As far as "bad luck" goes, the last-minute dropout of opener Hush Hush could’ve derailed the night. Instead, it paved the way for David Ryder-Prangley, whose stripped-back solo set turned adversity into artistry. Armed with nothing but an electric guitar, Ryder-Prangley’s performance underscored the sheer strength of his songwriting. From the hauntingly poignant ‘Hey Stargazer', a peculiar meditation on Jesus and Dorian Gray with an American Rock twist, to the evocative ‘Joaney Loves Davey’- a reimagined plea for Joan of Arc to dodge her doom - he cast his spell. The audience joined in a macabre chorus of 'Burn Baby Burn', evoking Lou Reed’s languid ‘Sweet Jane'. It’s this quirky fusion of historical musing and Glam Rock theatrics that sets Ryder-Prangley apart. Whether covering Inger Lorre’s ‘Devil’s Priest’ or reviving Rachel Stamp’s ‘My Sweet Rose', he served a nostalgic yet fresh reminder of his 80s heyday.

Curator Laurie Black, however, ensured the chaos stayed charming. Introducing her set with a tongue-in-cheek nod to the “Punk aesthetic” of mishaps, she invited the crowd to repurpose strips of custom barricade tape into makeshift accessories - a DIY ethos that set the tone. Black’s one-woman synth spectacle spanned genres and decades, blending Depeche Mode’s brooding minimalism with Daft Punk’s slick pulse and a dash of drum and bass. Tracks like ‘Spacejunk’ skewered tech tycoons with satirical precision, while her immersive soundscapes proved that simplicity doesn’t mean playing it safe.

Closing out the night, Bristol’s Electro-Goth duo Bled turned concept into carnival. Leo Himmelblau (Blue) embodied pure kinetic energy, channelling 80s Synth-Pop through a salaciously witty lens. His baritone, reminiscent of Blancmange’s Neil Arthur, paired seamlessly with the supernatural chemistry he shared with bandmate Red. From the New Order-esque majesty of ‘Sophie’ - a heartfelt gem laden with A-ha-style atmospherics - to the ecstatic chaos of ‘Orgy,’ Bled proved the perfect culmination of the evening’s themes: bold, offbeat and brimming with infectious energy. Himmelblau’s frenetic movements, often wielding LED drumsticks, made Happy Mondays’ Bez look like Buckingham Palace’s stoic guards.

“Bad Luck” turned out to be anything but. Laurie Black’s unorthodox curation spun potential disaster into an eclectic, boundary-pushing celebration of creativity. From Ryder-Prangley’s introspective glam to Bled’s audacious theatrics, it was a night where every misstep felt like a masterstroke. The Black Heart proved, once again, to be a crucible for the unexpected and unforgettable.

Ivan De Mello