After forgetting I hadn’t put a parking ticket in my car and subsequently running back to buy
one, I made it to the York Life stage set up in the middle of Parliament Square in York just in
time for Bull’s set to start. I first saw the band support Sports Team in 2019 and now I kick
myself for not appreciating them enough. Hours of listens over the past year and missing
them play down the road in London earlier this year built up a need to see them again.
Standing outside at 7pm in York, it was getting cold as Bull took to the stage with ‘Bedroom
Floor’, the dreamy opener of their debut album Discover Effortless Living. Their vocals were
noticeably plastered with reverb, transforming the freezing square into a soothing
dreamscape. The expected instruments were joined by a surprise recorder (maybe a tin
whistle, don’t quote me on this) solo from lead singer Tom Beer during the (as far as I’m
aware) unreleased song ‘Imaginary Conversations In My Head’ which definitely felt
imagined because how else would I witness a tin whistle solo? It was unexpected but now I
want to watch it again, and again. The eclectic mix of instrumentation was constantly
expanded with a definite recorder solo later in the set, a mini keyboard for Beer to solo on,
and a plethora of guitar effects.
In roughly every other song, lead guitarist Dan Lucas took a solo and delivered every time.
For the most part, these jangly, crunchy pieces epitomised the band’s indie rock sound
drenched in intriguing effects. In an unreleased song I didn’t catch the name of, heaps of
phasers created a swirling grunge effect for a more chordal solo. Later, about halfway
through the set, a small 8-bit style solo orchestrated Beer’s outfit change (taking his jumper
off). I can’t mention outfits without three special mentions: bassist Kai West was dressed for
the Wild West in a blue cowboy shirt and hat; Beer sported a crocheted hat for half the gig
until it flew off as he jumped around the stage during a particularly energetic breakdown;
Lucas revealed a tastefully garish knitted/crocheted green and pink vest after another quick
jumper removal. The clothing complimented what was shaping up to be a memorable set.
Nearing the end of their set, Bull treated the crowd, which was a mix of diehard fans,
intrigued passers-by, and people waiting for The Howl & The Hum, to another new song,
‘Tired Of Being Treated Like A Twit’. This is where Beer’s keyboard took the spotlight,
performing an 80s style part before falling off its stand at the end of the song. All this built
up to my favourite song of the night, the final track of the set, ‘Perfect Teeth’. With his
keyboard still on the ground, Beer was up and down as he sang and then played some riffs.
His vocals must also be given a mention – they were so versatile, going from soothing and
airy to screaming and shouting, all within the space of this finale. The vocals were
accompanied by shimmering guitars in the beginning, growing fuzzier as the song
progressed. I would love to take a look at Lucas’ pedal board; I was entranced by the
different effects he managed to showcase in a set that I wished lasted longer. Bookmarked
by a drum solo, the set ended with shouts for one more song from the crowd that were
sadly crushed by the tight schedule of the night.
Hailing from Yorkshire too, I have a bias for Bull but cannot emphasise enough how much
you should try to catch them on their upcoming run of gigs supporting fellow indie rockers,
FEET, this spring. You’ll love it.