One of NME’s top 100 essential acts of 2018, indie-rock four-piece Thyla have been making waves in recent years. As well as having some great tracks on their newly released debut EP, the group have also allegedly built a “sterling live reputation”. With this knowledge, I was very excited to see for myself just how true this statement was when visiting The Hope & Ruin for their headline show, which included support from LibraLibra and La Lune.

The Hope & Ruin never fails to offer an authentic feel and, in the case of this evening, that was especially true. There was an abundance of good spirit and excitement for what was to come, with all of the amazing acts that made up this line-up deserved nothing less.

The first of which was one that I was very excited to see. The opening set from indie-pop up-comer La Lune didn’t disappoint. Following the fantastic single ‘Heartstop.’ featuring Seeva, it was great to hear some of La Lune’s other material in this live set. We even got a chance to hear some new, soon-to-be-released tunes. My favourite of which was a song named ‘Grape Soda’, which had a brilliantly colourful and sparkly aesthetic to it. At this rate, the only way is up for La Lune and I frankly can’t wait until the next chance to see her live.

The same can also be said about the second act to perform, as LibraLibra came ready to put on a dynamic show. I was blown away by just how explosive and wild their performance was and, in particular, their vocal range. It was apparent that the vocalist had the flu that evening, but still managed to pull through with some really impressive vocals with tonnes of power and range behind them. Their opening song ‘Tongues’ was possibly my favourite of their set because of how it really took me by surprise and stood as a marvellous introduction to the band. The past few months have provided countless performances from acts to look out for. LibraLibra’s performance is another to add to that list.

It was finally time for Thyla to take to the stage with the third and final set of the night. I really enjoyed their perfect blend of indie, rock and pop elements, which reminded me a lot of Wolf Alice. I instantly recognised why they have such a widespread appeal. It was clear to see that there is something for every form of music lover with Thyla and, as someone who can appreciate all genres, this was a style that I enjoyed a lot.

Their set felt very festival ready and was a barrel of fun to listen to, with the majority of their songs having an anthem-like quality to them. I also enjoyed a lot of the songs to come out of their new EP. Though, aside from that, another song of theirs that I really liked was a track called ‘Everything’. It had a great energy and a great beauty to it, which would also be a fitting way to describe their set as a whole.

This show proved to be a colourful showcase of some insanely talented artists, all of which I would totally recommend. The authenticity of the music went together perfectly with the authenticity of the venue. So, in short, it was a pretty authentic evening, and a fine one at that.

Joe Boothby

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