Out on the road on the back of the release of their new album, Protagonists, Mancunian post punk outfit IST IST took to the good ship Thekla in Bristol and bought their unique sound of dark, moody melodies with powerful vocals and driving rhythms to an eager crowd.

First up were Knives, a genre defying 6(?) piece (it was a small stage and there were a lot of people on it, I lost count!) with a unique, sound with tones of punk, hardcore, post punk...........with added sax ! Front man Jay drew it all together and provided great interaction with the crowd, closing the set with their unique version of Kate Bush’s Babooshka ! They did a fantastic job warming up the crowd and although they only have a couple of singles out right now I expect to hear some great things this year from this group.

Next up was Saloon Dion (see what they did there?!?!). Formed in 2021 in Bristol, they combine punk sounds with the sing along melodies of 90’s Manchester and they  brought a big following to support them as they rattled through their set. Gaining some real momentum with new music being released, an EP, ‘Muckers’ planned in May and a relentless touring schedule, they put on a  lively set, really getting the crowd moving.

And then it was time for IST IST. The band immediately launched into the dark melodic tones they are known for, weaving a soundscape with their accomplished musicianship as they launch the set with ‘Stamp it out’. The songs drifted into each other in a heady, swirling noise drifting from the stage. Lead singer, Adam Houghton, kept interactions to a minimum early on as the music created the dark and moody atmosphere, topped with Adam’s baritone vocals.

The new album, out last month is a record all about new beginnings, touches on the trials and tribulations of love, tricky family relationships, and the feeling of being trapped by the past. The title is inspired by songwriter Adam Houghton’s magpie-like method of writing, with its songs placing prominent characters, fictional and non-fictional, into dystopian worlds with new and uncertain outcomes. Recorded and mixed by Michael Whalley and IST IST at Milkshed Studios, the album was mastered by the legendary Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound (The National, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol) and  it will see IST IST traversing a broader spectrum of genres and sounds than ever before. 

Finishing off the UK leg of the tour at Tomorrows Ghosts Festival in Whitby, on 29/4, the band are then off to Europe, covering Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and France.

The really strong set was greeted from am emthusiastic crowd, with many sporting IST IST tour shirts. Mid set, things are slowed down with the dark, ‘Mary in the black and white room’ and ‘A New Love Song’ off the first album before blending into ‘Fool’s Paradise’, another new track rich in piano.

A great night, with the band at the top of their powers, delivering the haunting, melodic sound we have become accustomed to. The new album tracks sit well alongside the old material and as the night draws to a close the crowd finally have to snap out of the dream like state they have been taken to by the music of IST IST, because when the live music ends, its club night on Thekla and the punters want in.

Words and Pictures by GM Gig Photography