Antony Szmierek in Bristol: A poet for the dancefloor
Words & Photos: Deepak Ramadasan
★★★★★
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There are artists who make you dance, artists who make you think, and then there is Antony Szmierek — a performer who seems determined to do both at once. Blending sharp observational poetry with infectious electronic beats, the Manchester-born artist (now a resident of Bristol!) is carving out a space where the intimacy of spoken word meets the collective euphoria of a late-night rave. At Bristol's O2 Academy, his ‘Decoding Birdsong’ tour brought that distinctive combination to the stage.
Photo: Deepak Ramadasan
In a musical landscape that often prizes either introspection or instant gratification, Szmierek offers both. He is a poet with a dancefloor sensibility, an observer who knows when to let the beat take over, and a performer whose greatest achievement is making thoughtful songwriting feel genuinely celebratory.
Saturday’s performance did initially have some technical issues but once those were resolved, Antony was this bundle of musical energy – hardly staying still, always engaging, always delivering a live performance that turned everyday observations into dancefloor poetry.
There were moments where he explained how he went from being a high-school teacher to playing the Left Field at Glastonbury in 2025, moments which were heart felt and genuine.
Saturday, donning a Fred Perry skirt, he did not just perform on the stage – he went into the floor standing crowd, the balcony and then crowd surfed all the way from the rear to the front and onto the stage.
The music and the performance were awesome and judging by the audience’s reaction to songs from the latest album, the remaining shows on the tour will most definitely be sold out shows – there were 1200 tonight at the O2 Academy.
Antony Szmierek continues to prove that intelligence, humour and infectious electronic energy make excellent companions.
Ultimately, last weekend’s performance demonstrated the appeal of an artist who understands that meaningful music need not be sombre, and that a dancefloor can be a place for emotional connection as much as escapism. His songs invite listeners to find significance in small details, absurd situations and fleeting moments of uncertainty, all while keeping their feet moving.