Gig Review: Larkin Poe @ Bristol Beacon, 19th Oct 2025
Larkin Poe (Rebecca and Megan Lovell) have been in the game a long time. Starting in 2005 as ‘The Lovell Sisters’, their americana rock music has carried them through the decades to become the Grammy-winning powerhouse band they are now. Taking their updated name from their real relation to Edgar Allan Poe (their great-great-great-great grandfather was his cousin!), you might be surprised at how hopeful their music is.
I had the opportunity to catch them live in the Beacon Hall at the Bristol Beacon in October, as they traversed the UK to promote their new album ‘Bloom’. On a dark, wet, and rainy Bristol evening, it was quite transformative to step into a towering venue filled with cut-off denim jackets and the low thrum of americana tunes. Just prior to the show, I mentioned over a half-pint that I have a real affinity with music that feels so wholeheartedly American, despite growing up in what can only be described as an inherently British commuter town. Something about the optimism of individuality and the American dream speaks to me, I suppose. So, it felt very fitting when Larkin Poe took to the stage with the utmost amount of American optimism and vim.
Accompanied by a full band, Larkin Poe oozed with stage presence in this packed-out room. Both sisters have voices that are undeniably fantastic: strong, technically talented, and full of every overpowering and subtle emotion. It may be down to their family ties, but the harmonies they can achieve together are seriously impressive. Their new album ‘Bloom’ carries themes of introspection and self-reflection, but seeing them live adds a whole other level of confidence to this. The band could not have been more excited to be playing this show; there was no non-chalance in the best possible way.
Having not known much about Larkin Poe beforehand, seeing them live was a real treat. As I mentioned, the concept of the American Dream and all affiliated yeehaw vibes can still permeate the brain of a girl born and bred in semi-rural Britain (maybe because I’m far enough away from the truth of the USA to still romanticise it in some way). Seeing Larkin Poe in the middle of Bristol, I felt solidly underdressed in a cardigan and wished I could immediately put on a pair of cowboy boots: the desire for immersion caught me so off-guard that I decided I wanted to start dressing exactly like the band then and there. Maybe non-non-chalance is the coolest thing you can possess?
To fill such a large room in terms of both sound and audience is an impressive feat. Artists that go the extra mile to engage with their audiences will always win me over, but to be also backed by such a strong sense of experience, self-confidence, and defined sound: you can’t deny that these sisters are and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.
Find out more about Larkin Poe below.
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Written by Katie Coxall
Katie is an all-round creative, specialising in music journalism for Everyday. Coming from a background of opinion-pieces and culture essays, she weaves contemporary context into her writing.
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