If you haven’t heard of The K’s yet, then you will before long. They are one of the UK’s fastest rising bands and they are selling out shows all over the country. 2024 is already set to be busy with their highly anticipated debut album ‘I Wonder If The World Knows’ and an impressive run of headline shows kicking off in April.

But tonight is all about Bristol and a very cold Marble factory packed full of an eager crowd ready to experience the Earlestown indie champs fresh from a SOLD-OUT (all tickets sold in Leeds than 24 hours) capacity show at Manchester Academy earlier this week.

First up we had Holy Youth Movement (HYM), a 5 piece from Bristol taking inspiration from the likes of The Stooges, Primal Scream & Underworld. Their signature sound is a sonic onslaught of rock n roll combined with dance music. Produced by Jagz Kooner ( Primal Scream / Sabres of Paradise/ Andrew Weatherall) it is a perfect amalgamation of what he best describes as “Electronic Rock n Roll”. A great start to the night and they warmed the crowd up nicely with their up tempo rock infused, dance beat backed tracks with a truly enjoying front man.

Second band of the night were Dutch Criminal Record,  a south coast indie surf band from Portsmouth, UK. Their sound, a blend of 60's pop vocals, interlinking riffs and blooming harmonies kept the momentum up with a fair number of followers in the crowd already, the room filled and swayed with some string tunes.

And then it was time for The K's. I would start with ' as the smoke cleared....' but in fact it was quite the opposite, the smoke grew and grew as the band took to the stage and with their logo illuminated behind them, the atmosphere was set.

Launching straight into 'Picture' and 'Got a feeling', before the new single 'Heart on my Sleeve' set the stomping pace from the outset. The crowd, a mix of young and old, sang along, danced and cheered from note one and the performance from the band seemed to rise with the appreciation. The K's are a polished act and guitarist Ryan personified the showmanship and swagger of this exciting outfit.

2024, is looking like a massive year for The K’s, as they look forward to a major headline tour in support of their debut album, with notable gigs at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse and London’s Electric Ballroom. They have also recently been announced for 2024’s Isle of Wight Festival and will support Blossoms in Manchester in August.

In Bristol the tunes and the smoke keeps coming (if you don't believe me, check out the photos!). The songs are really tight and this really bodes well for the new album and sets the bar high. The crowd have been royally entertained and as they stream out into the bitter cold night, they know there are some new kids on the block and come album release time, you are going to need to grab your tickets quickly as they will be the hottest in town!

Words and Pictures © Glenn Morrison