Sometimes, as a music fan, you are lucky enough to witness a show that transcends all expectations, and with Solstice, expectations are always high. Tonight was one of those nights at the excellent Trading Boundaries.
Solstice
Trading Boundaries, Fletching, Sussex – 1 November 2024
Words And Photography: Adrian Stonley
Whatever or however you approach a concert, whether it is simply musical entertainment, to see a favourite band, or to discover a new one there is always an element of hope for something special to occur. Whether it is the stars aligning or the band being completely in the ‘right place’ on the night, this was such a special occurrence.
With tonight being the last night of this tour, as well as the first time that Solstice had played this niche venue, the show quite simply turned into one of those special occasions that live on long in memory.
Do not ask me to put a finger on what lifted this show into such an environment. Everything quite simply fell together in the most perfect way.
From the moment the band hit the stage the waiting audience knew that this was going to be something spectacular. Yet, in that audience, there were also many Solstice virgins. The set itself would not have been overly familiar, even to the oldest fans. Three entirely new songs were played that have yet to be released, although they will be on next year’s album Clann.
Opening with a joyous and frenetic Shout from the Sia album, the band were clearly wired up. With Jess Holland on vocals leading the merry dance, the audience were instantly captivated as she prowled and danced around the stage.
Summer hit Earthsong saw support artist Ebony Buckle take stage centre on vocals. With Andy Glass’s atmospheric guitar work, he was able to wrench every drop of feeling and emotion out of his strings. This was a case of less is more, with the gaps between the notes inspiring. As the song progresses, so Jess and Ebony’s vocal harmonies developed, the voices themselves becoming as instrumental as the guitar and violin parts.
New Song Firefly saw long-term violinist Jenny Newman soar to new levels. With the vocal chorus of “Fly High, So High,” the violin work came in line and ascended, driving this new piece into the stratosphere.
Old favourite Cheyenne brought a new twist to proceedings with the ever-present audience participation and singalong actually being undertaken in Cheyenne. With the vociferous hordes in full fervour, this was actually something to behold.
Another favourite A New Day, also from the Sia album, saw Jess take to acoustic guitar, providing a gentle backdrop to Andy’s soaring guitar solo’s. This created a beautiful performance, heart-wrenching and emotional, and Andy’s ability to make notes take you to another level is delightful. There is an emotive sensitivity in his playing that shines through every time he picks up his guitar.
During the acapella intro to Sacred Run, you could hear a pin drop as the entranced audience soaked up the vocal interplay before the drums and violin kicked in. With Ebony rejoining Jess on vocals, the piece took on a new life, and the melodies and choral delight within the song shone through.
There was a clear buzz of anticipation in the auditorium that had grown as the set developed and the joy was finally released into the atmosphere in an outpouring of uncontained pleasure.
Quite simply this was an entirely joyous and atmospheric performance. It was clear that everyone here tonight had experienced and witnessed a very special performance, and hopefully, it will not be long before Solstice return again.Certainly, the calls for more at the end bore testament to this.
The new tracks also sounded extremely promising and provided an indication of the quality that we come to expect from this band, with them fitting comfortably into the set despite no one knowing them or their having been released yet. 
Solstice are one of those bands that have been around since the early 1980s, yet have struggled to make their mark despite constantly releasing high quality albums and undertaking memorable live performances.
Perhaps in the past the limited number of shows and the gaps between albums may have had an impact, but certainly with the current line up this is being put right with the band almost becoming prolific.
That said, the love and respect that is now developing is long overdue, and the band should embrace this newfound fame.As matters stand, they are in fine fettle, and the future is very bright for them indeed.
At least 2025 has one thing to look forward to with the release of the new album and hopefully a further plethora of live dates.
