Midlake and the Bretheren: Live at the Brudenell

I have very fond memories of being allowed to listen to music during my GCSE art class and curating the perfect autumnal playlist to complement whatever tree I was trying (and most likely failing) to paint. One of the albums that featured heavily in this playlist was The Trials of Van Occupanther (2006) by the Texan folk-rock band known as Midlake. I’d like to think that any success I may have had in that class was thanks to the inspiration of the beautiful melodies I played on repeat. Having the opportunity to hear these songs live felt like going back in time to that classroom, only with better acoustics and a disco ball overhead.

Midlake formed in Denton, Texas in 1999 and have released six albums so far, most recently A Bridge To Far (2025). The band had backgrounds in jazz and funk before transitioning to a more indie-rock sound, inspired by Jethro Tull and Radiohead. Their songwriting leans heavily on rich vocal harmonies and instrumentation that blends folk warmth with prog-rock ambition. My personal favourite album, The Trials of Van Occupanther (2006), ventures into a more classic-rock sound that is reminiscent of Bob Welch-era Fleetwood Mac (i.e., the perfect soundtrack to autumn afternoons in an art classroom). Midlake’s music is a beautiful ensemble of vocals, guitars, keyboards, and flute, and while they have changed line-ups and evolved stylistically over the years, the heart of the band’s sound has remained intact.

In early February, Midlake began touring in support of their latest album, A Bridge To Far (2025), with the Brudenell Social Club being one of their earlier shows. The venue was the smaller room to the left of the main bar, and despite it being a sold-out show, it never felt overly cramped. As expected, the crowd was the usual mix of Radio 6 Music listeners and the odd student. Although I arrived slightly late, I was able to move down to the front between sets. Once again, I was reminded of how lucky I am to live so close to such an iconic venue that hosts great shows like this. During the gig, I made a mental note to actually start checking the newsletters they send me.

The support act, The Bretheren, were a beautiful start to the show. The Nashville-based group blended seamlessly together and showcased exceptional musicianship. With a gorgeous bass tone and guitar solos from Joey McClellan (also of Midlake), I could easily have listened to another half hour of their (unfortunately short) set.

I had the opportunity to speak with Dave “Moose” Sherman, the keyboardist and vocalist of the Bretheren, about the group’s experience touring with Midlake as well as their own creative projects. Having played together for a decade as the band for Elle King, they have formed a strong relationship with each other. As he said, “We’re kind of like brothers at this point”, hence the band’s name. Individually, they are accomplished musicians who have worked with an impressive list of industry icons. Together, they produce a well-rounded sound that showcases their collective experience. Dave shared that touring, while sometimes challenging, has brought them even closer: they live for the moments where they are on stage performing their music. He mentioned the group’s love for UK audiences and how great the tour has been so far. The band’s debut album is set for release this spring and features a multitude of artists singing on each track, including Nicole Atkins, Courtney Marie Andrews, and even the actor Michael Shannon. Recording from their own studio in Nashville, the Bretheren have been working on this album over the past few years, following a break in gigs with Elle King. “That was the catalyst for trying our own thing” Dave shared, “everybody brings their ideas to the table – we’re very open and collaborative. Before we knew it, we had 14 songs!” Dave also spoke about how they write the songs first, before starting to imagine who would sing on it, drawing from a long list of people that they’ve played with, looking outward from the cultural hub of Nashville, and across the country. He talked about the time when Nicole Atkins brought Chris Isaak along with her to their studio, and his positive comments on the music they were making. “Little moments like that gave us the courage to keep proceeding and made us think we were on to something.” Hearing about their process made me even more excited for the release of their debut album and seeing all of the collaborations featured, as well as the Bretheren’s return to UK stages in the future. Perhaps a future collaboration between Midlake and the Bretheren is in the works…

After a short intermission, Midlake took to the stage, right on schedule. They had such a warm and inviting presence, which you could really feel in the crowd. People were swaying along to the music, dancing when a song was more upbeat, and beaming up at the band. Midlake played a beautiful mix of their old classics as well as songs from their newer albums, captivating the audience with their enchanting harmonies, guitar solos, and flute lines. Between songs, frontman Eric Pulido spoke with the crowd, sharing his love for the Brudenell and joking about how long it had been since they’d last played in the UK. He entertained audience questions, which led to the exclamation of “What guitar is that?” after each song. For anyone wondering, he switched between a Gibson J15 and J45 throughout the set. Credit must also go to the sound engineer for this gig, who made what I deem as intrinsically beautiful music, sound even better. The set perfectly encapsulated feelings of nostalgia, and when they played the opening notes of ‘Roscoe’, I was transported back to my Year 10 art class. Midlake seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the set, even taking a moment to pause and soak up the atmosphere. The show ended with an impressive drum solo from McKenzie Smith for the song ‘The Old and the Young’. Afterwards, I managed to snag a setlist so I can remember what a wonderful evening I’d had.

Perhaps a symptom of sentimental nostalgia, this gig meant a lot to me, with much of Midlake’s music being the soundtrack to my teenage autumns. They are an extremely talented group of musicians with beautiful songwriting, melodies, and warmth. While I always encourage discovering new music (Midlake, for example, if you don’t know them already!), I think it can be equally important to revisit music you used to listen to and to notice what feelings it evokes. I find that how I interpret songs often changes over time, as do the memories that I associate with them. The gig also reinforced the importance of supporting local music venues such as the Brudenell – time to check that newsletter!

Words by Anya Fernihough