Category: Gig Gallery

Meryl Streek & Polite Bureaux at Green Door Store, Brighton, 28th February 2024

There are definite peaks and troughs in trends of new music, and phases where it feels like things are coasting and a little safe. Not to knock that for those looking for familiarity, but it genuinely warms my heart to see some of the newer acts coming through that dare to be different and produce material they believe in, rather than what they know will be accepted en masse. Last night’s gig at Green Door paid testament to that in style.

Opening act, Brighton based Polite Bureaux should be well up on your to see list if you haven’t done so yet. With an album release pending, there are new tracks added to their set which surely cement their progress towards a bigger audience. This is not the mass produced Everyone-sounds-like-The-Fall spoken word so widely available, it’s skillful wordplay with pulsing drum beats and synth/bass riffs that bounce through the room. Really looking forward to seeing what’s next.

Headlining the evening, Dublin’s Meryl Streek provides up close and personal effrontery with lyrics that take direct aim at the Irish government and the Catholic Church amongst others. Judging by the current den of political incompetency, it seems little coincidence that running the country and ruining the country are only one letter apart, and Meryl Streek is here to challenge that with no holds barred.

Barely a second standing still, his performance is confrontational and engaging in equal measures, hints of grime and trip-hop providing the perfect musical backdrop to the tirade of spoken stories heading across the crowd. The set goes by too fast and again, comes highly recommended.

An excellent night, make no mistake that punk is back knocking your door down, but this time it wants you to dance. Give thanks for that.

Meryl Streek | Polite Bureaux

Words and photos © Siobhan – 16 Beasley St Photography

Published 29th February 2024

Live – Adult DVD, SAD DADS & Room Service at The Prince Albert, Brighton

With headliners Adult DVD coming highly recommended, Thursday’s gig at The Albert held lots of promise, and didn’t disappoint. First up though, we saw a different side to Room Service, playing a largely acoustic and seated set. Despite the change in pace, they sounded great and set the atmosphere for the evening. Resolutely not seated, SAD DADS were up next with bags of indie-surf energy and a fine array of sunglasses, don’t let the fact that they don’t appear to take things too seriously belie the talent in the band.

With as much synth as you could fit on the stage, Adult DVD are Yorkshire’s answer to Kraftwerk with a bit more humour in their lyrics and performance. There are layers to the music that are much more complex than they make them look, an idiosyncratic hybrid of electronica, techno and dry pop that has the crowd singing, dancing and loathe to let them finish their set. Seemingly this was their first show in Brighton; if they listen to the demand it will by no means be their last. Passing that high recommendation on for sure.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Room Service

SAD DADS

Adult DVD

Words and photos © Siobhan – Website | Instagram

Published 18th February 2024

Bishopskin, Nina Winder-Lind, RY-GUY & Van Zon at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 7th February 2024

It seems the return of the big band is here, by which I mean a four-piece was the smallest collective on stage at The Hope & Ruin on Wednesday, not to mention the plethora of instruments that appeared across the night, including a couple of violins, a trombone and a clarinet. Local openers Van Zon are steadily making a name for themselves with strong, long songs and an undertone of VU ambiguity. Second on, RY-GUY caught my attention last year with The Shop Is Closing,  and it was a pleasure to find his set matched the soulful psych of his recorded tracks. Next up, followers of the New Eves will be familiar with Nina Winder-Lind’s cello playing, her set here showing adeptness also for keys and guitar. Along with her band, Nina’s vocal and vibe continued the night’s nostalgic art-pop feel. And so to headliners Bishopskin, initially a lockdown project that veers from strength to strength, with a performance that would please fans of everyone from Jefferson Airplane to a gospel choir. Whether they end up being your new favourite band or not, you should go and see Bishopskin at least once for an experience you won’t forget. Gallery below…

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Van Zon

RY-GUY

Nina Winder-Lind

Bishopskin

Words and photos © Siobhan – Website | Instagram | Twitter

Published 9th February 2024

Dorian Electra at The Academy Dublin, 30th January 2024

Dorian Electra’s EU/UK Fanfare tour started in Warsaw on the 18th of January and came to a climax in Dublin at The Academy on the 30th. The last time Dorian played Dublin they played the smaller Greenroom in The Academy to a packed out room, this time around they were in the big main venue and it was no different. Coming on stage at 9pm, they exploded on to the set which was decked out in a circus theatre style, and Dorian for the first song stood in the middle of a large lit up ring. Throughout the night, to the delight of their fans, they played hit after hit and the whole show was like a Cabaret, as there were costume changes and a number of different dancers acting out a storyline to certain songs. At one point even Dorian themself was beheaded, and the song after this was played while the only person on the stage was a clown performing an opera-like scene to the song Vesti la Giubba by the Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo, with just the head in hand.

Overall the night not only proved Dorian’s singing talents but also their stage performance, and I suspect their stage production talents also. By the end of the show (as that’s what it was more so than a gig!) everyone in the crowd was left totally satisfied and could not have asked for more from Dorian, who could not have put on a better night’s performance.

Set-list:

Symphony
Idolize
Flamboyant
Puppet
Adam & Steve
Manmade Horrors
Yes Man
Vesti la Giubba -Ruggero Leoncavallo song (Clown Singing Opera)
anon
Phonies
Ram It Down
M’Lady (+ S3RL Remix)
Touch Grass
Interlude(Dance break)
Career Boy (Acoustic, Shortened)
Man To Man
Lifetime
Warning Signs
Wanna Be a Star
______________________________
Sodom & Gomorrah
Freak Mode

Dorian Electra

Words and photos © Ian Mc Donnell (Mc Gig Photography) – Instagram | Facebook

Published 1st February 2024

Nukuluk, Polite Bureaux, Nina Kohout & Own World at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 24th January 2024

Those of you in or near enough to drop into Brighton would do well to check out the monthly new music showcases put together by local promoter Hidden Herd – spotlighting some of the best emerging talent around, there’s likely to be an eclectic mix of some names you’ve heard and the opportunity to find a new favourite act.

Wednesday night saw another great line-up at The Hope & Ruin opening with some accomplished laid back indie tunes from Own World, followed by a fusion of stripped-back vocals and theatrical performance from Nina Kohout – if you like the idea of PJ Harvey hooking up with Portishead (and why would you not) then you’re in for a treat here. Next on and shifting up the energy in the room to the max, Polite Bureaux’s mix of electro-punk spoken word is simultaneously clever, confrontational and absolutely not to be ignored – expect bigger things to come. And to finish the evening, experimental synth hip-hop and in-crowd dance moves from Nukuluk, veering from chaos to calm with ease. Gallery below…

Own World

Nina Kohout

Polite Bureaux

Nukuluk

Words and photos © Siobhan O’Driscoll – Website | Instagram | Twitter

Published 26th January 2024

Dead Men Walking at Whelan’s, Dublin, 23rd January 2024

Last night saw Dead Men Walking play a blinder at Whelan’s of Dublin. The band made up of Kirk Brandon (Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny) Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) Segs Jennings and Dave Ruffy (The Ruts), have just started their 2024 Part 1 Acoustic & Live – Songs & Stories tour, last night being the opening night with four more shows to follow on Irish shores, before the band head back to the UK for ten further shows.

Last night consisted of plenty of stories from all band members and songs from their respective bands, also a few others thrown in. By the end of the night there were no Dead Men Walking out of the venue as the band gave the crowd a great night to remember and all left to brave the mild but windy night outside, but I for one walked the streets to catch my bus with a smile on my face, as it was good to hear some of the great punk classics played acoustically and in such an intimate setting.

Setlist:
The Price (Spear of Destiny)
Music Must Destroy (The Ruts)
Nobody’s Hero (Stiff Little Fingers)
Radio, Radio (Elvis Costello & The Attractions)
Kill the Pain (Ruts DC)
My Dark Places
Man Down
In A Rut (The Ruts)
She Grew Up (Stiff Little Fingers)
Never Take Me Alive (Spear of Destiny)
Staring at the Rude Boys (The Ruts)
Suspect Device (Stiff Little Fingers)
Do You Believe in the West World (Theatre of Hate)
Babylon’s Burning (The Ruts)
Alternative Ulster (Stiff Little Fingers)

Words and photos © Ian Mc Donnell (Mc Gig Photography) – Instagram | Facebook

Published 24th January 2024