Gratitude and Goodbye
Walking into Union Chapel for the first time felt different. The Islington venue is a converted nineteenth century chapel with all soaring ceilings, ornate architecture, and that unmistakable weight of history. The circular stained glass window is impossible to miss, it's iconic, part of the venue's identity. I'd shot and been to countless gigs and venues before, but I'd never shot anywhere quite like this. For Bros. Landreth this wasn't just a venue. It was the perfect setting for the final date on their UK tour.
Begonia opened the evening with a powerful solo set. She's toured extensively with Bros. Landreth across the US, Europe, and the UK, she is very much apart of the Landreth family, going way back, playing in bands with Joey moons ago. It was a raw and intimate performance that set the tone perfectly for what was to come.
When Bros. Landreth took the stage, AC/DC's track ‘For Those About to Rock’ thundered through Union Chapel as their walk-on. Red lights cut through the darkness, creating this moody, epic atmosphere. You could feel the weight of the moment—this was their final UK show, and the venue felt it.
Bros. Landreth are Canadian, but their sound is pure Americana—raw, gritty, rooted in that southern soul. Live, they were something else entirely. Their albums and singles are incredible, but seeing them in Union Chapel, that raw emotion translated in a way the recordings can't quite capture. They were absolutely true to themselves, completely unfiltered.
Throughout the set, Bros. Landreth spoke directly to the crowd. They weren't just performing—they were having a conversation. Joey and David thanked their families, acknowledged the audience, and made it clear this wasn't something they took for granted. There was genuine gratitude on stage, and it rippled through Union Chapel. In a world where everything feels transactional, moments like that remind you why live music matters.
There was one moment that crystallized the entire evening. Joey at the microphone, guitar in hand, with Union Chapel's iconic stained glass window framed perfectly behind him. It was the shot—the one that captured exactly where he was, who they are, and what that final UK date meant. In that single frame, you could see the history of the chapel, the intimacy of the moment, and the raw authenticity of Bros. Landreth all at once.
ICONIC!
Standing there shooting that moment, I was reminded of why I fell back in love with photography. Years away from the camera, building something else, but always connected to music. Bros. Landreth's gratitude mirrored my own—grateful to be here, grateful for the journey that led me to this chapel, to this stage, to this shot.
Images by Dan Grannum