On Wednesday 16th April, Bristol’s iconic venue The Fleece played host to a night of explosive rock ‘n’ roll energy, as warm up act Silverroller and headliner Dutch psych-rock powerhouse DeWolff took to the stage. From swaggering solos to crowd-swaying ballads, the evening was a masterclass in live performance, with both bands delivering unforgettable sets to a buzzing Bristol crowd. Here’s how it all went down.
Swaggering onto the stage in full flared pants to the spaghetti western sounds of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Silverroller has officially arrived.
Kicking off the night, they launch into Other Side with powerful swagger and magnetic stage presence from frontman Jonnie Hodson, backed by a punchy guitar solo from Kenny Tashjy.
Next comes Trouble Follows Me, with Hodson introducing it by saying, “We’re gonna tell you a little story about trouble,” before ending the track with a cheeky mini harmonica solo. After greeting both new audience members and returning fans, they dive into Turn to Gold.
Hodson takes a moment to thank the bar staff, event crew, DJ and lighting tech at The Fleece, then invites the crowd to give a round of applause for Anna, who not only drives the van but also designs and sells their merchandise. Impressive.
They lock back in with Black Crow, a standout moment of the set. Silverroller are easily one of the more expressive live bands out there right now. Think kicks, fist bumps, mic stand twirls, and dramatic finger points sprinkled throughout their electric performance.
Power ballad Come On Come In slows the tempo slightly, creating a crowd-swaying ambience before the final song of the set.
They wrap up their short but oh-so-sweet set with the high-energy, feel-good anthem Hold.
Review: Rhiannon Ellen
Photography: Emma Painter
After a short break, DeWolff hit the stage to raucous applause, greeting the audience with, “We’ve come all the way from the wild, wild Netherlands” (It’s actually just an hour away).
Frontman Pablo van de Poel kicks off Night Train by asking, “Are you ready for some rock and roll?” The answer: obviously. The performance bursts with effortless swagger, pink lights bathing the stage as Pablo shreds through a jaw-dropping instrumental. It’s clear from the jump: this is going to be a heart-stopping kind of show.
He shouts out the audience for choosing joy tonight “instead of sitting on the sofa!” before inviting everyone to echo the lyric: “heart-stopping kind of show!”
Next up is Natural Woman, featuring multiple guitar solos and a falsetto outro that could melt faces. The crowd is living for it.
Then it’s time for the sultrier Will o’ the Wisp, where organist Robin Piso gets his moment to shine, unleashing his flair on the Hammond organ while the Bristol crowd hollers their appreciation.
Throughout the set, Pablo switches between two Gibson guitars, casually flexing serious rock star energy.
Out on the Town brings in solid drum riffs and soaring guitar solos, ending with a massive drum finale from Luka van de Poel, Pablo’s younger brother and an absolute beast behind the kit.
Then comes Ophelia, a band-wide showcase of chemistry and talent that rolls seamlessly into Snowbird. Melancholy, euphoric, and dreamy, Snowbird feels like it was pulled straight out of a smoky Dutch jazz club. Pablo crafts a haunting tone with eerie guitar scratches, and the performance ends with a drumstick flying across the stage. As you do.
“We haven’t played that one in a while,” Pablo says. “It’s from our third studio album, deWolff IV.” Then he adds, “Everything’s four. Even five, because it has four letters.” (Honestly, fair.)
Then it’s time to talk merch. Pablo flings a plectrum into the crowd, then a playing card. Then two. Then three. Then a cap “it protects you from sunburn” and finally, a T-shirt. Merch madness complete, it’s back to the music.
After a short break, they return for an encore. “You ready for some more?” Pablo asks. When the crowd roars yes, he grins: “You’re brave, this one’s 20 minutes long. And full of drum solos!”
It’s Rosita, the epic closer from their 2023 album Love, Death & In Between.
“Let me tell you about my baby… do you wanna know her name? Rositaaaaaa!”
And just when you think he’s given it all, Pablo steps off the stage and into the crowd for a finale filled with backslaps, hugs, and high-fives all around. A euphoric end to a truly unforgettable show.
Order the Muscle Shoals here:
https://lnk.to/DeWolff
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Review: Rhiannon Ellen
Photography: Emma Painter
