Since catching their set at G! Festival last year, CLASH has been firmly sold on Personal Trainer’s chaotic yet catchy tunes. That performance, which took place on a children’s playground, was quickly followed by seeing them deliver a sweaty, stripped-back show at Bristol’s Rough Trade. Entering Thekla’s hallowed bowels this Monday night, it struck this writer that this was actually the first time I was seeing them do a full-length, full-band set. Touring behind the previous year’s ‘Still Willing,’ the Dutch outfit was in upbeat and tight form, the songs now well road-tested. Before the main event, however, the crowd was treated to a charmingly raucous set by Manchester’s Westside Cowboy.
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Riding off the back of their debut single – and their debut single alone – the four-piece were an unknown quantity. With a streaming bio simply stating, ‘B R I T A I N I C A N A,’ the crowd was curious to see what the buzz was about. Luckily, the outfit proved to be a good scrappy time, their songs invoking elements of Pavement and Built To Spill with an English slant. Special props had to go to drummer Paddy Murphy, whose Grohl-esque drumming nearly dismantled the kit – and their short set – early on. In a surprising finish, the band went full folk-shanty, leaning into the mic while harmonizing vocals and strumming an acoustic guitar. What are Westside Cowboy about? Hard to tell just yet, but they were certainly attention-grabbing.
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Before long, the beaming smile of Personal Trainer frontman Willem Smit appeared. With many acts proudly declaring themselves ‘bosses’ or leaning into the old-fashioned sense of aloof cool, PT’s Dutch friendliness was refreshing. That’s not to say the six-piece plays softie tunes – far from it. Personal Trainer’s music is a blend of Beck-like left turns. Led by Smit’s electric-acoustic, their songs often started with a confessional edge before exploding into technicolor. Saxophone, trumpet, and mad synth lines added a sense of mania to Smit’s tales of ego, self-doubt, and surreal world observations. It’s damn fun.
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The band soared through fifteen songs, much to the delight of the near-sold-out crowd. Fan favourites ‘New Bad Feeling’ and ‘Upper Ferntree Garden’ made an appearance, as did a few new songs like the pretty ‘Burrows.’ At one point, a woman placed a few eggs on the stage, much to the singer’s confusion, and a downed can of Red Stripe was unceremoniously mopped up with Smit’s jumper. The title track from their sophomore effort got the now very humid boat jumping, as the band let loose with an extended jam. Guitarist Franti Marešová’s Fender Esquire roared as the band headbanged in appreciation. PT was a band digging their own noise as much as the audience.
For an encore, the laughing band returned, confident that they could “make something up” for a finale. In fact, it was an explosive rendition of ‘The Lazer,’ the highlight from their 2022 debut ‘Big Love Blanket.’ Shit went off, an extra impressive feat, considering it was a Monday night. In just over an hour, the band won some new fans and reminded the already converted why their star is steadily rising. They have the tunes, the live prowess, and the good-time vibes. Clash recommends catching them in a city near you while the venues remain cozy.
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Words: Sam Walker-Smart
Photography: Rhys Dolman
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