Live – Mandrake Handshake | Baby Gem | Ruby Doomsday at The Hope & Ruin

Mandrake Handshake, Baby Gem & Ruby Doomsday at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 18th September 2024

You could be forgiven for thinking you’d worn some flowers in your hair and transported back 5 or 6 decades at last week’s Hidden Herd showcase at The Hope & Ruin. Starting off with some dream-pop charm, the eloquently named Ruby Doomsday impressed with some on-point melodies in their own compositions, and a direct hit back to ’63 with an artful cover of arguably Roy Orbison’s best song In Dreams.

Locals Baby Gem introduced the folk-psych segment of the evening, with a hint of prog and plenty of hypnotic tunes under their belt, their set was a fitting precursor for what was to follow – a blast from the past with a modern twist in the tail.

Headliners for this one were the multifarious throng that makes up Mandrake Handshake. A generous helping of psychedelia as the stage just about catered for its multiple occupants, and always something different to catch your eye as the sheer volume of instruments, vocals and dance moves worthy of Woodstock matched the visuals to the music. I suspect the crowd would have stayed much longer into the night given the chance – maybe a little nostalgia is what we all need right now.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Ruby Doomsday