Saint Etienne at Brighton Dome, 25th September 2026

(Image above and other photos taken from the crowd)

When indie-dance royalty Saint Etienne took the stage at an inevitably sold out Brighton Dome as part of their UK farewell tour, anyone worried about grand, tearful goodbyes would have been pleasantly surprised. Final tours often risk devolving into self-indulgent ego trips, but Saint Etienne delivered something far more resonant – an inclusive, warm-hearted celebration of a career built on well crafted joyous pop tunes.

Rather than leaning solely on nostalgia, the set flowed seamlessly across their decades-long career. Newer songs Glad and Brand New Me sat comfortably alongside the classic You’re In A Bad Way, the soaring pop perfection of Who Do You Think You Are, and the more sombre Hobart Paving.

Throughout their career, Saint Etienne have never shied away from their influences or been afraid to build on what came before. The show reinforced the fact that, even when covering someone else’s work, the music becomes distinctly their own, a great example of this being their interpretation (and perhaps career-defining song) of Neil Young’s Only Love Can Break Your Heart.

The excellent backdrop visuals throughout were as carefully curated as the set list, a mix of vintage clips, cartoon figures and other imagery shifting style alongside each song, which added a whole other layer to the performance. Between songs, the chat with the crowd was relaxed and comfortable, the atmosphere a party from start to finish.

Maintaining their masterclass in how to play an understated swan song, the encore brought no overwrought goodbyes, just a collective moment of gratitude from everyone in the room. Returning to the stage with the optimistic Nothing Can Stop Us, they closed with the final track on 2025’s album release, International, fittingly titled The Last Time. All in all, Saint Etienne gave their fans the best possible send-off – a night of pure, unadulterated fun, and a perfect reflection of everything they’ve achieved.

Saint Etienne are Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs; they were joined on the tour by Debsey Wykes, Loz Colbert and Joe Bennett. Check their website for international dates and rumoured festival dates to come. Support at the Brighton show came from Heavenly Recordings label-mates Gwenno and Marsy.

Set list:
Tonight
Like A Motorway
Spring
Glad
You’re In A Bad Way
Shower Scene
Who Do You Think You Are
Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi)
Pale Movie
Brand New Me
Take Me To The Pilot
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
DJ
Stormtrooper In Drag
Hobart Paving
He’s On The Phone / Seven Ways To Love
Encore:
Nothing Can Stop Us
The Last Time

Review and photos by Callum and Siobhan

Published 27th September 2026