Live – Maximillian | Skydaddy | Opal Mag at Fabrica

Maximillian, Skydaddy & Opal Mag at Fabrica, Brighton, 4th April 2024

With debut LP Surrender released into the world last week, Brighton-based singer-songwriter Maximilian fulfilled his ambition to hold the album launch in a church, with a special set at Fabrica last night. Surrender is brimming with songs filled with emotion, and takes the listener on a journey from anguish to acceptance, through a myriad of haunting vocals and layers of musicianship on a tracklist that has been in the making since 2018. Fabrica proves the perfect venue. With much of the original church structure and artefacts still in place, it gives a more ambient feel than many live rooms and adds to the atmosphere of the music.

The Brighton music scene is quietly gaining momentum again, and a good number of its creators are present, both on and off stage. And a deserved shout out to all present for not being one of those crowds that’s come along for a chat; it shouldn’t be noteworthy but it was a real pleasure to only hear what was coming from the stage. The setlist ran right through the album start to finish, recent singles Kill Time and Red Wine already getting some singalongs from the audience. This may be a project that’s taken years to complete, but the quality of the material and production, both recorded and live, suggests that some things are worth waiting for.

Maximilian was very ably supported on the night by the talented Skydaddy (kudos to anyone who starts their set in the pulpit), and a heady sprinkling of dream-pop from Opal Mag – gallery below.

Opal Mag