Author: Editor

Benefits & Polite Bureaux at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 23rd October 2024

Another night of great music in Brighton as Benefits transformed The Hope & Ruin into an immersive sound and light experience not for the faint hearted. Experimental? Industrial? Political? Poetic? All of the above to be fair, noise levels rising as the lighting dipped between neon and darkness. An impressive bank of keyboards and pedals, and an understated violin that brought the spirit of the Bad Seeds before the following tracks took us into Faithless territory with an exasperated vocal putting the world to rights, the crowd eager to join in with yelling ‘Shit Britain‘ into the night. Latest single Land of the Tyrants offers an insight into the band’s newer work, the same protagonism with a subtler feel, all the better to get inside your head and stay there. Despite the intensity of the music and its delivery, there’s a poignancy about a Benefits performance, lots to think about, lots to talk about, no question that something very special just happened.

You know when a band gets their support act just right? So, that happened too. Polite Bureaux already have a strong local following and the opportunity to impress a chunk of the crowd new to them was not wasted. Their live shows still have that serrated edge that is intrinsic to their sound, but there’s no denying that the set-up is becoming a well-oiled machine that spits out quality every time. Love to see this band doing so well and sticking to their own terms in the process.

A captivating night, and kudos for the pre-set playlist, an incongruous fit including the likes of Inner City and Fiction Factory that somehow warmed things up perfectly.

Hosted by Love Thy Neighbour

Polite Bureaux

Benefits

Benefits pending UK dates:
24th Oct – Where Else? Margate
25th Oct – The George Tavern, London
26th Oct – Le Pub, Newport
27th Oct – The Grove, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram

Bob Vylan at Chalk, Brighton, 22nd October 2024

After a string of summer festivals and dates in the States, Bob Vylan kicked out on the UK leg of their latest tour last night at a sold-out Chalk in Brighton 11 months since they last played the same venue, and it’s been a busy best part of a year in between.  Their third album Humble As the Sun released in April continues to push boundaries, tracks like He’s A Man and Dream Big already popular from previous live dates.

The foray into meditation and light stretching still starts off the show, both Bobs smiling and looking relaxed even before it begins. They state they’re happy to be back in the UK, and it’s pretty clear that the feeling is mutual. Chalk is rammed, hot and sweaty, and bouncing wall to wall before too long. Reign and GYAG appear early in the set, setting the pace  for plenty of crowd participation, the surfers making regular appearances as the evening progresses (inevitably including Bobby).

Their live reputation goes before them and they somehow manage never to disappoint. Boundless energy, a case full of jagged current-day protest songs, their voice is important amongst today’s music scene and they use their platform to maximum effect. I’m Still Here waxes lyrical, ‘A peaceful type of brother with a war inside my head, I’m all for loving living, but keep a bottle by the bed, because it’s brutal, life has been so strange and so unusual’, while He’s A Man is straighter to the point, with the opening line, ‘Loves a chicken korma, but hates the hands that cook it’. Lots to say, lots that needs to be said, Bob Vylan take no prisoners with their message but balance the heavy content with an always exceptionally fun night out. Hopefully it won’t be another year before they’re back in town.

Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram

Saloon Dion, Tigers & Flies, Francis Pig & Nil By Habit at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 2nd October 2024

Hosted by Hidden Herd

If anyone was expecting a quiet night on Wednesday, they came to the wrong place!

And if anyone turned up late, they have only themselves to blame because from the moment locals Nil By Habit started their set, the pace was set for energy levels heading through the roof. Their self-description of ‘gritty disco-punk’ is pretty on the ball to be fair – streaks of The Skids, The Blockheads and Viagra Boys all fusing together with Curtis-style dance moves getting the crowd on board immediately. Oh, and then becoming part of the crowd for their final number with three of the band on stage and two performing in a hastily formed circle on the dance floor. (Plus points always added for the inclusion of a Cribs T-shirt). Their new single Do It Yourself came out yesterday if you want an insight (and something to throw shapes to) – do also check them out live if you get the chance, and expect the unexpected.

Nil By Habit

A tough act to follow, but tapping again into the vast Brighton artist pool, Francis Pig switched the mood to a darker setting with some sonically 80s’ goth vibes. Visually, hard to pin down their mix of identity/influences but if you were to throw Courtney Love and Izzy from Black Honey through a wardrobe blender you might be some way to finding vocalist Alana’s stylist of choice. Newer to the scene, they seem to be building up a fanbase keen to extol their virtues, so it looks likely that they’ll be popping up on the live circuit more frequently if you want to be a part of it.

Francis Pig

Changing the pace again, Tigers & Flies presented their own mini big-band if such a thing can be. Plenty of crossover on instruments and not displaced from how Gang of Four might have been if they’d chucked in some more dance moves and a splash of XTC. There was loads to watch and pull your attention – fans of the Keg/Duds art school of musicality would surely enjoy this band and, given how much they look to be enjoying it themselves, why not.

Tigers & Flies

Last up, and proving worth the wait, the smoothly named Saloon Dion took the headline slot in style. Off topic but is there an opening for a celebrity name-based supergroup featuring Saloon Dion, Meryl Streek and Dead Sheeran – these are the thoughts that run through my mind when I’m supposed to be doing other things. Back to the subject in hand, I attempted to avoid the much-used comparison to The Stone Roses but the vocal likeness can’t be ignored. That said, this is no tribute band and their growing catalogue of hook-laden tracks shows clearly that they have something all of their own to offer. New EP Where You’ll Find Me feels like a box full of hopeful anthems just waiting to jump out into the world. Continuing with tour dates around the UK as we speak, grab a ticket if you can for an assured good night out.

Saloon Dion

Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram

Published 5th October 2024

Polite Bureaux, COWZ & Dead Sheeran at The Green Door Store, Brighton, 24th September 2024

Bringing the penultimate night of their Broke Britain tour to current hometown Brighton, Polite Bureaux gave a clear message that they’ve no intention of treading water as their live shows give something different every time. Tuesday’s visit to Green Door showed the sound getting bigger, the performance getting bigger and the crowd rightly so getting bigger. Love to see the word spreading and all their hard work paying off; debut album Cunt Monday is crammed with great tracks, respectfully carrying the mantle of John Cooper Clarke’s early punk poetry socio-economic commentary firmly into the current political landscape. And at the risk of repeating myself, Broke Biscuits is the perfect anthemic closing track. Hard recommend.

Shout out to the rest of the line-up too. Locals COWZ took the middle slot, their sugar-coated sharpness reminiscent of Shampoo’s mid-90s power pop offerings proving a popular choice. Opener for the night, the excellently named Dead Sheeran wasted no time getting the crowd onside with a bunch of abrasive reflections on the state of the country and some exquisite swearing throughout. Proof if needed that you should indeed always get down early for the supports.

Dead Sheeran

COWZ

Polite Bureaux

Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram

Published 27th September 2024