LIVE REVIEW & GALLERY: Du Blonde @ Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield

January 29th 2025

Support from bigfatbig

First time back at Yellow Arch since Declan Welsh and The Decadent West in 2023, and also the first time back since moving up North. Still as charming as I remembered, with wonderful staff and random people talking to you like they’ve known you their entire lives. It’s not the best venue for shooting, with no pit photo access and a very narrow stage front, but in every other way, it’s perfect, so I’ll let it off!

First up were Sunderland’s bigfatbig, who took to the stage like a fireball of epic riffs, determined drum beats, and a gnarly bassline. Like the slacker lovechild of pop punk and bubblegrunge, they balance the bite of Paramore or We Are the In Crowd with the cutesy effervescence of The Beths or Charly Bliss.

Their sound is addictive—after just one track, I knew I had to buy the vinyl before I left. There’s something completely endearing about them, not just in their music but in the way they carry themselves. Frontwoman Robyn has a charismatic stage presence, her cheeky Mackem accent making everything even more appealing. Her vocals are strong and rich, with a bellowing powerhouse quality, made even more impressive by the fact that she carried the entire sound without any backing vocals. She strutted about the stage with power poses aplenty, chatting with the crowd with an undeniable warmth yet unapologetic confidence.

Performing with a stand-in bassist, as their full-time player couldn’t get the time off work, the guy stepping in didn’t falter for a second—playing immaculately as though he’d been there all along. Their cover of Sheryl Crow’s ‘If It Makes You Happy’, while I’m not usually a fan of covers, was brilliant, injected with their fizzy spirit. Robyn’s cheeky remark before launching into it—saying they like to throw in a track everyone knows, and if you don’t like it, it’ll be over in three minutes—made me smile. In fact, all their stories and quips between tracks brought the set to life.

Introducing ‘Love Letters’, Robyn shared that it was written after their first support tour when they had so much fun but wondered if it would be their one and only time on the road. They needn’t have worried, as they’ve toured relentlessly since, charming audiences up and down the country.

bigfatbig are excellent. Dynamic, adorable, big sound, big heart, big presence. Their infectious energy is like if Ariel from The Little Mermaid went through a punk phase—gritty, fuzzy riffs, pummelling drums, and a commanding stage presence that holds its own against any more established bands. I loved them!

Then, for the marvel that is Beth Jeans Houghton, aka Du Blonde, what can I say other than that Beth is incredible? Their talent is undeniable, and the whole set was perfect—aside from most the crowd who seemed glued to the spot, unable to move. I adore this human so much and have an immense amount of respect for them.

I rarely feel a personal connection to musicians. I’ve always believed that having idols leads to disappointment when they don’t live up to expectations, but Beth is a heart-on-your-sleeve kind of artist. They strip themself bare, both in their music and through their presence on social media, creating an intimacy that makes them feel familiar, even though I’ve never actually spoken to them. They deserve success more than any other up-and-coming artist right now, in my view.

I know I sound like a total fangirl, but the love and respect I feel for Beth is unbridled. Their whole demeanour won me over from the moment I discovered their music—which, funnily enough, was through an ad for this tour posted by the Brudenell in Leeds. I was so fascinated by their imagery that I had to give them a listen, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Taking to the stage with bigfatbig as their band and the talent that is Courtney Dixon (who, by the way, records music in her own right—definitely worth checking out!), the Yellow Arch stage looked rather cramped with six bodies packed onto it, but it was also overflowing with talent. I was charmed to see bigfatbig acting as Du Blonde’s band, showcasing not only their depth as musicians but also giving them another opportunity for exposure. It’s the first time I’ve seen a solo artist bring their support act on stage as their touring band, rather than hiring a separate group, so hats off to Beth for giving labelmates bigfatbig that extra boost.

The set leaned heavily on their latest album Smiff More Gritty, which was to be expected given that this was the album’s promo tour, but there was also a good spattering of earlier material woven in.

Kicking off with ‘Perfect’ and leading straight into ‘Angel’ from 2019’s Lung Bread for Daddy, the tone for the evening was set high. Beth’s endearing, somewhat self-effacing stage presence lit up the room with an almost childlike innocence, something I really love about them. They have openly discussed their struggles with ADHD on social media and how debilitating it can be, and I found myself wondering just how much of a challenge and mental drain touring must be for them, which only deepened my admiration. The dynamic between Beth, Courtney, and bigfatbig was brilliant—there was a real sense of camaraderie, a warmth that radiated through the entire performance.

Following on with four tracks from the new album—‘Dollar Coffee’, ‘Live Wire’, ‘Solitary Individual’, and ‘Yesterday’—every moment brimmed with charisma, pop sensibilities, and alt-rock grit. The performance had a real buoyancy to it, a multifaceted sound that could appeal to just about anyone.

‘Solitary Individual’ is easily my favourite track from the new album, one I relate to on every level. The number of times I’m told to “find a fella”, as if it’s impossible to actually enjoy my own company, is ridiculous. I did wonder how the track would carry live, given that the original recording features Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, but Courtney and Robyn absolutely nailed the backing vocals, bringing the perfect balance of sugary sweetness and bite to the performance.

Next up was ‘I’m Glad We Broke Up’, lifted from 2021’s Homecoming record, another track that originally featured a guest vocalist—Ezra Furman. It didn’t get off to the smoothest start, with Beth stopping after the first few bars, admitting they’d messed up. Not that I think the crowd had noticed, or even the band for that matter, but where most artists would power through, it’s those little attentions to detail and Beth’s commitment to delivering the best possible performance that make them such a special artist.

Once restarted, it was another track where the backing vocals were nailed perfectly, with the talented trio of vocalists capturing the recorded version’s cute-with-a-bite energy flawlessly.

Following that, we went into an acoustic break, which, in all honesty, I’m not usually a fan of. I tend to feel it kills the energy, but here it worked surprisingly well. Beth, who clearly wasn’t rigidly following a setlist—given that it simply said “acoustic break”—asked the crowd if they wanted a sad song, only to be met with a resounding no. Instead, they played ‘Coffee Machine’ from Lung Bread for Daddy and the 2023 standalone single ‘Pelican Canyon’.

The acoustic interlude brought a great sense of intimacy and introspection to the show, really highlighting the strength and almost operatic range of Beth’s vocals. It was stunning and unexpectedly heartwarming, and despite usually being something I don’t enjoy in live sets, it completely won me over.

Bringing the band back out ‘Blame’ brought the energy back up with its singalong chorus and big riffs, giving Courtney and bigfatbig’s Katie a chance to shine. ‘Daffy Taffy’, while short and sweet, added a spattering of glamour and attitude. ‘Metal Detector’ introduced a dreamy haze of thoughtful introspection, with vocals that carried a somewhat ethereal quality, while ‘All the Way’ kept the set in a dreamlike state, allowing Beth’s stunning vocal range to shine.

Before the last couple of songs, Beth quipped that they weren’t doing encores on this tour, assuring us we’d still be getting everything we would have anyway—before joking that the band didn’t need to guess if we still wanted them. Then, they launched into ‘Radio Jesus’, before closing with the Sniff More Gritty single ‘TV Star’—another track with a great singalong chorus and a multifaceted verse that once again highlighted the operatic quality in Beth’s voice, blending superbly with the gang vocals.

In summary: I love Beth, and the show lived up to every expectation I had. Their crowd interaction was endearing, fun, and warming. The sound was the perfect balance of effervescence and grit. The acoustic segment worked perfectly. bigfatbig did a superb job as their backing band, and Courtney is clearly destined to be a star in her own right.

A bloody good show that hit the spot perfectly. If you get the chance to see Du Blonde, even if you’ve never heard their music before—do it! I guarantee you’ll walk away a fan.