LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Carpenter Brut & HEALTH – O2 Academy, Bristol – 04/11/2026

Carpenter Brut and HEALTH’s Conflict Europe 2026 Tour took to the UK. Although it wasn’t listed as a sold-out show, it looked packed full at the O2 Academy in Bristol. There are only three stops on the UK leg of this tour, with support coming from Vowws.

Once inside, I saw the queue for the merch table. It reminded me of the queue I stood in for the E.T. ride at Universal Studios as a kid, snaking in all kinds of directions and hiding the true number of people waiting.

Vowws were on first, for only their second time playing in the UK. I saw them opening for Crosses a couple of years ago. Khanjani and James stood on opposite sides of the stage in a dense haze of smoke and subdued lighting, which made it almost impossible to make them out. Occasionally, you could see their silhouettes. As the quietest act on the bill, their coldwave industrial style suited the opening slot. The crowd had filled up pretty well by the time they left the stage. Their set was very atmospheric and moody, if a little subdued. I remembered them being a little more confrontational on stage the last time I’d seen them, but considering the acts to follow, they fitted in perfectly tonight, and I knew the intensity would crank up when the next act hit the stage.

As HEALTH came on stage, every part of the Academy looked full, with no space anywhere on the floor or balconies. If anything, this felt like a double headliner, even if it wasn’t advertised as one. HEALTH played 19 tracks in all, if you included the intro. The setlist was an even split of material from CONFLICT DLC and RAT WARS. The band opened the show with VIBE COP and TRASH DECADE. The moody lighting was replaced with bursts of white strobe light, caged monitors and a backdrop that looked like a cave wall. It was a visually stunning show, as I’d hoped.

Jake Duzsik’s voice has a great tone and quality that he can reproduce from their records. It’s a smooth contrast to their driving industrial sound, which can be harsh and cold. They were easily the heaviest band on the bill. John Famiglietti and B.J. Miller looked animated throughout, really throwing themselves into the performance. Duzsik paused the set at one point for a fan to propose before playing TEARS.

There aren’t really any quiet moments during a HEALTH set, but YOU DIED really stood out from CONFLICT DLC. The band showed they can turn their hand to something packed with emotion as well as playing with pure aggression. Another highlight was Major Crimes from the Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack. Their set ended with DSM-V, with Duzsik saying that they’d love to say they’d be back soon, but who knows what’s going to happen in the future.

Carpenter Brut isn’t as heavy live as HEALTH, but they’re easily as loud and engaging to watch. If HEALTH brought the aggression, then Brut delivered a dancefloor spin on synthwave and retro-rock. Franck Hueso took to the middle of the stage, flanked on either side by his live guitarist and drummer. Raised up and surrounded by keyboards and samplers, it looked as though he was about to deliver a sermon from the church of dark synthwave, with elements of ’80s slasher flicks, hair metal and devil worship. His symbol attached to the front of the stage like a glowing totem, burning with an amber glow.

I saw the middle of the crowd move during HEALTH, but there was a lot more dancing during this set, as you might expect. With clouds of smoke and flashing red lights, it felt something like the rave scene in Blade. This was basically another headline set, with a full setlist focused on his most recent release, this year’s Leather Temple. Aside from this, it played like a greatest-hits collection, with him dipping back into his earliest EPs, which helped him achieve his initial success. Le Perv, Roller Mobster and Turbo Killer from EP III all featured towards the end of the night, as you might expect.

The 17-song setlist was brought to an end with Maniac, the popular cover of the song by Michael Sembello. I actually prefer the Carpenter Brut version. It takes the original and hypes it up to the maximum. The atmosphere was genuinely electric. The combination of the music and stage design made for an incredible live experience.

Words and photos by Ross Peacey (Instagram)