Little Comets are one of those bands that have always been a firm favourite of mine, but I’ve never gotten around to seeing live. When they announced their current tour, I saw they were stopping in my city and decided now was the time to change that. The setup on this tour is a little different than usual, the band opted not to have a support act and instead decided to play two sets each night. Rob (lead vocals) said that when he first suggested this idea to the rest of the band, they weren’t convinced, as that might be “too much Little Comets” for people to handle. Thankfully, though, fellow band members Mickey (lead guitar) and Matt (bass) eventually agreed to the idea – because for me, there’s no such thing as too much Little Comets.
The venue of choice for the night, The Jam Jar, is a vibrant independent venue in the heart of Bristol. A staple in Bristol’s live music scene, it’s perfectly sized for an intimate gig, with the space allowing for plenty of excited fans to gather whilst still maintaining that close-knit atmosphere.
The band took the stage for their first set at 8:30pm, starting off with new song “HIJKL.” Despite being released just before this tour started, the room was quickly filled with voices singing along as if they’d known the song forever. They perfectly mixed classics such as “Jennifer” and “A Little Opus” with fresh material like “King Prawn” and unreleased “Cemeteries.”
My favourite moment of the first set was their performance of “Joanna,” a song from their debut album that has stood the test of time as a feel good classic. It’s got that upbeat indie rock sound with sharp guitar riffs and rhythmic percussion, a real showcase of their signature style.
Set one lasted around 45 minutes, with the band taking a short break before returning for set two. The excitement in the room was obvious. Whilst the band were backstage, there were plenty of people around me discussing how much they enjoyed the first set and which songs they were hoping for in set two. When the band returned and placed their setlists on the stage, eagle eyed fans were keen to get a glimpse of the paper to see what would be coming up.
Set two started with three slower, stripped back songs – “My Boy William,” “Violence Out Tonight,” and “Coalition of One” – each one highlighting the band’s range and their ability to blend thought provoking lyricism with their indie rock sound. Touching on personal, social, and political themes, this part of the set offered a more intimate moment in the show, drawing the crowd in with raw emotion before the energy picked up again.
With this section finished, Nathan (drums) and Matt (keys) returned to the stage to continue the performance. The band powered through a few more songs, including further strong favourites of mine “M62,” “The Western Boy,” and “Bridge Burn,” before arriving at an unexpected part of the show. Rob explained how the writing process for the band changed slightly during Covid. Previously, they would work through ideas in the same room, meaning he was always around for vocals, but being unable to get together due to the lockdown meant Mickey would send him clips of song ideas where he was singing, leading Rob to discover that Mickey, in fact, has a beautiful singing voice that should be shared with the world. Mickey took lead vocals for a performance of “Be Kind,” a rare and special moment that fans will surely remember for a long time.
The remainder of the set was packed with energy, finishing on three absolute bangers, “One Night In October,” “Dancing Song” (which, rest assured, had the entire room dancing their hearts out), and “3 Minute Faltz”, leaving the crowd on a high, full of smiling faces and excited cheers. The band played a total of 28 songs between the two sets, which, in my opinion, still might not be enough Little Comets.
From feel good indie tunes to introspective stripped back moments, Little Comets have something for everyone. If there’s one thing you should put on your to-do list, it’s going to one of their shows. I’m disappointed in myself for taking so long to get round to it, but I’ll certainly be seeing them again when the opportunity comes.