A.A.Williams | Spotlights
Strange Brew, Bristol
4th February 2026
Partway through an extensive winter tour, A.A.Williams delivers a majestic performance of both fragile restraint and crushing power at Bristol’s Strange Brew. New York’s Spotlights are along for the run, making tonight a commanding post-metal masterclass to behold.
Music that moves. It can be emotional. It can be physical. In a live environment, it can often be both. Tonight’s two performances pull this in abundance from a devoted mid-week crowd. There are granite riffs to gravitate through. There are ripples of sway-ful serenity. There is an overall feeling of connection and unity.
It’s ten years since Spotlights released their first LP, Tidals. Tonight the band announce they are playing it front-to-back in celebration. Sonically, the trio veer between molten thick sludge and driving groove to more reflective passages. The shoegaze vocal harmonies, from Sarah Quiterio (bass/guitar) and Mario Quitero (guitar), are often buried beneath their rumbling breakdowns.
With colossal riffs any Melvins fan would die for, drummer Chris Enrique pummels a hard-hitting backbone throughout. Songs like Hover and Joseph also showcase a glitchy electro undertone reminiscent of Justin Broadrick’s most compelling work in Godflesh and Jesu.
Following the album’s full airing, a further two songs are played. The set closes with Sunset Burial from 2023’s acclaimed Alchemy For The Dead record.
Prior to this tour, A.A.Williams last played the UK as part of Damnation Festival in late 2024. There, the London-based singer/multi-instrumentalist had a mainstage audience transfixed for 45 minutes. Here, however, with a headline performance, we are blessed with so much more.
Arriving on a dimly-lit stage adorned with her iconic ‘A.’ backdrop, Williams opens with Golden from 2002s As The Moon Rests LP, flanked by Matthew Daly (guitar/keys) and Wayne Proctor (drums). It’s a brooding start that begins with just piano and vocal, until drums kick in and the guitar builds to our first elevated chorus of the evening. Recent single Just A Shadow comes next, the songs midway drop and creeping climax sending shivers through the room, as heads bang slowly to the tempo.
Five tracks in, we are treated to the live debut of the new single Wolves, having dropped this very day. The audience is asked to be gentle. It’s a song with another big chorus and feels like a real treat to hear first. With typical dry humour, Williams then admits they’d never felt quite so keen to finish a live rendition.
Most of the night’s set is shared evenly between the sophomore record and debut Forever Blue. Dirt from the latter proves a mournful lullaby that has the audience welling up and swaying. Like passages of many songs, you could hear a pin drop throughout, that is, until Williams hits the distortion and peels out the riffs.
A clear highlight is As The Moon Rests itself, with huge soaring vocals, fast-picked guitar and crunchy breakdowns so filthy and slow they would make Type O Negative green. It’s brilliant to see the title-track played live – the musicians onstage seemingly as lost in this brew of alt/folk/goth/metal as we are.
Williams, back on tour and clearly in her element, thanks her adoring Bristol crowd, then signs off with a double-kick of Melt and Evaporate. ‘It all starts and ends with you’ sings the refrain of the final song – a sentiment that oddly feels like a warm hug.
An epic winter’s tale. As haunting as it was heavy.
The A.A.Williams tour with Spotlights continues around Europe throughout February. Dates can be found on the official A.A.Williams website here
Socials: Bandcamp | Facebook | Insta | X
The official Spotlights website is here
Socials: Bandcamp | Facebook | Insta
~
All words by Chris Perkins
Photos by Michael Brumby @ Woodbox Productions
A Plea From Louder Than War
Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases, the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy. We are not driven by profit, just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about.
To us, music and culture are eveything, without them, our very souls shrivel and die. We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many, what we do is absolutely vital. Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute, and each sign-up makes a huge impact, helping to keep the flame of independent music burning! Please click the button below to help.
John Robb – Editor in Chief
