Photo Credit:
Words: Mia-Jo Vickers

Kicking off the night strong was the southern band Splitting Edge. This London four-piece was a breath of fresh air, with a guitar tone that sounded like the start of summer and intricate Bass lines that paired beautifully together. They stated they had just got off work and came to Bristol from London for this opening slot; they were incredibly grateful to Arkayla for the opportunity to play.

The lights went down and Arkayla walked through the crowd to ‘Know How‘ by Young MC. Anyone who’s seen them before will know this is tradition.

The Manchester 4-piece sported an effortlessly cool look as they took to the stage, opening up with ‘Lost in a Valentine‘. Cal Blakebrough’s raspy voice pairs with the warm and upbeat-sounding rhythm, creating a catchy vintage sound. 

They played an array of unreleased songs, each one better than the last. A fan favourite seemed to be an incredibly soulful song, ‘Vivian‘. Arkayla have the incredible ability to captivate any audience with just a few notes; their intoxicating sound is present in everything they do.

One unreleased song they played was ‘Doba‘, Cal explained that this song was written about their favourite Polish explorer, Aleksander Doba. Their innovative lyricism shines in this song as they explore the unique theme. Arkayla seem to have cracked the code when it comes to songwriting; their use of metaphors gives all their songs an extra depth of meaning whilst also leaving just enough space for the audience to develop their own understanding.

They later confirmed, to the delight of the audience, that they should expect a new EP very soon.

This was the bands fourth date on their debut headline tour and it proved that it was time for them to get back on the road and showcase their generational talent up and down the country, and with this being their first ever show in Bristol, it felt extra special.

‘Run Kid‘, the band’s latest single, has, in my opinion, been one of the most anticipated indie releases of this year. The track is an upbeat, youthful song that shows off the band’s versatility. Anytime it’s played live, you can just feel the atmosphere shift as the crowd feeds off the energy pouring from the stage.

They closed off with the hit single ‘Doctor‘. This song was released about a year ago and made the band erupt on social media.

This Manchester band are one of the best in the game right now. They have  successfully secured their place in the Manchester local scene, managing to sell out huge venues such as Academy 2 and their recently announced biggest headline show at the O2 Ritz.

Once again, Arkayla  put on an incredible show; it’s impossible to leave one of their gigs feeling anything but euphoric.