clearly a band that deeply understands the true nature of modern existence for the many. If you get a chance to catch their current tour alongside Hot Mulligan or their recently announced 2024 European headline dates we strongly suggest you do.