Live Review: Gurriers

Strange Brew, Bristol - 21/10/2025

Strange Brew always seems like an unassuming music venue in Bristol when it comes to heavier bands. With its art exhibition-esque interiors, all colourful walls and simulating, creative ceiling decor, it all feels rather polite. 

But as 9pm rolls around and the room has filled out, there’s a real buzz in the crowd amongst 6 music listeners, and those who attended Inhaler’s most recent UK tour. 

Enter Gurriers, the unapologetic punk band hailing from Dublin. Having released their debut album, Come and See last year, full of angst, and fast-paced, aggressive instrumentals, and fierce, yet considered lyricism exploring contemporary issues such as social-disenfranchisement and political unrest, setting the night up for raucous energy. 

As the lights plunge Strange Brew into darkness and conversations begin to fade out, Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You is blasted through the speakers, everyone’s full attention turning to the only place we needed to be watching. I thought this to be an interesting choice for a walk-out song for a predominantly punk band, however, when frontman Dan Hoff struts on, arms outstretched towards the audience, it all makes sense; for the next 55 minutes, it’s absolutely impossible to break your gaze from him. 

Exclaiming, “Come on you mad bastards!”, the band erupt into their most recent single Erasure, a powerful number performed with brash vocals and performed under a harsh red, the silhouettes of the band standing out in contrast, whilst those in the front few rows become riled up. 

It’s received in a frenzy, the middle of the crowd going feral with the guitars, and joining in with the chanting of the rage filled final lines, “They can’t erase the past”. 

The band get wholeheartedly involved with the chaos of the crowd, all members but drummer, Pierce Callaghan, entering the crowd at some point during the set, only encouraging the energy more. 

The set is very Come and See heavy, with the exception of the aforementioned Erasure and the unreleased, Nothing Happens Twice, which by the end of the number, is being sung back to the band as if it’s been played at every one of the band’s gigs. 

The album’s eponymous track happens later in the set, its layers of heavily distorted guitars, and evocative lyricism creating a dark, brooding atmosphere. Exploring themes of misery and existential searching, it’s one of the band’s more indie-rock leaning, emotionally vulnerable tracks, yet it does not falter the energy in the room tonight. 

Similarly, Top Of The Bill, with its deliciously addictive, repetitive guitar riff that runs throughout the four minute song, and spoken-word vocal delivery offers a moment of  tranquility, before half way through, the urgency in Hoff’s vocals is increased and chaos ensues in the crowd once more. 

There’s only two songs that could possibly end such a high energy eruption in a venue as scenic as this: Des Goblin and Nausea. Arms are flailing, Hoff leaning into the barricade-less front rows and raising his arms in a Grian Chatten-esque manner as the audience holds onto his every word, bouncing along with every intonation. 

The latter sees the perfect end to the gig, the frontman throwing himself around the stretch of the stage, the crowd moving with such rapidness, from the back it looks as though they could invade the stage at any moment. Guitarist, Mark MacCormack is elevated by a speaker, and once I’ve removed my eyes from the relentless jumping in the middle of the room, I notice bassist, Charlie McCarthy is now standing on the bar, lit up in an electric blue haze and still playing. 

With their return to Bristol, Gurriers have firmly ​​set a new standard for what live post-punk can deliver, their ambition and full-power energy making for an unforgettable set. As the feedback echoed and the final notes rang out in the air, Hoff confidently outstretched his arms yet again. It’s clear Gurriers are destined for bigger venues in the city.

KATIE HILLIER