It's deep into January; it's cold and the weather is crap. Christmas is a distant memory and the next day feels like it's six months away. Life feels grim.
What better way to perk up your spirits than a slamming hardcore line-up on a crammed boat? Literally. If you are unfamiliar, give Thekla in Bristol a quick search on the internet. As far as interesting venues go, this one is right up there.
No barriers, arguably no rules, carnage, chaos, and wayward limbs are most definitely on the cards as Gideon kicked off their UK headline tour in Bristol alongside Grove Street, Xile and Still In Love.
The first band of the hardcore bonanza was London based quintet and veritable supergroup of UK hardcore scene, Still In Love. With the release of their latests album in 2025, Recovery Language, Still In Love put together a cathartic 30 minute set showcasing six tracks from the album alongside a small detour into the previous year's EP, Withdrawal Symptoms Pt. 2.
STILL IN LOVE
"Pillar of Strength" from Recovery Language was dedicated to Johnny Saville of the Leeds/Manchester/Huddersfield hardcore scene, who is an all around good egg; "sing along if you know it, if you don't, spin kick your mate in the face anyway". Vocalist, Nick Worthington, was visibly emotional towards the end of the song.
Finishing up with "Preserve & Cherish", the two-steppers were now gingerly warmed up, making the crowd amped for act number two.
Next in line was Kiwi outfit, Xile. They kicked things off with "Damaged" and "Penalty Death" from their 2020 album, I Am Your God. Xile then took the crowd way back to their beginning years with their 2016 song, "III.VI.IX".
XILE
With stage divers in full force, there was one casualty. Frontman, Luke Mason's mug of tea did not to make it to the end of the set. Venue management issued a warning that too much side to side momentum would tip the boat over in the harbour. Nonetheless, that did not stop the crowd from testing that theory out to its limits.
The crowd heard three more songs from 2020 album, I Am Your God, in the form of "Diamond Eyes", "World Demise" and the titular track "I Am Your God". Before you knew it, we had flown through a thoroughly enjoyable 30 minute set.
The energy below deck noticeably ramped up a couple of notches as the Hampshire based five-piece, Grove Street, clambered their way onto the stage.
"Hunting Season" from their 2023 album, The Path To Righteousness, got the crowd into the swing of things before their most recently released single "Self Sabotage" got a spin.
It's clear to all in attendance just how much these guys enjoy performing. Alongside the onstage jokes and camaraderie, they are super tight and polished to the boot.
"Lessons of the Past" and their 2024 singles, "Ultimate Penalty" and "Divided Kingdom", made up the filling to this hardcore sandwich.
GROVE STREET
"T.Y.D.O." is followed by "Cycle of Grief" from The Path To Righteousness. Although it was a drizzly 3°C outside, by the time we got to the closing number, the titular track from 2023 album, "The Path To Righteousness", the heat was well up within the confines of the ships hull. There was sweat dripping from the roof (literally). I genuinely cannot wait to see where Grove Street will be going in 2026 and beyond.
Following some frantic toing and froing onstage by the sound techs, Gideon finally emerged onstage, dripping with Alabama swagger, metaphorically punching us straight in the mouth with most resent single release "Wrong One", quickly followed by the previous single release, "Til the Wheels Fall Off".
There was absolutely no let up in energy and aggression from both the crowd and the band alike with "Push It Back" and "Locked Out of Heaven" from the bands 2023 release, MORE POWER. MORE PAIN., followed by "SLEEP" from their 2019 release, Out Of Control.
GIDEON
The titular track from the 2023 album MORE POWER. MORE PAIN. brought a split in the crowd from the stage to the very back of the venue. For me at least, this was the first ever wall of death I'd ever seen at a concert with 100% participation.
The antics continues on with a double shot of "Take Off" from MORE POWER. MORE PAIN. and "Take Me" from Out Of Control.
GIDEON
Gideon vocalist, Daniel McWhorter, told the crowd that "There is no goddamn encore. 3 songs is all you get, you better make them count". And make them count they did, with an energy packed performance of "Cursed " and "Bite Down". Before closing things out with their massive 2019 single, "No Love/No One", the Thekla was well and truly a-rockin' as a near constant stream of stage divers clambered their way up, before jettisoning themselves back into the whirlpool of two-steppers below.
Sweaty, exhausted, and a little sore from the one or two fist's that may have been caught mid pit, all of us aboard the Thekla climbed back up to the main deck, to disembark into the cold January air while being serenaded by the sounds of Alan Jackson's "Honky Tonk Christmas".
Gideon's 6 date UK headline tour continues through to the end of January.
