Julie Live in Madrid: A Grunge-Fueled Tour Kickoff

Grunge band Julie debuted their EU tour for their first studio album My Anti-Aircraft Friend in the Spanish capital, establishing themselves as the group you wish you started in high school in an explosion of heavy drums and deep synths.

It was in Sala Clamores’ quaint, smoke-filled room that the Madrid alternative scene welcomed the trio of musicians presenting their debut LP. The expectation was immense, the tension growing as the stage was set up for the performance. Though recently appealing to a younger, more mainstream, shoegaze-obsessed audience, the night of February 24 amassed a crowd of all ages and backgrounds in the Chamberí neighbourhood basements, solidifying Julie as a noise-rock dynamo to watch.

The record, a cohesive and fully fleshed-out collection, translated into a stage presence just as intentional and natural-feeling as the songs themselves. In the little details—the attitude, the aesthetics—My Anti-Aircraft Friend came to life in a burst of rawness and release. Songs like "Feminine Adornments" and "Piano Instrumental" reinforced the band's mysterious storytelling and deliberate mystique, carried through crisp guitars and dual vocals, marking a promising tour start.

Opening the night were Robber Robber, a post-punk band introducing the drop of their summer album Wild Guess on their first visit to Spain. They will be joining Julie for the remainder of the EU tour up until Copenhagen before heading to the US with the Canadian group Corridor. The promising quartet delighted garage punk fans, delivering a series of crazy bass drops and contagious eagerness. After the initial hesitancy and shy head bops typical of support acts, the energy built up until it couldn’t be contained anymore. Nina Cate’s voice became the conductor of a vibrant display of angst, honesty, and chaos. The band’s chemistry was palpable with songs like "Sea of War" and "Dial Tone," creating a most memorable experience.

Then came the interlude: a well-deserved pause in the ardour that would resume later in the evening. Surrounded by angelic instrumentals and electronic tunings, the Angelenos prepared the venue to their liking, enveloped in a sea of Sanrio-sticker-covered pedal loopers that only fueled the audience's enthusiasm as the white noise intensified.

The show officially erupted with the first chords of the album opener "Catalogue," igniting a wave of mosh pits that would persist throughout the night. Their devotion was tactile—substantial distortions and euphonics coursed through the attendees’ bodies as the California trio remained well-composed and impenetrable in their chainmail layers and ribbons, a mirage of softness within the hunger and gutting melancholia of their lyrics.

As songs like "Tenebrist" melted into tunes from their EP Pushing Daisies, their minimal pauses were filled with unconventional, energetic drum breaks mastered by Dillon Lee—so distinct they could almost be standalone singles. Defined as soundscapes by the band, these little improvisations between tracks like "Knob" and "Clairbourne Practice" became some of the fan-favorite moments, proving that even reverberations and silences carried intensity.

It was a magical night, with Alexandria Elizabeth and Keyan Pourzand’s voices muffled against their respective bass and guitar, their staple overdrives shaping abrasive melodies that retained their eeriness amidst the noise. By the concert’s final minutes, the sense of a job well done had settled among the agitated spectators, proving what could be achieved with a thought-out, coherent sound and masterful crowd control with minimal word exchange.

As they finished the encore with the acclaimed "Flutter" and "Lochness," the band returned to a nonchalant state, closing the first of what will hopefully be many quirky, goth, and—most importantly—loud tour dates. With this final burst of force, Julie will remain in the minds of concertgoers for a long time, signing off as a nu-gaze powerhouse and incredible live performers.

Text and Photography: Clara Pallaro

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