Corella brought a huge amount of energy to Rough Trade Bristol, turning the intimate venue into something that felt considerably bigger by the end of the night.
From the opening ‘Head Underwater’, the Manchester four-piece had the room firmly on side, working through a set packed with catchy indie-pop hooks including ‘Lost a Friend’, ‘Bitter End’, ‘Bloom’ and ‘Simple Life’. The atmosphere throughout was immense, helped by a crowd determined to make itself part of the show.
There was plenty of interaction between band and audience, but the loudest moments came when the Bristol crowd took matters into their own hands. Chants of “We love Corella, we love Corella” rang around the room with the enthusiasm of a football terrace, something the band clearly enjoyed.
The devotion wasn’t limited to the locals either. Some fans had travelled from Southampton and were seeing Corella for the fifth time, a good indication of the loyal following the band has built.
The biggest reaction of the evening came with the announcement that Corella would be returning to Bristol in February as part of their biggest headline tour to date, stepping up to Thekla.
Closing with ‘Barcelona Girl’, Corella left Rough Trade on a high after a short but relentlessly upbeat set. That connection with their audience continued afterwards, with the band sticking around for an extensive meet-and-greet, signing and chatting with fans.
With infectious songs, an increasingly committed fanbase and a bigger tour ahead, Corella look to be carrying some serious momentum into 2027.
