Gig: Dead Pony @ Exchange, Bristol
Dead Pony by Ross Peacey
Dead Pony packed out Bristol’s Exchange this week, selling out most dates on their intimate UK tour. The show featured a triple-Glasgow lineup, with Gallus and Soapbox kicking things off as opening acts. While I wasn’t deeply familiar with the bands’ music beforehand, I made sure to dive into their latest releases ahead of time and had a solid sense of what to expect from all three.
Soapbox
A lively crowd had already gathered by the time Soapbox hit the stage, their gritty mix of social commentary and streetwise poetics met with genuine enthusiasm. Tracks like “Private Public Transport” and “Yer Da” particularly stood out. Frontman Tom Rowan added a touch of humor to the set, explaining his choice of attire—just his boxers—by admitting he’d forgotten his shorts.
Gallus
Gallus took the stage next, with frontman Barry Dolan rallying the crowd for even more applause. After a week spent diving into their infectious indie rock catalog, I knew they had plenty of standout tracks to deliver. Mixing in fresh material like “Depressed Beyond Tablets” alongside crowd favorites like “Marmalade,” the set was a hit. Barry sealed the night with a high-energy finale, diving into the pit and finishing the show completely immersed in the crowd.
Dead Pony
For just their second headline tour, Dead Pony's rapid rise in popularity is undeniable. The Exchange felt like a furnace as the band hit the stage, kicking things off with “Ignore This” from their debut album. The entire room erupted into movement, and it was clear the band was loving the energy as much as the crowd. Frontwoman Anna Shields received a black rose from a fan in the front row, while two lucky audience members were invited onstage as impromptu dancers.
The setlist was stacked, with “MK Nothing,” “AWOL,” and “X-Rated” all making an appearance. Tracks flew by with barely a pause, each one as electrifying as the last. Hearing their music live underscored just how catchy and dynamic it is—a unique blend of 90s dance vibes with the raw edge of early Paramore. Dead Pony’s experimental approach to power pop, reimagined through loud guitars and pounding drums, is a winning formula. Their performance was tight and polished, and Anna’s commanding vocals paired with her charismatic stage presence made her a magnetic force throughout the show.
As with earlier stops on the tour, Tom and Barry from Soapbox and Gallus joined Dead Pony for a riotous cover of “Break Stuff” before the band brought the night to a close with their explosive finale, “Mana.”
