mary in the junkyard in Brussels, BE: Photos & Gig Review
📸 Shot by Félicie Ginion for BRUITMag.
📅 Tuesday, 6 October 2026
📍Le Botanique, Brussels, BE
mary in the junkyard played to a full house at Le Botanique in Brussels on October 6, leaving the Belgian audience completely amazed by the London band’s talent. The crowd moved along with the melodies one minute, then screamed and cheered for the musicians the next. There wasn't much singing along, but the reaction after almost every song was loud enough to fill the room and keep the crowd engaged.
Clari Freeman-Taylor’s voice was one of the strongest parts of the show. It has a special tone that is difficult to compare to any other voice, making it truly unique. Raw but also sweet, it is so emotive that the crowd can feel every emotion in every song. There is something very memorable about it, making the words of each song stay in your mind long after they have been sung. Even when the music was slower, Freeman-Taylor remained fully present on stage and acted like a true frontwoman.
Saya Barbaglia was also a really important part of the performance. Her violin brought a lot of emotion to the songs and added another melodic layer to the band’s sound. Moving between bass and violin during the show, Barbaglia showed how talented and versatile she is as a musician. Some of her moments on stage felt like they were happening outside of time, creating quieter moments in the middle of the show. Meanwhile, the drums worked very well with the rest of the band, helping to build the more intense parts of the songs without taking away from the other instruments.
The band opened their performance with “Mantra III”, which completely captured the audience and set the tone for the whole set. The setlist moved from quieter, nostalgic tracks to energetic, heavily bass-driven songs. Later on, they played “New Muscles”, during which Freeman-Taylor and Barbaglia simulated a playful fight on stage, bringing laughter and amusement into the room.
Their recently released single, “Jane”, stood out as one of the most beautiful moments of the night, bringing everyone into a magical and deeply emotional atmosphere. The show ended with “Drains”, which became one of the biggest highlights of the evening as the setlist drew to an end.
The performance also had other unexpected, playful moments. At the very end of the show, the musicians brought their guitars together, with the necks of the instruments touching, creating a memorable final moment that was great to capture as a photographer for the gig.
Despite the darker and more emotional side of their music, mary in the junkyard never felt far from the audience. The combination of Freeman-Taylor’s unique voice, Barbaglia’s violin and bass, David Addison’s powerful drums, and the musicians’ strong presence on stage made the show feel both intense and personal.
mary in the junkyard are clearly a band worth seeing live. Their music already creates a strong atmosphere on record, but the live performance gives it another dimension. With their unusual indie folk and experimental sound, emotional performances, and strong stage presence, this is a band that you should not miss.
Follow mary in the junkyard here!
Listen to their latest single, “Jane”, here!
