Halloween night at London’s 229 was a dark, gothic spectacle, with Holly Henderson, Crowley, and Dead Writers delivering mesmerising performances that left an indelible mark on the crowd. I arrived late for Henderson’s set, but as soon as I stepped in, I was struck by the captivating atmosphere she had already created. Dressed as a druid, her soulful guitar work and enchanting vocals blended introspective lyrics with a Shoegaze sound that enveloped the audience in dreamy layers of guitar. Her latest offering, ‘Outside the Gates’, demonstrated her quirky storytelling.

The crowd, many of whom embraced the Halloween spirit with themed cosplay, added to the night’s frisson of excitement. Next, Crowley - a five-piece band from the Northeast comprised of four women and one male drummer - took the stage with high-octane energy, delivering a raw, gritty performance that had the audience buzzing. They kicked off with ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ unleashing heavy riffs that captivated everyone. This was followed by ‘Temple on the Hill’ where the pounding drums and soaring guitars elevated the intensity. The blistering ‘The Witching Hour’ showcased their knack for combining dark Rock with emotive lyrics. They wrapped up with the explosive ‘Pyre’ sending the crowd into a frenzy and perfectly priming the audience for Dead Writers.

When they emerged, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch. Entering to an eerie electronic rendition of an Erik Satie instrumental, frontman Paul Shine commanded the stage, weaving dark, poetic lyrics in ‘Meet the Shadow’ featuring almost Brian Molko-like vocals, and followed with the hauntingly atmospheric ‘Among the Spirits’. The night culminated in a thrilling encore featuring a jagged cover of The Beatles’ ‘Helter Skelter’. With their Victorian-inspired attire, Dead Writers transformed Halloween at 229 into a memorable journey through a Gothic dreamscape - one fans will eagerly await to relive again.

Ivan De Mello