Category: Gig Gallery

Theatre of Hate &  Skeletal Family at Chalk, Brighton, 2nd October 2025

A line-up full of memories from the 80s at Chalk on Thursday night, but with the levels of musicality audibly upgraded over the years. There are occasions where you see a band from your youth and something feels like its got lost over time, however, both Theatre of Hate and Skeletal Family on supporting duties sounded absolutely on point.

Skeletal Family happily reformed after their initial disbandment in the late 80s, with their back catalogue garnering lots of interest from a new generation of fans. Now fronted by vocalist Anneka Latta, their set was fast-paced and energetic, the stand out for me after all this time still She Cries Alone.

Theatre of Hate took to the stage to a warm welcome from the Brighton crowd. Playing their 45th anniversary tour and celebrating their seminal album Westworld, what stood out immediately was the quality of their playing, each instrument deserving a spotlight of its own. With Kirk Brandon very strongly on vocals and guitar, and Stan Stammers making the bass-lines look easy, the original line-up was still very much making its presence felt. But a big shout out also out has to go to Chris Bell’s ferocious drumming and some magnificent sax playing from Clive Osborne that added shots of light and dark to the classic set list.

Diving straight into two Westworld tracks, the band kicked off with 63 and Judgement Hymn. A profusion of singles and album tracks followed. A highlight for me was hearing The Hop, not the one I expected to have stuck in my head afterwards but there it was. Closing up with Poppies and Do You Believe In The Westworld, it felt like plenty had already been brought to the table. None the less, after a quick break and much noise from the crowd, the encore finished things in style with a hat-trick of favourites in Incinerator, Original Sin and the mighty Propaganda.

An excellent night of live music, and proof if needed that the impact of the original post-punk generation is still very much to the fore.

Skeletal Family

Theatre of Hate

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

Published 4th October 2025

 

Ideal Living at Alphabet, Brighton, 10th September 2025

It’s not his more well known 15 minutes of fame quote, but Andy Warhol was once cited with “they always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself”; a sentiment borne out by a visit to a venue that’s brought a new stage to the Brighton gig circuit to see a band whose latest reinvention is making waves of the tidal variety.

Alphabet joined the roster of the city’s music venues a couple of years ago. Artfully designed, it’s good to see that it’s still holding its darkened speakeasy ambience with style, not to mention having great sound quality. One of Brighton’s many collectives, Ideal Living, took to the stage here with a set full of new material that was recently unveiled in the Sussex hills at DedFest, taking everyone by degrees of surprise and delight. The band have always dabbled with the experimental, clashing instruments and styles to put their message across. The new material though is more cohesive, and challenges the listener with its juxtapositions – sombre songs, verging on melancholy but with a wild ingestion of hope, stories that reflect the state of the world but push for everyone to make things better. It’s emotional and well, kind of lovely.

Profits from the show were to be donated to charities supporting the ongoing crisis in Palestine and, on my walk back to the station, a bunch of teenagers were climbing lamp-posts and ripping down the right wingers’ flags. All in all, not a bad state of play. It feels like Ideal Living have found their zenith and it’s safe to say that if you choose to listen in, you won’t be disappointed.

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

Published 14th September 2025

Magda & Drive Your Plow at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 10th September 2025

A reminder of why you should always get to gigs early to make sure you catch the whole line-up; I could only make it for the first two bands at last week’s Hidden Herd new music showcase at The Hope & Ruin but they proved to be more than worth the trip. 

While their Insta handle may be magda-rockband there is more to Magda than basic rock songs. Their sound leans towards the crunchier end of punk and all that followed, the likes of Pixies and The Stooges sneaking into the mix here and there. They pulled in a big crowd for the opening slot and entertained with a countdown of their tracks as well as the music itself. My guess is they’ll have people coming back to check them out again.

Next on and presumably taking their name from Olga Tokarczuk’s mystery novel, Drive Your Plow seem like a force to be reckoned with – one of those bands high in numbers and also in talent. The fusion of the different parts was slick but by no means soft-hitting. There’s lots to take in, experimental in a sense but clearly those experiments are meticulously planned as their performance is on point. It’s loud, purposeful and sonically chaotic at times but somehow, somewhere in the midst of the pandemonium, it levels out into something very clever. Probably best to take a listen and decide for yourself…

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Magda

Drive Your Plow

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

Published 13th September 2025

 

Frances Mistry, flypaper, Lynnie Snow & Wilshaw at the Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 28th August 2025

Openers on Thursday night at Brighton’s Hope and Ruin were Wilshaw, characterised as indie-rock but bringing something smoother. It felt like the songs were quite personal which gave them an edge of vulnerability, and regular tempo changes kept things interesting. Kieran and Robbie from the band appeared again later, taking on different roles in the flypaper line-up, though the two acts gave quite contrasting energy.

In between, Lynnie Snow started her slot almost masked by a baseball cap and huge wraparound sunglasses. Joined on the second song by her band (the band with, as yet, no name), the setlist was characterised by her subtly strong vocals giving a distinct nod towards the Kate Bush school of theatricality. A confident performance and one that seems likely to grow as more live shows are added to the calendar.

Next up, flypaper is the solo project of Rory Sear, formerly with indie-fuzz outfit Beachtape. The music is reminiscent of Travis in places, the songs incorporating an introspective sound with elements of indie/folk rock storytelling. It will be interesting to see how pending album Forget The Rush pulls all of this together (release date 7th November). 

Closing the evening, Frances Mistry cleverly weaves socio-political commentary into warmly accessible tunes. Thought provoking for multiple reasons, this was probably the most captivating set of the night with an ethereal quality. Shout out to Holly for playing bass from the sound deck whilst managing the audio – a neat trick if you know how. With almost half the setlist given over to recently released album conversations with those i love, this was a great chance to see how the music has evolved and progressed; a very enjoyable end to the evening.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Wilshaw

Lynnie Snow

Flypaper

Frances Mistry

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

Published 1st September 2025

Cosmorat, crysometimes & Kate Peaches at The Rossi Bar, Brighton, 21st August 2025

The collaboration between promoters Hidden Herd and Parallel Lines is shaping up to be a quality addition to Brighton’s breakthrough music offering. Following the success of the inaugural show featuring Velvetine, Swallowtail and Le Lamb, last week saw the second event draw on more local talent. Kicking things off, Kate Peaches donned a nun’s veil and brought echoes of Vanity Fairy’s irreverent glam to the stage, pulling in an early crowd. Next up, crysometimes, who have graced the Hidden Herd stage multiple times before, seem to have fine-tuned their set to a point where the crowd knows the songs and is ready to jump in with additional melodies to enhance their pop-punk sensibilities. Singer Megan made a second appearance later in the evening, guesting with headliners Cosmorat – speaking of whom, firstly, I’m not entirely sure how they all fitted on the tiny stage and secondly, their energy was unbounded as they ploughed through their set filled with indie-pop-folk-grunge (did I miss anything?) tunes. By their final number, party mode was in full swing, leaving a happy crowd behind and a sense that all bodes well for future events – gallery below.

Hosted by Hidden Herd x Parallel Lines                                                                             

Kate Peaches

crysometimes

Cosmorat

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

Published 24th August 2025

Live – Comforts | Mulimba | Winter Gardens | Fukushima Dolphin at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 23rd July 2025

Quite the mix of musical styles on display at The Hope & Ruin on Wednesday, starting with a sprinkling of psychedelic folk-rock from Fukushima Dolphin. Maintaining the tradition of experimental Brighton duos and throwing in a massive hat for good measure, it was a gentle and upbeat start to proceedings.

Next up and kind of stealing the show a bit for me, Winter Gardens are a prime example of an act who’ve developed over the years from decent but tentative beginnings to mastering the art of making shoegaze stand out in style. Hints of The Cure and Cocteaus come through, but their performance is all of their own, tight-knit and with momentum constantly building. An excellent set.

Another change of pace and genre as Mulimba blends threads of hip-hop, rock and gospel to a backdrop of heavy beats. Technical issues caused some delays and ultimately made for a condensed set – would be good to catch more.

Headliners for the night were Comforts, delivering indie-rock with mandatory hooks and plenty of energy. Making a dent on the festival circuit, they release their debut EP later this year. Good to see the room busy on a school night and surely something for everyone in the mix. All four acts play at this year’s Dedfest on 16th August – tickets here.

Hosted by Hidden Herd x Dedfest

Fukushima Dolphin

Winter Gardens

Mulimba

Comforts

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

Published 27th July 2025

Velvetine, Swallowtail & Le Lamb at The Rossi Bar, Brighton, 17th July 2025

Take two promoters with a love for live music, three acts putting their own mark on live performance, one short walk from Brighton train station to The Rossi Bar, and you have yourself an excellent way to spend a very misty Thursday night.

First up, and with the crowd already flocking in (no apologies there, many more ovine puns I’m omitting to include), Le Lamb combine theatrics with musical shades of dark and light, elements of  avant-rock through to psych-noir – if there is such a thing – popping up across the set. Always intriguing, don’t be surprised to see bigger dates coming through for them soon.

The filling in the sonic sandwich came from another local act, Swallowtail. More juxtapositions of genres, think hefty shoegaze that lures you in and smacks you round the shoulders just as you’re getting comfortable… in a good way, in case of any doubt. The ones to watch list just keeps getting longer.

Closing the evening, Velvetine brought a case load of glammed up alt-rock down from London with them. The four piece have developed a heavier sound and performance over the last couple of years, and seem very at home picking up the headline slot. It may have been foggy outside, but inside the talent roster was clear for all to see. Gallery below.

Hosted by Hidden Herd x Parallel Lines

Le Lamb

Swallowtail

Velvetine

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

Published 22nd July 2025

WaterBear Music Bar, Brighton – Launch Party, 16th July 2025

The last few years have seen a number of Brighton’s grassroots music venues fall victim to closure and hard-fought applications to change the purpose of neighbouring buildings, causing concern for their future. All of that makes it even more pleasing to see a new venue open its doors. Under the stewardship of WaterBear – The College of Music, what once was Latest Music Bar has become WaterBear Music Bar, becoming their second live music space in the city, set up to host touring acts, student showcases and events tied to the college’s educational programmes.

With a solid opening line-up featuring Congratulations, Sametime, Dirtsharks & Tia Ice, the launch party last week got things off to a great start, and it’s good to see that the venue will be part of the Keeping Music Live campaign launched with the Music Venue Trust, raising awareness of the importance of  grassroots venues in offering a start point for a huge array of homegrown and touring artists.

Sam Rushton, Events and Careers Coordinator at WaterBear, said: “We’re thrilled to announce the opening of WaterBear Music Bar. This is a building with serious history. We’re proud to continue that story, creating a space for gigs, talks, club nights and more.”

Gallery below from what will hopefully be the first of many nights of live music to come.

Tia Ice

Dirtsharks

Sametime

Congratulations

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

Published 20th July 2025

Fast Money Music, The Prince Albert, Brighton, 2nd July 2025

There was a definite buzz around the support act at Brighton’s Prince Albert on Wednesday night. Bringing a composite mix of influences to Fast Money Music, Nick Hinman’s time spent in New York comes through with jagged artful punk undertones reminiscent of big hitters Suicide and Television. That said, there’s a strong hint of the glam era in there from the band too, with a saxophone that wouldn’t sound amiss on a Roxy Music track, and which elicited the most eloquent of compliments with “Your sax is sexy as fuck” hailing from the crowd.

Now based in East London, Hinman’s stage presence suggests he is wholly at ease performing and, based on the audience reaction, it feels as though we’ll be hearing a lot more from Fast Money Music, hopefully with more live shows to come. There’s an album expected for release next year and a couple more shows on this tour supporting Tempesst. I’m pretty sure they’re sold out but if you get the chance to grab a ticket, it’s a high recommendation:
5th July – The Wardrobe, Leeds
6th July – The Globe, Cardiff

Gallery from the Brighton show below.

Fast Money Music

Listen to Hunky Dory here

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

Published 4th July 2025

Pozi, For Breakfast, Big Long Sun & Speedial at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 6th June 2025

With over 20 musicians taking the stage over the course of the night, The Hope & Ruin played host to the usual guitar, drums and keyboards along with violin, sax, flute and not forgetting the esteemed cowbell and tambourine.

First up, a fusion of jazz-sprinkled math rock from Speedial. With dual vocals and a slight feeling of hypnosis, their tracks could feasibly all mesh together to form an indie film soundtrack. Busy on the London live scene, the four piece appear to be picking up the pace in honing their style and widening their audience; an intriguing start to proceedings.

So then to a double order of 7-Up, as the next two acts have the numbers to cosplay as the wonders of the world or Snow White’s pals (and there are potentially more group members not here tonight). Whilst Big Long Sun is technically the solo project of Jamie Broughton, the collective on stage run like a well oiled machine and bring different elements to the overall sound, bringing a bunch of experience from playing with other bands to the table, culminating in art rock with an indie twist. For Breakfast switch the pace again, this time towards dream-pop – a decidedly Elizabeth Fraser-esque vocal in play and a multitude of instruments to pull your attention in different directions.

Headlining tonight, Pozi skip through their 14-track setlist with an infectious energy. Their experimental avant-garde alt-pop tunes often land within the 2-3 minute mark, further serving to keep the tempo firmly set to fast and furious. The live room has been busy all night and stays packed till curfew hits, ending on a musical and performative high as expected. Nicely done.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Speedial

Big Long Sun

For Breakfast

Pozi

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

Published 11th June 2025

Freya Beer, Miler & NYSSA at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 28th May 2025

Beating the midweek slump, a trip to The Albert for the latest music showcase from Hidden Herd / Crafting Room was a welcome distraction. A strong start from Toronto singer-songwriter NYSSA with some deep tones to her voice reminiscent of the Patti Smith / Marianne Faithfull era, and an unexpected fusion of genres as synth-punk meets a classic rock ‘n’ roll undertone. I suspect the crowd would have happily listened for longer. The middle slot was filled by locals Miler, a new incarnation of their former moniker Harper. Their offering has a dream-pop shoegaze base that almost takes on a country twang at times, and with a new name and new music there’s sure to be more chances pending to catch them around Brighton.

Headliner Freya Beer has honed her style into an atmospheric juxtaposition of light pop and dark gothic soundwaves, her vocal is hauntingly frail at times but packs the most powerful of punches. She has spent some time recently supporting the peerless Dr John Cooper Clarke on tour and frankly, if JCC is backing someone, we should all pay attention. With a set including an icy cover of Britney’s Toxic and commanding latest single Cry Baby, the evening very much ended on a high.

NYSSA

Miler

Freya Beer

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

Published 30th May 2025

 

Flat Party, Black Bordello, COWZ & Ski Lift at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 7th May 2025

Back at my favourite venue for a quartet of bands offering up a discerning assortment of genres last Wednesday – first up at The Hope & Ruin are south London based Ski Lift, indie pop with a touch of new wave. Benji’s vocal is reminiscent of a young Pete Shelley and the dynamics of the band fit together well, getting things off to a great start.

Brighton’s own COWZ follow – always lots of fun to watch, their saccharine alt-pop lands like a warped Eurovision entry. Part kitsch, part razor sharp lyrics, they’re a duo to be reckoned with and always add a shot of energy to any line-up.

Black Bordello take the next slot, intriguing and hard to pinpoint genre-wise. There’s a definite goth vibe visually but the music takes a few twists and turns along the way. Experimental vocals push the songs in different directions with hints of Kaleidoscope-era Siouxsie, particularly on opening track Acid Mary. The set manages to be both brash and gentle at the same time and leaves an impression for sure.

Completing proceedings, an accomplished performance from Flat Party with a confident stage presence and some clear Britpop epoch influences. A nod to their appreciation of Suede comes through in Jack’s vocal, and I can’t help but think that overall they’re a bit like you would have hoped Blur would be before they started making cheese (musically and literally). Lots of unreleased tracks suggest that 2025 is going to be a big year for Flat Party – on our recommended list.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Ski Lift

COWZ

Black Bordello

Flat Party

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

Published 12th May 2025

Panic Shack at Patterns, Brighton, 6th May 2025

It’s hard to imagine that a Panic Shack gig would ever be anything other than bags of fun, some left-field choreography and a bunch of songs that stick two fingers up to misogyny and general societal inequalities while kicking out some stupidly catchy tunes – and this was no exception.

I maintain that Patterns is the wrong shape and layout for live music, especially on a sold out gig as, apart from being in one or two decent vantage points, a big section of the crowd isn’t going to actually see much of what’s happening on stage. That didn’t stop the party though and openers The Pill set things up nicely with an already rammed venue and a punchy set of their own.

Panic Shack have long since reached the point of being a reliably good live band, and it’s great to see them still looking like they’re having an absolute ball. With a set list including Gok Wan, Baby, Who’s Got My Lighter? and The Ick, they gave an impressive performance and surely pushed the sales of their QR coded lanyards through the roof with an on-point sales pitch (other bands take note – if you’re having trouble engaging the crowd, just have them collectively chant ‘LANYARD!’ and it’ll probably be fine). The sugary-sweet days of 90s ‘girl power’ are thankfully behind us but make no mistake, the power of women in music, friendship and fun is very much in the present.

Hosted by Lout Promotions

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

Published 8th May 2025