Feeder Find Light In The Darkness As ‘Comfort In Sound’ Turns 20 At Bristol Beacon
- Sam Holt
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
Bristol Beacon, 9th October 2025
WORDS HARRY K / IMAGES SAM HOLT
Two decades on, ‘Comfort in Sound’ still heals, hits and soars. Feeder’s anniversary tour proves why their most emotional record remains timeless.
It’s a crisp Thursday night in Bristol, but inside the Beacon the atmosphere is white-hot. Three decades in, Feeder are still pulling packed rooms — a cross-generational crowd that proves their staying power is no nostalgia act. Tonight’s show marks the 20th anniversary of their 2002 classic Comfort in Sound and the release of its special remastered reissue, a record that transformed grief into grace and turned the Welsh alt-rock stalwarts into one of Britain’s most quietly enduring bands.
When it first dropped, Comfort in Sound was a lifeline — their first album after drummer Jon Lee’s death, and a rebirth that went platinum on the strength of singles like “Just the Way I’m Feeling”, “Forget About Tomorrow” and “Come Back Around.” Two decades later, those songs still ring out with the same mix of melancholy and hope — and tonight, they sound bigger than ever.
Tom Speight sets the tone with heart and harmony
Kicking off proceedings is Tom Speight, who delivers an effortlessly warm and melodic support set. Touring his new record Perfect Strangers, Speight blends folk-pop sincerity with festival-ready choruses, showing why he’s become a go-to collaborator for acts like Feeder, Turin Brakes, and Snow Patrol.
His cover of Stereophonics “Dakota” earns a huge singalong, and by the end, the Bristol crowd are completely onside. Before leaving, he flashes a grin and promises he’ll be back in a few weeks for his own tour — and judging by the cheers, plenty here will be too.
Comfort in Sound, twenty years on
The lights drop, a soft white glow rises, and the crowd erupts. Feeder open with “Just the Way I’m Feeling,” instantly collapsing the distance between 2002 and now. From there, they dive deep into Comfort in Sound, played front-to-back with fire, precision, and real emotion.
“Come Back Around” and “Helium” are pure adrenaline, while “Child in You” and the title track remain breathtaking — fragile yet defiant. Grant Nicholas’ vocals still carry that unmistakable sincerity, every word landing like it’s being sung for the first time.
There’s an emotional charge running through the set — not heavy, but hopeful. The band aren’t chasing nostalgia; they’re celebrating survival. When “Forget About Tomorrow” and “Find the Colour” roll out, the Beacon becomes a chorus. By “Moonshine”, the crowd is one heaving, joyous mass.
Nicholas returns alone for “High,” turning the packed hall into a single voice. Then comes the encore — “Feeling a Moment,” “Pushing the Senses,” “Buck Rogers” and, of course, “Just a Day.” It’s pure catharsis: a reminder of how many lives these songs have touched.
Visually, it’s understated — clean lights, a few projections, no fuss. Feeder don’t need it. They’ve got songs that still move people, and a frontman who can hold a crowd with nothing more than a few words and a grin.
As “Just a Day” closes the night, it’s clear this isn’t a nostalgia trip — it’s a celebration of endurance. Comfort in Sound was born from heartbreak, but tonight it feels like triumph.
Standout moment: “Comfort in Sound” — still as gut-punching and beautiful as ever.
Verdict: Feeder honour the past while proving their future’s still wide open.
SET LIST
Just the Way I'm Feeling
Come Back Around
Helium
Child in You
Comfort in Sound
Forget About Tomorrow
Summer's Gone
Godzilla
Quick Fade
Find the Colour
Love Pollution
Moonshine
ENCORE
High
(Grant solo acoustic)
Feeling a Moment
(with Mark Richardson) (on drums)
Pushing the Senses
(with Mark Richardson) (on drums)
Feel It Again
Opaque
Buck Rogers
Just a Day
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