There is an excited buzz in the bar at The Louisiana in Bristol, half an hour before doors. It has been over 18 months since I saw the five-piece from North Carolina in the UK, two dates in July 2024. Both shows were great, and it is little wonder that Preacher Stone, who are closing off their latest tour in the UK at this show, are starting to draw in enthusiastic audiences.
Preacher Stone – Revenant
The Louisiana, Bristol – 8 February 2026
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
Preacher Stone
This tour has seen Preacher Stone traverse the UK, from Trecco Bay in Porthcawl (Winter’s End) to Bannerman’s in Edinburgh. Mere short hops may be for the American band, but it will prove to have been more than enough later.
They have a new guitarist since their visit in 2024. Darrell Whit is now fully ensconced in the band, forming a double axe attack with Ben Robinson. Both are fluid players, and with the band’s Southern style demanding solos in the tradition of so many before them, these guys bring it with a swagger that only comes from those few born with a natural talent.
Focal point for Preacher Stone remains Ronnie Riddle, a smoother than silk singer with a mesmerising way of capturing the attention. He does not need to strut, and just does what he does, which is to cast a presence that echoes a composite of Van Zandt, Starr, Brown and Medlocke.
His between-song chat fits the band’s no-nonsense approach, songs about hard living, hard drinking, and hard times, all with a smile and an honesty that is rare to find in today’s music world. These guys do not fake a thing.
After they crash the stage during the final song of support act Revenant to start the end-of-tour party early, there is a buoyancy which dissipates like air in a punctured balloon once the band kick into their own set.
For whatever reason, there are some challenges with the monitors, and it clearly touches a nerve, especially with Robinson, whose mood visibly changes for the entire set.
Full of smiles when larking about with a pint in his hand, there is a thunder that descends. The smile is gone, and whilst his lead work remains exemplary, he has the demeanour of a man who would rather be anywhere else than on stage.
Despite the best efforts of bassist Jim Bolt, Riddle and Whit, there is only a sliver of a smile when the set ends. Maybe it is the end-of-tour tiredness, but it is noticeable that there is a shadow over the joy that the other members of the band are experiencing.
Music-wise, it is what one would expect with a band touring their latest enjoyable album, By The Horns. Plenty from that album, which complements a couple from V and their self-titled album, as well as a trip to the early releases Uncle Buck’s Vittles and Payback.
Not Today will always be singled out by me, for it is a cracker that found fame on the Sons Of Anarchy soundtrack and which remains one of their best. Riddle notes it is the song that brought them here.
But the new material, which I reviewed last year, holds its own, and impressively, the crowd are also fully conversant with much of it. No physical copies are left, such is the veracity of the merch sales in the earlier dates. A few XXXL shirts are the only remnants left.
A drum solo often signals a chance to go to the bar, but Josh Wyatt’s effort is delivered with some style and power, and he is loud as hell. In fact, Preacher Stone are louder than hell tonight, with Bolt’s pulsing bass throbbing the brain.
Revenant get their own back during That’s Just The Whiskey Talkin’, presenting Whit with a custom-made shirt in recognition of his several equipment failures on the road.
A curfew means we get a couple fewer than other venues, but overall, this is Preacher Stone almost purring with perfection. The finale of Save My Soul, from their 2010 album Uncle Buck’s Vittles, allows for a fine, elongated guitar duel, which once more shows their quality.
It is a fine conclusion to an evening slightly soured. But those rammed into the small upstairs room in Bristol do not seem to care. Next time, Preacher Stone should be in bigger venues. If not, there truly is no god.
Revenant
Picking a band to open for you is not always easy, but Revenant hit the spot precisely. They have got some songs, a cheeky style with frontman Sugarman Sam also proving to be a bit of a wag in his between-song bants, and enough to warm the crowd up nicely.
A mix of Black Stone Cherry, The Black Crowes and Zeppelin springs to mind in their sound, with the ability to open up the throttle on Waste My Time and slow it down on the emotional Healer, ensuring the pace is well balanced. The latter sees phone lights switched on, giving the band an energy to power through the rest of their set.
It is evident they are spent from the tour, but they crash into a powerful version of When The Levee Breaks which goes down well, allowing guitarist Matt Hudson to let rip on his flying V.
A strange choice of weapon, it brings a different edge to the Basingstoke outfit, before their stage is invaded by members of the headliners during I’ll Be There.
They have had fun, with some career highlights to warm the memories. It will be interesting to see if they can push on a level from here. We shall see.
