music, photography and more
Paul Weller & Liam Bailey at Brighton Centre, 19th October 2024
A sold out Brighton Centre as linchpin of the British music scene Paul Weller performed his tour with latest album ’66’ last night. Support came from soulful singer-songwriter Liam Bailey. Gallery from a special night by Mike Burnell below.
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 20th October 2024
Confidence Man & Vanity Fairy at Chalk, Brighton, 16th October 2024
If you were looking for two artists to put on a performance to remember, you wouldn’t have gone far wrong at Chalk in Brighton last night as Confidence Man and Vanity Fairy came to town. Playing an out-store show for Resident Records, the venue was packed and with good reason, as both these acts have the visuals to match the audio and never fail to deliver. Check out our gallery from Mike Burnell below.
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 17th October 2024
Crowded House at Brighton Centre, 12th October 2024
Rock giants Crowded House are out on the road again playing shows in the UK and Ireland on their Gravity Stairs tour. Mike Burnell was at Brighton Centre to capture last night’s show in pictures.
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 13th October 2024
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.
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.
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.
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.
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 5th October 2024
Orlando Weeks at St George’s Church Kemptown, Brighton, 4th October 2024
Taking songs from his latest album Loja out on the road, Orlando Weeks completed a run of live dates in the discerning surroundings of St George’s Church last night – an intimate setting that always creates a great atmosphere, and compelling songs to match. Gallery from Mike Burnell below.
Hosted by Joy Concerts
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 5th October 2024
Balancing Act, Opal Mag & Lilith Ai at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 25th September 2024
Opening proceedings at The Albert last week, Lilith Ai gave a great performance, full of energy and charming the crowd with their candid chat. Up next, Opal Mag are one of the bands that everybody’s talking about in Brighton, their fairly frequent gigging obviously paying off. And headlining, Balancing Act seemingly brought their own fanbase along with their straightforward indie-pop, boding well for the release of their next EP Tightropes And Limericks on 4th October – more dates to tie in with this pending through October and November. Gallery from all three sets below.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 30th September 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.
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 27th September 2024
Mandrake Handshake, Baby Gem & Ruby Doomsday at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 18th September 2024
You could be forgiven for thinking you’d worn some flowers in your hair and transported back 5 or 6 decades at last week’s Hidden Herd showcase at The Hope & Ruin. Starting off with some dream-pop charm, the eloquently named Ruby Doomsday impressed with some on-point melodies in their own compositions, and a direct hit back to ’63 with an artful cover of arguably Roy Orbison’s best song In Dreams.
Locals Baby Gem introduced the folk-psych segment of the evening, with a hint of prog and plenty of hypnotic tunes under their belt, their set was a fitting precursor for what was to follow – a blast from the past with a modern twist in the tail.
Headliners for this one were the multifarious throng that makes up Mandrake Handshake. A generous helping of psychedelia as the stage just about catered for its multiple occupants, and always something different to catch your eye as the sheer volume of instruments, vocals and dance moves worthy of Woodstock matched the visuals to the music. I suspect the crowd would have stayed much longer into the night given the chance – maybe a little nostalgia is what we all need right now.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 23rd September 2024
VLURE & Frozemode at Colours Hoxton, 5th September 2024
Dork’s latest Home and Away showcase called in at Colours Hoxton last week, London outfit Frozemode bouncing onto the stage to start things off. With a fusion of garage/hip hop and a front row of regulars singing along, they’ve clearly made an impression since their formation a few years ago, ASBO BOYS released a few months back jumping out as the biggest crowd pleaser.
And though they’re from much further afield, you could have been forgiven for thinking it was a homecoming show for VLURE too based on the crowd reaction start to finish, chants of ‘one more song’ lasting way beyond the closing number. For a band yet to release their debut album, they have a treasure trove of songs each with its own intrinsic value, the newer material complementing the old while continually challenging the heights already achieved. Never just a gig, always an experience, VLURE are already leaving an indelible mark on electronic dance music. It’s a constant privilege to see their journey unfold, and that album that’s on the horizon is surely set to propel them further into the hierarchy of all that is exciting about the current UK music scene.
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 11th September 2024
Lip Critic & Polite Bureaux at Dust, Brighton, 2nd September 2024
Dropping in from NYC, Lip Critic came to make some noise and get people moving, and dutifully succeeded in both missions. With a symmetrical set up of two drum kits and two mini synths punching a big sound, their potent mix of thrash-punk, hip-hop and electro-dance music on an industrial scale is fused with elements of humour, fun and even a transient art installation as all four band members play musical statues and hold the frozen pose for much longer than you’d think feasible. A call for audience participation doesn’t always pay off but Brighton gig-regular Fiona was more than up for the challenge, and some fine dance moves were executed alongside vocalist Bret Kaser. Lip Critic’s album Hex Dealer is available now – check it out and give it some Spinal Tap shaped love by turning it up to 11.
Support for the evening came from Brighton’s finest Polite Bureaux. Fronted by Joe Smith, the regularised band line-up of Maya Lili (usually on keys but backing vocals tonight as the synth has temporarily entered into its own game of hide and seek), Viv Maher (bass) and Connor Griffiths (drums) is working a treat; as a four-piece they complement each other without taking anything away from the delivery of the visceral lyrics and reaction to the realities of social stratification across the UK right now. Closing with what I maintain is one of the best tracks of 2024 from anyone, Broke Biscuits, it’s great to see things starting to take off for Polite Bureaux. Look out for pending new single release Mift and more Brighton dates soon.
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 6th September 2024
Car Boot Sale, FEZ & The Roebucks at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 29th August 2024
Thursday night saw an eclectic music showcase from three bands making waves on the live scene. Locals first, as The Roebucks repped Brighton with a sound belying their ages leaning into a flavour of bluesy Americana. Then heading from the capital to the coast, London provided the next two acts to take the stage. FEZ kept the blues string running through but this time laced with a jazz/psych twist. The deep hints of nostalgia take a current-day turn though and the band have the confidence to present their offering as something new. Headliners for the evening, Car Boot Sale wasted no time in bringing the energy, latest single Feet Tappin’ a literal description of their impact on the crowd. A superb set, veering from hazy indie soul to an accomplished rock-filled version of Tom Petty’s American Girl, an easy recommendation.
Gallery below
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 2nd September 2024
Bambie Thug, Chalk, Brighton, 30th August 2024
A performer in the true sense, Bambie Thug brought their very own brand of rock and pop theatre to the stage at Brighton’s Chalk last night. A big crowd for a big entertainer, the flamboyant mix of music, dance and scenography went down a storm. Gallery from Mike Burnell below.
Hosted by Live Nation
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 31st August 2024
Jaws The Shark, Dumfun, SULK & Triple Drain at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton,14th August 2024
A wake-up for the senses on a Wednesday night with four acts drawing on the heart of garage rock with undercurrents of grunge, dirge, sludge and any other mucky descriptors you might wish to add.
Starting proceedings, the first trio of the night Triple Drain added an essence of heavy 80s’ goth, their thrashing guitars softened by the vocal and switch ups in pace between tracks. With an undeniable nod to the chaos of Hole both visually and sonically, SULK were up next, a tight-knit session from the whole band with all the energy that comes from working hard on the gig and festival circuit. Another three-piece in Dumfun followed, really reminded me of the Brighton scene 10 years or so back when the likes of Demob Happy and Tigercub were hitting a wider radar, clearly popular with the crowd and a great segue into the headliner.
Speaking of which, last act up was Jaws The Shark. With songs filled to the brim with an amalgam of nod-along riffs, catchy indie melodies and a sound crossing multiple rock-centred genres, this was a fitting end to an evening that never dipped. It’s evident that this is a project that’s evolved since its inception in lockdown; take a listen to latest album Wasteland (out now via SO Recordings) for more.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 19th August 2024
ELLiS-D, Velvetine, Oral Habit at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 24th July 2024
Jumping back about seven years or so, it felt like Strange Cages were due the title of Brighton house band, popping up on line-ups around the city and further afield on a very regular basis. I recall someone saying that seeing their drummer Ellis play was like watching Animal from the Muppets in human form, the frenetic pace of the backline adding the edge that pulled the band together. So it’s perhaps not a total surprise to find that the transition to front person is proving so successful. Now better recognised as ELLiS-D, this week’s headliner at The Albert rolled through last year’s Straitjacket Blues to new single Carousel, via a pumped up version of Elvis Costello’s (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea. Elements of rock, psych and I felt a real leaning into early 70’s glam mixed with the tenacity of The Cramps (glamp anyone?) made for an excellent set and a definite leap forwards in music and stage presence. Great connectivity between the whole band too.
Support on the night came from the talented Velvetine and Oral Habit – gallery from all three sets below.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 26th July 2024
Children of the Pope, Canned Pineapple & Red Ivory at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 17th July 2024
A night made for dancing and tunes to fill the (dare I say it out loud) summer evenings. Repping the South London scene, Red Ivory seemed pretty happy to have escaped briefly to the coast. Their set jumped from lulls of shoegaze to indie-grunge reminiscent of Hole and the like, and kicked things off nicely.
Next, taking the middle slot, the 60s came alive with some very fine outfits bedecking locals Canned Pineapple, and moves to make the Ready Steady Go-ers of the era proud. Lots of fun, not to mention some big singalong songs with great melodies and cut-throat riffs.
Headliners Children of the Pope ensured there was no let up in pace, with a heavy psych twist and bags of energy. Their capacity to command the room kept things elevated till it was time to pile back out onto the balmy streets of Brighton. Gallery from all three bands below.
While we’re here, can I just highlight again the importance of the grassroots venues that consistently offer a platform to acts like these, and the opportunity to find your next favourite band before they go on to bigger things. Having successfully batted away a planning application on the property next door, The Albert is once more in need of support, as an appeal has been lodged. There is more information here – please add your voice if you can.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 19th July 2024
Black Country New Road, Ugly & Tapir at Concorde 2, Brighton, 8th July 2024
Last night saw Concorde 2 packed to the rafters as a triptych of acts played a sold out charity fundraiser gig for Palestinian Medical Aid. Hosted by Form Presents, the crowd were treated to performances by Tapir, Ugly and headliners Black Country, New Road.
Gallery from Mike Burnell below.
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 9th July 2024
CSS & Vanity Fairy at Chalk, Brighton, 28th June 2024
Motorhead, Madonna and a most enjoyable evening as CSS brought their reunion tour to Brighton on Friday.
Opener for the night was the inimitable Vanity Fairy, shimmering gladrags and falsetto disco tunes capturing the imagination of the equally glitter-clad audience. Increasingly it seems that she is the perfect act to support a range of big names (Altered Images, Toyah, Electric 6 to name but a few). Always a happy crowd set up for what comes next, but don’t be surprised as she starts to pull the headline slot away with a sequinned leash as she surely will.
And so to CSS – with their first live dates in the UK for over a decade, the huge wave of anticipation was met head on with equal amounts of energy, fun and ridiculously infectious tunes. From the moment they walked on stage to greet the crowd with CSS Suxxx, the pace was set and never faltered. Lovefoxxx, Ana Rezende, Carolina Parra and Luiza Sá have reformed CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy) to focus on live shows while celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band. Their camaraderie is evident, and the stories shared made it feel like everyone there was a part of the journey. Lovefoxx talked about going to band practice fearing she would be asked the inevitable ‘Can you name 3 of their songs?’ about her Motorhead T-shirt, though it proved never to be mentioned, with a Madonna cover instead on the cards. Kudos though to seemingly the one person in the crowd who was able to come up with 5 Motorhead songs off the top of his head, and received a beer and several chants of ‘Ian! Ian!’ for his efforts. We got the Madonna track too – Hollywood segueing nicely into City Grrrl and Teenage Tiger Cat.
Almost 20 years down the line and perhaps their best known and still revered track Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above unsurprisingly received a massive reaction, the floor bouncing on and off stage, then a triple whammy encore of I Wanna Be Your J-Lo, Art Bitch and Alala finished an outstanding night of music and frolics. Raise your glass to a reunion worth the wait.
Words and photos by Callum and Siobhan
Published 1st July 2024
Bat For Lashes & Mui Zyu at De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill
A stunning performance from Bat For Lashes in the iconic setting of Bexhill’s De La Warr Pavilion, with songs spanning her whole career up to latest album The Dream of Delphi. Sharing that the last time she was at the venue was to see Patti Smith, and that she loved being back on the south coast, the crowd were left hoping it wouldn’t be too long before she returns.
Support from Mui Zyu
Gallery by Mike Burnell
Photos © Mike Burnell (iso400.com)
Published 26th June 2024
Dog Race, Media Giant & Paris Blue at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 19th June 2024
Last week’s new music showcase at The Albert saw Hastings band Paris Blue take a trip along the coast to Brighton, bringing angular, catchy tunes to the stage. Lots of riffs, lots of melodies; they got the dancing in the crowd started early and set the pace for the acts to follow. Next up, Media Giant released their debut EP Market Research a little over a year ago, and continue to finesse their blend of experimental funk with a hint of punk. It’s a big sound and immediately infectious, and you can never have too much cowbell in the mix. Impressive stuff.
Their reputation preceding them, headliners Dog Race are creating quite a buzz on the new music scene. Hard to pin down, sonically they veer from spiky and slightly off-kilter at the start, to Katie Healy’s vocal progressing through to capturing elements of goth queens Siouxsie and Patricia Morrison – it’s no carbon copy though, and it’s what makes the band’s sound their own. Finishing with latest single It’s the Squeeze, Dog Race are not here to be ignored and look set for much bigger things.
Hosted by Hidden Herd
Paris Blue
Dog Race
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 24th June 2024
The DSM IV, Owners Club, Jopy & Ringards at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 12th June 2024
Another great evening at The Hope & Ruin from Hidden Herd, all 4 acts playing to the max. First up, Ringards have a distinctly new wave feel to their music, with punchy, catchy tunes from start to finish and surely a nod to Buzzcocks in there somewhere. Next, fronted by Jo Parnell, Jopy bring a jagged Cramps-esque vibe to the stage. And with the pending release of their debut EP on Goo Records, definitely ones to watch. Stepping up a gear since their last Brighton performance, Owners Club seem to be comfortably finding their place in the indie hall of fame. Not too leftfield to include a Venga Boys tribute though amidst the guitar rock poses; it will be interesting to see how things will develop for them moving forward.
Headliners for this one, the revered DSM IV. It’s been too long since I saw them last, and their stage presence is still as wide as their ties. Trips on the shoulders of the crowd and a cape crafted from the ceiling fabric were just a couple of the added visuals, Guy McKnight ever the entertainer. But this takes nothing away from the music – industrial beats with more than a sprinkling of electronica keep a heady gothic sound alive, and I am all for that. An accomplished performance and solid ending to proceedings.
The next Hidden Herd showcase brings Dog Race, Media Giant and Paris Blue to Brighton’s Prince Albert this Wednesday 19th June – if you’re quick you can still grab a ticket here.
Words and photos © Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram
Published 17th June 2024
Breaking Glass Magazine 