Music / Reviews
Review: Holysseus Fly, Strange Brew – ‘Joy in creativity’
It always feels a bit like Halloween in Strange Brew.
Tonight, the glitter ball adorns the ceiling wrapped in chains, skulls and spikes, with the smoke machine taking on greater spooky significance.
Holysseus Fly plays a hometown show which unfortunately, due to illness and cancellations, has become the opening night of her tour.
But what better way to present new material than among friends in Bristol as she celebrates the release of her second EP, Red Sea.
View this post on Instagram
The first support act, Scarlett Loren, captures attention. Reminiscent of stumbling upon solo artist Pem at Ritual Union festival, she has a voice that stops me in my tracks.
Her stripped-back acoustic songs give all focus to her voice, reminding me of Fenne Lily’s tender moments and the vocal flow of the aforementioned Pem, reaching notes not many would even attempt, only breaking in raw emotion whilst maintaining the delivery of personal lyrical content.
Scarlett is yet to release music as a solo artist but my fingers are crossed as these songs need to be heard.
Scarlet Loren has a voice that captures attention
In a bumper lineup, our second treat for the evening is Bethany Kyle with Eli Jitsuto on backing vocals, playing with a full band. Some sudden and extra loud joyous shrieking marks the excitement of the crowd.
“This is the first time we are playing these songs, ever,” says Kyle as she looks to her proud fiancé on guitar whose eight years of pestering her to play these songs live has finally paid off.
With a combination of Jazz, Blues and soul, Bethany and Eli’s vocals complement each other and seem a perfect match. Red is the set closer, lyrically about those in power with blood on their hands; it finishes with delicious Blues guitar, which loops and glides the set to a calming finale.
The appearance of Bethany Kyle prompted much excitement from the crowd
Holysseus Fly – the artist name of Holly Wellington – strides confidently on stage drenched in red. Majestically adorned with a huge circular red hat (“made by Mum”), its 360-degree tassels reaching the floor, Holly astonishingly manages to reach her keyboard without a trip, a broken stride, or a note out of place.
She is surrounded by a sea of creativity, with Amy Viner and Bethany Kyle providing sassy dance routines and divine vocals, creating a stunning backdrop, along with drummer James Vine (Waldo’s Gift). It feels like a perfect amalgamation of creative souls.
New single Anchors starts the show with Holly cracking, understandably, under the weight and emotion in the words.
Her songs are often lyrically raw and deeply personal. This song refers to the anchor-shaped scars of her mastectomy following a battle with breast cancer.
She smiles and mentions the sequin stars she has placed on her top this evening, as if a momentary adaptive coping mechanism. It works, as it takes little time for her vocal chords to fire up and fill the room with marvel.
Holysseus Fly is seriously good and her work is often raw and emotionally honest, but she also doesn’t take herself too seriously
Red Sea represents a time of positive growth and change for Holly; her music encompasses all the shades of red, with a detailed period analogy finding favour with many in the crowd, smiling in recognition with mention of “the brown phase!”
I was expecting an intense show, but I forgot how much fun Holly likes to have on stage, mixing the intense with a pop sensibility. A seriously talented artist, she is confident enough to not always take herself too seriously.
I’m a sucker for an emotional piano ballad banger. New song You and Me is a belting example of this, inspired by her Bristol Beacon residency as well as introspective moments of self-doubt, with nods lyrically to one of Holy’s inspirations Freddie Mercury, who once donned the Beacon stage with Queen.
She and her band pop on Freddie’s tash and hit the room with a memorable rendition of I Want to Break Free. The moustaches are given to crowd members who add them to their smiles. Holysseus Fly is jumping on the spot, in her element and being adored.
Let Go ends the night with a flourish as Holly parts the crowd and struts, calling for volunteers to lead a catwalk, for fans to parade up and down, posing, spinning and voguing. A few must have done this before.
It’s a fun and inclusive way to get everyone involved in the show, and there is so much joy in creativity here.
Special shout out to the super-talented Amy Viner who danced and sang with the band’s fifth member dancing away in her tummy. That kid is surely destined to be a dancer…
All images: Matt Barnes
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
