The Bread and Roses is located in the heart of Clapham, London. Owned by The Battersea and Wandsworth Trade Union Council, it consists of the ground-floor pub and a theatre space above. It’s a community-oriented establishment where, for the last six months, singer Merry McCloud and Bruce Welch have been offering monthly live performances, a residency that’s projected to stretch far into the year.
On the wall space above the bar is written: “Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes / Hearts starve as well as bodies / Give us bread but give us roses”. The words are taken from James Oppenheim’s 1911 poem, which was in turn shaped by political slogans from speeches by labour activists of the time. Fitting for a venue in which music, like theatre, one of many proverbial roses, is made easily accessible for local residents.
The first to mount the stage by the entrance is Bruce Welch, not to be confused with the rhythm guitarist of The Shadows. Unaccompanied, Welch sits down with his guitar and welcomes the audience to another psychedelic Sunday. A handful of latecomers file down the stairs from the theatre, as he starts off the show with an introductory warmup set consisting of three songs of his own writing. The first is Eye of the Storm, which draws its ideas from the turmoil of recent worldwide events. Next, Welch is joined by saxophonist Phil du Mull, who enlivens Girl on 7th Avenue with a tasteful accompaniment that takes flight with an expressive, slightly plaintive solo. As to the last of Welch’s songs, Planet Z, it’s a tale of ecologist and social ideals whose sound and themes harken back to space rock, with which Welch is more than familiar since his days as a roadie on tour with bands like Hawkwind. It’s striking to hear the bursts of vitality in Welch’s voice as he masterfully plays guitar, but his talent as a natural storyteller doesn’t go unnoticed either, for throughout his songs, he intersperses comments that keep listeners engaged in the progression of his narratives. Among the audience are guitar students, entranced by the music, reinforcing the community feeling.
After Welch’s overture, it’s time for the main part of the performance to begin, with the incorporation of Merry McCloud as lead singer and guest player Emilio Sorridente on bass. Previous iterations of the psych Sundays have offered variations in the lineup, with the presence of drums and even a hurdy gurdy. On this occasion, however, the only addition is Sorridente’s slick basslines, since there’s no percussion except for McCloud’s contributions on tambourine and egg shaker while she sings. And as soon as she faces the audience, she has taken the reins of the show. McCloud’s voice soars with each song as she sways centre-stage, with the airy, rapt movements of a snake-charmer. The harmonies achieved with Welch’s voice are the result of years of refinement.
There’s no single reference point for McCloud’s music. As a whole, it’s reminiscent of great folk-rock acts like Jefferson Airplane or Fairport Convention, though personal references span widely different genres, and her voice in particular has been compared to that of Sandy Denny. Nonetheless, the material performed is completely original. During the two parts of the main set, separated by a brief interlude, McCloud offers the audience an overview of previous material with Welch. Songs like Rose Warrior or Iona Sky, as well as a taste of her newest record, Lady Death, to be released this year through Creation Youth Records. Produced by the iconic musician/producer Youth, the first single The River is expected in June of 2026. There’s much passion and refined craft put into the music, so that seeing the material performed live becomes an experience not to be missed.
“If you’re going to do this at all,” concludes McCloud after the gig, “you really have to put it all on the line.”
