Bristol was buzzing on a chilly November Sunday evening, the streets alive with weekend energy as we made our way to the O2 Academy. For me and Julian, my trusted photographer, this gig doubled as our impromptu MusoMuso Christmas party—a ritual of noodles before the show, laughter, and anticipation as we reflected back on a successful 2025.

Inside, the foyer was a whirl of ticket stubs and bag checks. I couldn’t resist picking up a signed copy of Allbarone on shimmering blue wax—hopefully Baxter’s own scrawl across the sleeve. At the cloakroom, fumbling with my phone, I was warned by the attendant that if I lost my ticket, she’d happily keep my Adidas jacket. Bristol hospitality, sharp and playful.

First up was Joshua Idehen, British-born Nigerian now based in Sweden, dressed simply in a fresh Primark white tee and black strides. His entrance was unconventional: unimpressed by the crowd’s muted response, he walked off stage only to return demanding “a reception fit for Dolly Parton.” The audience obliged, erupting in cheers that set the tone for his set.

What followed was a soulful fusion of house beats, rap-poetry, and Idehen’s charismatic presence. Between tracks he declared, “I believe in the power of people,” a mantra that resonated in the room.

Highlights included Mum Does the Washing, a track I’d heard before but never connected to the man now commanding the stage. Then came his playful introduction of the “Nigerian wave”—a front-to-back ripple of movement, unlike the side-to-side Mexican wave. The rehearsal faltered, but when the moment arrived mid-song, the crowd delivered, proving Idehen’s ability to coax joy and unity from an audience.

By 9pm, the Academy was rammed—close to sold out, bodies pressed together in anticipation. Baxter Dury emerged in a cream suit and white shirt stretched over his wiry frame, black Converse grounding the look.

He launched into Alpha Dog, a funky opener that saw him throwing angular shapes across the stage, movements reminiscent of a Shotokan karate kata. The backdrop glowed into a lifesize tequila sunrise for Hapsburg, setting a surreal tone.

His band—bass/guitar, drums, keys—were tight, fluid, and understated, allowing Baxter’s half-spoken, half-spat delivery to dominate. His style, part poetry, part vitriol, part snarling wit, felt like a continuation of his father Ian Dury’s legacy, especially on Night Chancers, where the resemblance was uncanny.

Almond Milk was pure venom: “fuck this, fuck Bristol, fuck everything,” he barked, while Oi leaned into Hammond organ-style keys, more melodic but no less biting.

At one point, Baxter toyed with his jacket, pulling it over his head, using it as a prop to accentuate his poses before tossing it aside. Later, it reappeared, buttoned up, as if part of his theatrical rhythm.

Pleasure was a funk-driven melee, Baxter striking statuesque poses like a Greek sculpture come to life. Miami shimmered with Gorillaz-like fluidity—motorik beats, silky basslines, dreamy backing vocals—an unlikely but perfect foil to his abrasive vocal style.

By Cocaine Man, the crowd was fully unshackled, pockets of dancers wringing every last drop of weekend abandon before Monday’s return. Allbarone transformed the Academy into a sweaty New York discotheque, the sound system pushed to its limits, bass player switching to guitar to drive the chaos.

Schadenfreude closed the main set, Baxter departing with a sardonic shout: “I don’t always love you, but tonight I do!”

The encore stretched across four tracks, beginning with Mr W4, a piece that could have been lifted from Zero 7’s electronic dreamscapes—until Baxter’s spoken-word grit grounded it back in reality. Backing vocals soared, psych melodies swirled, and the Academy was momentarily hypnotised.

Finally, Friends closed the night, pulling the crowd back to the dance floor for one last communal boogie. It was a fitting end: Baxter Dury, equal parts vitriol and groove, leaving Bristol exhilarated, bemused, and utterly entertained.

Setlist

Alpha Dog

Hpasburg

Not Your Dog

Mockingjay

Almond Milk

Ayelsbury Bo

Return of the Sharp Heads

Kubla Khan

Pleasure

Pam Trees

Miami