Live Review: Eleventh He Reaches, Rachael Dease, Foxes & Only Hope

Unless you're hanging around Dr Emmet Brown, it's not often you get a chance to go back in time, but The Bakery allowed just that last Saturday. Only Hope were the first to benefit from what was a faultless mix from the sound guy before Foxes hit, and hit hard. The five-piece sounded huge from the first crack of the snare, and as the crowds started rolling in the set kept improving. Introducing the moody Blue early, ambience made way for angst, before the band went head-first into some progressive outbursts. Even the set's flaws (some really awkward silence's between songs), had a silver lining as the audience were given a rare chance to catch their breathe in what was the best set this scribe had seen from the band.

Rachael Dease followed accompanied by nothing but a strange electronic contraption, a kick-arse drummer and some haunting backing tracks. Manipulating a range of dark, sampled synths, beats and basslines, the self-confessed wildcard of the bill crooned while some spacious drumming filled every hole the beat consented to, and even some it didn't. Still maintaining pop sensibilities among some sorcerous songwriting (think Karen O under the influence of David Lynch), the engaging vocal talents of Dease allowed her to pull off a very challenging aesthetic.

Headliners Eleventh He Reaches London were the last challenge to face, as they said thank you to the die hards with a retrospective show, performing their debut album from 2005, The Good Fight For Harmony, in full. The audience knew what they were getting – a heavy does of despair and brutality with enough angst and anguish to make you forget you ever owned a hair straightener, and they got it. Bringing out a distinctive, dedicated audience, EHRL were relentless in a way that only a triple guitar attack can be. Controlling so much mood and dynamic while at the same time sounding consistently depressive and severe, the band punished. The set closer made for one of the most intense climaxes you are ever likely to hear. Leaving the audience with a promise of a new album and new shows for next year after having incited a windmill or two, the audience were left reminded of how ahead of its time the release was and how relevant the band still is.