Author: Editor

Pale Blue Eyes at Dust, Brighton, 11th April 2025

On the road with their latest album New Place, Pale Blue Eyes played to a packed venue at Brighton’s Dust on Friday night. You can’t fault their precision as they run through a selection of the new songs, interspersed with some welcome tracks from earlier records – Honeybear and Under Northern Sky sitting back to back, comfortably slotted between newer tunes Rituals and The Dreamer. The trio – Matt Board (guitar, vocals), Lucy Board (drums) and Aubrey Simpson (bass) are joined live by Lewis Kellett-Johnson on keys and additional guitar for an incredibly tight-knit set that feels reminiscent of Stereolab’s French Disko era. Often presented under the shoegaze mantle, it feels like their performance takes the genre and injects a huge bounce of energy, reflected back from the ever increasing head-nodding and foot-tapping throughout the crowd. 

A great night’s entertainment, the band have a couple more dates to come this week at Oxford’s Bullingdon on Wednesday 16th April and Islington Assemble Hall in London on Thursday 17th April – get along if you can.

Set list:
Scrolling, TV Flicker, Rituals, Honeybear, Under Northern Sky, The Dreamer, Motionless, Our History, Our Lost Words, Now And Again, Chelsea, Sister, Half Light

Words and photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 14th April 2025

Lip Filler, Bacci Pouch & SLAG at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 2nd April 2025

I suppose three out of four ain’t bad but still, circumstances meant that I missed all but the last few bars of opening act Reubin X, a combination of delays at my end and a super short set from them as they were without their keyboard player. Another time perhaps.

So my night kicked off properly with SLAG, very popular locally and just announced for The Great Escape. Vocals switching between light and dark, the band seem to be growing in confidence and comfortable flipping genres as the mood takes, indie-pop meets spiky art rock keeping the audience on their toes.                                                                                                             

Bacci Pouch provided the filling in the night’s punk-leaning sandwich, with riffs reminiscent of The Undertones and a top speed version of The Rockefeller Skank. A tight threesome with not too much of a nod to nostalgia, though its influence is there for sure. 

Last up, Lip Filler played a compelling set, animated moves and spat out lyrics pulling the crowd into their powerhouse performance. If Radiohead were angrier and surrendered to angular dance moves, there might just be a comparison there – as it stands I’d guess it’s much more fun to see Lip Filler.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

SLAG

Bacci Pouch

Lip Filler

Words and photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 7th April 2025

Winter Gardens, everyday saints & Rats-Tails at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 20th March 2025

A gentle start to the evening with London-based dream rockers Rats-Tails. At times, the vocal is almost whispered, which only serves to draw in the early crowd’s appreciation more. A few pops of psychedelia, and the clarinet inclusion, ensure the overall sound challenges the expected and adds some sharpness to the baseline etherealness.

Onto local outfit everyday saints, with some clear influences shining through from goth/alt 80s onwards, both sonically and visually. Plenty of darkwave leaning mixed with a bunch of palpably danceable hooks, the band manage to capture that integration of gloom and pop cultivated by the likes of The Cure and Garbage. Definitely ones to watch.

And for the headline slot, a very popular booking in Winter Gardens, and rightfully so. The band have continued to develop their signature sound which culminates in a fusion of melancholic shoegaze with some sweeping Lush-esque undertones. Latest single Anthropocene demonstrates their evolution to becoming one of Brighton’s most sought after acts. 

All in all, a night that makes a mockery of those events that say they can’t find women to front their line-ups when there’s so much blatant gender-diverse talent around…

Gallery by Siobhan
Hosted by Hidden Herd x Crafting Room

Rats-Tails

everyday saints

Winter Gardens

Words and photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 24th March 2025

 

 

Hidden Herd All-Dayer at The Green Door Store, Brighton, 1st March 2025

With the sun shining for the first time in a long time, and a stack of talented acts on the line-up, Hidden Herd presented an all day event that perfectly reflects the importance and ethos of local grassroots venues and the platform they offer to emerging artists, along with an opportunity to see those more established playing in an intimate setting.

First up at Green Door on Saturday were Triple Drain, their ‘goth sludge’ tunes making an impact that proved worthy of an early arrival. The opening slot is never an easy one but the trio gave a strong performance, with nods to the likes of The Banshees and The Slits.

With an unapologetic step into the world of pop-punk, crysometimes continued to warm things up with audience participation and a late set singing slot knelt on the cobbles of the venue floor – dedication to the cause because, believe me, that floor is cold!

And then perhaps one of the most talked about slots of the day from Francis Pig. This was very much a visual as well as musical display, and I felt their confidence had grown since last seeing them along with the quality of the set. Last time if I’m honest, I wasn’t sure – this time they left me suitably impressed, and I clearly wasn’t alone in that.

Triple Drain

crysometimes

Francis Pig

Another act gaining a buzz around them, lots of interest in Cordelia Gartside amongst the gig-goers both before and after they played. With captivating vocals and tight support from the band, their music is a beguiling mix of fragile and hard-hitting, and leaves a little bit of intrigue behind.

Next, Room Service brought lots of energy to their pop/rock offering and segued things nicely into the evening section.

Switching out the genres again, an impressive helping of soul-fuelled rock from Car Boot Sale took the pace up a level. Great to see a band that looks like they’re having fun and has the venue bouncing along with a party atmosphere and some solid tunes in their repertoire.

Cordelia Gartside

Room Service

Car Boot Sale

And so, to the final three acts of the day – Porchlight gave an animated, angular performance, keeping energy levels high. If you’re a fan of the likes of Keg and Duds, you’ll likely find the direction they’re heading is right up your street.

Next up, the formidable DSM IV. At times intense, humorous and the best possible version of unhinged, the trio have mastered the art of syncing  chaos into order, their accomplished elctro-dance-punk riffs the perfect backdrop to an immersive journey for the crowd as the venue transports into their own little piece of late night clubland. A lot of fun underlying just how good they are.

No better way to follow on than with another foray into darklands club utopia with two-piece Baba Ali. Heavy dance synth beats and fuzzy guitar combine to make theirs a hypnotic and potent production. What an ending to an all round excellent day.

Porchlight

The DSM IV

Baba Ali

Words and photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 6th March 2025