Live at On The Beach 2026 – Madness – Breaking Glass Magazine

Madness at On The Beach Festival, Brighton, 23rd July 2026

Brighton’s On The Beach Festival in fusion with Camden’s nutty boys, Madness, brought two sold out nights of Madrophenia to the seaside last week. Sunshine, bold staging, much dancing and a setlist full of classics made for a most enjoyable summer’s evening. Before the main event, some inspired support acts graced the stage – Thursday saw The Selecter, The Blockheads, Craig Charles, The Beatles Dub Club and Henry WP warm the crowd up throughout the day.

The Selecter

There really couldn’t have been a better setting for Madness than Brighton Beach. With the sea as a backdrop and thousands of fans packed onto the seafront, Madrophenia felt like a huge celebration of one of Britain’s most-loved acts.

From the opening notes of One Step Beyond, they delivered hit after hit, from Our House to Baggy Trousers via Bed and Breakfast Man and Mr Apples along the way. And no Madness show would be complete without a serving of their trademark humour and anecdotes, Suggs noted “the problems we’re having with boats” having spotted a small flotilla that had anchored just offshore to enjoy the concert for free, adding that someone should get out there and charge them a fiver each. There was also a light-hearted dig at Brighton & Hove Council for trying to take over Peacehaven, which resonated with the locals – particularly those from the outskirts of the city. Then a change of mood as Suggs beckoned everyone to sing the chorus of It Must Be Love back to him, highlighting the emotional connection between the band, their songs and their fan base.

Watching the sun go down over Brighton while surrounded by a sea of fans dancing, singing and having heaps of fun created a brilliant festival atmosphere, with the audience littered with fezzes and pork pie hats. This wasn’t just a concert; it felt like one giant party, with the crowd bouncing from start to finish, closing with fan favourite Night Bost to Cairo.

Madrophenia delivered everything the band’s long-standing and newer fans could have hoped for with the blend of classic tunes and camaraderie that Madness provide, proving that more than four decades on, they’re still one of the best live acts in the UK.

Madness