There was a real sense of anticipation at Bristol’s O2 Academy on Wednesday night, as Hard Life played the second stop of their headline tour and the first venue to sell out. The band, formerly known as Easy Life, ceased performing under that name in 2023 after a legal dispute with easyGroup and returned in June 2024 under the new identity. For fans, this felt like both a fresh start and a long-awaited return.
The evening opened with Woody, whose dreamy guitar lines and warm, expressive vocals quickly won over the crowd. His understated, heartfelt set built the perfect buzz, leaving the audience primed for the main event.
When Hard Life hit the stage, the noise was deafening. Murray Matravers walked out grinning, onions strung round his neck. Opening with Onion, Tears, the crowd immediately sang every line back, setting the tone for a night that balanced chaos, catharsis, and sheer joy.
The setlist blended old favourites like Sunday, Skeletons and Pockets with newer tracks Othello and Y3llow Bike, all delivered with tight precision and heartfelt energy. A particularly moving moment came during Pockets, dedicated to bassist Lewis Berry’s late father, the Academy lit by hundreds of phone lights in quiet tribute.
By the encore, the room was euphoric. Nightmares closed the night in full singalong mode, its final refrain leaving the audience buzzing.
After everything the band has faced, Hard Life’s return feels triumphant — honest, heartfelt, and full of the energy that first won fans over.
Hard Life
Woody
