1,465 THE TUBS, Bramwell, Bristol Exchange, Monday 21st September 2026

 

Tubs list courtesy of gig friend Louise (see write-up below); Bramwell list is my own!

My hectic September continues apace, this one kicking off a week of 3 gigs in 4 nights (and 4 in 7) with a debut outing on my Dance Card – finally! – for South Wales’ finest, The Tubs! Led by vocalist Owen Williams, whom I’d seen do time with both C86 revivalists Joanna Gruesome (with the Popguns waaaay back in 2012, gig 846) and the very fine Ex Void on an Alvvays undercard in 2023 (gig 1280), the Tubs have produced 3 splendid albums of hectic and robust jangle alt-rock, giving reverential nods to the likes of The Byrds, early R.E.M and even the harder-edged popcore of Husker Du, with their most recent, albeit slightly more understated and less frantic affair “Hard Life” nonetheless still making concerted efforts towards becoming one of my favourite releases of 2026. No less a luminary than my Boston friend and Pills mainman Corin Ashley had commended them with the comment, “I always wondered what The Buzzcocks fronted by [legendary folkie] Richard Thompson would sound like…”, so tonight promises much… 

Initially though, it seemed it might not happen at all, as I woke with a painfully nagging headache. A restful day and copious Anadin Extra seemed to diminish its’ effects a little, so I wandered through the alley at 6.15, Beef driving us West into a glaring sunset and parking opposite the venue just after 7. We met gig friends Alfie and Louise for early chats, and were later joined by Jeremy outside as I sought fresh air to clear my head. Wandered into the well-airconned venue just before 8, and support Bramwell joined us promptly on the hour. They were excellent from the off and totally apposite supports for The Tubs; opening with the resonant C86 Razorcuts pop of “Airport” which burst into a considerably more upbeat chorus with splendid 2 part harmonies from vocalist Tom and bassist Avalon, their set was poppy, upbeat, summery, bouncy and oh-so-jangly (if anything, a little too jangly, guitarist Niall’s ferociously strummed instrument being very prominent and occasionally a little harsh-sounding in the mix). Referencing the likes of Teenage Fanclub (the stripped back laze-guitar of “Captain Sensible”), the Wedding Present (the supersonic strum of “I’m A Bee”) and even 90’s faves 18 Wheeler and The Hormones (the hooky, harmonic highlight “Problems”), their bright indie powerpop was right in my wheelhouse and happily swept away my headache. The more regimented drum pattern of closer” You’re For Me”, the Byrdsian psych jangle dropping to half speed to finish, was a punctuation point on possibly the best young band support slot I’ve seen since Youth Play. Superb!

I took a breather outside again, having a passing chat with Bramwell bassist Avalon, before rejoining the folks down the front, house left, as the place filled for The Tubs’ entrance at 9. The laconic bearded Williams muttered, “we’re the Tubs…” before the clarion call riff of the slightly countrified, Thrills-like opener “Hard Life” segued into a more typically frantic and frenetic “Who’s Gonna Love You Now”. Drummer (and Big Jeff lookalike) Matt Green then found his mic, responding to his own suggestion that a new album tour cycle required new album banter with the classic line, “why is Turkey the only country with its own Delight?!”

This set the tone for the performance, the Tubs’ splendidly delivered jangle-fest set being shot through with in-band banter and comedy throughout, mostly emanating from behind the drumkit. The brilliant “Just An Illusion” recalled the undulating gallop of R.E.M’s classic “Driver 8” and a subsequent “Narcissist” was almost first album Smiths-like in its’ understated yearning melody; the quicksilver tumble of “Freak Mode” (“the dancey song, [so] let’s boogie!” ordered Green) was preceded by the drummer’s tale of coming 3^rd in a Yard of Ale competition in Ipswich (!), and the optimistic 1^st album Del Amitri love song vibe of “Stoop To Me” saw Green claim a bird-shit near miss earlier in the day was “a good omen for the tour”!

But my highlight was to come; the insistent thrust of “Chain Reaction” segued into the darker and broodier, almost Huskers-like punk rock of “Heaven Or London”, the standout track for me on the new album and a great way to end a breathless set. After a quick lurk at the side of the stage, the band returned for a couple of encores featuring more quips and laughs and the baroque proto-folk opening of a change-of-pace “Fade To Black”, to round off a fine performance topping off at about an hour overall. Louise grabbed the sole Tubs list so I contented myself with a pic of it before we bade farewell to our companions and hit the road, back just after 11. A couple of fine sets then, another excellent find in Bramwell, and in The Tubs’ Matt Green, probably the most voluble and talkative drummer I’ve seen “live” since the days of Velvet Crush’s Ric Menck. So overall a very fine way to launch my 3 in 4 week!