Category: Review

Madness & Squeeze at Brighton Centre, 14th December 2025

If ever there was a gig that made the ideal pre-Christmas party, this was it. A stalwart of the British music scene since the late 70s, Madness brought their Hit Parade tour to Brighton Centre last night, and with it a sold out venue and a matinee performance added to help meet demand. As if that wasn’t enough, support came from creators of so many lyrically sublime songs, Squeeze. 

With a more than impressive back catalogue of their own, Squeeze took the reins first and bought right into bringing hit after hit to the party. Amongst the most revered songwriters of our time, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook have a knack for mixing humour with melancholy, and classic tracks like Up The Junction and Another Nail In My Heart stand up as great songs as much now as they did when they were first released. Alongside tracks from their pending new album Trixies, the latest line-up gave it their all with old favourites Cool For Cats and debut single Take Me I’m Yours.

The band have a busy 2026 planned with the album set for release in March and a headline tour later in the year.

Squeeze

And so to the return of the Camden 7 (plus extras). Celebrating their biggest hits, and there is an enormous pile of them, Madness played a setlist of gigantic proportions, kicking off with the building anticipation of One Step Beyond – no need to wait for the crowd to warm up when you have an intro like that – then heading straight into Embarrassment and The Prince.

The tunes just kept on coming; lovely to hear the likes of Grey Day and Bed and Breakfast Man, then entering into what Suggs declared to be ‘showtime’ a ridiculously good four-in-a-row consisting of House of Fun, Baggy Trousers, Our House and It Must Be Love. The last of these received the biggest sing back from the audience, who were rewarded with an immense confetti downpour.

There are few bands who can put a smile on people’s faces quite so quickly and easily; Madness have somehow managed to retain their early energy and mischievousness while becoming a household name for multiple generations.

Finishing with a giant balloon filled encore consisting of a ska-fuelled version of Wizzard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, Madness and Night Boat To Cairo, it’s fair to say the crowd sang their hearts out to every single note of the evening. A brilliant night from the Nutty Boys, turning Brighton Centre into a House of Fun for all – an array of red hats making this a truly fez-tive event.

Madness

Review by Callum
Photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 15th December 2025

Winter Gardens, Big Fear, GIFTHORSE & Snowy Mountain at the Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 10th December 2025

It’s been a year of consistently high quality new music showcases from local promoter Hidden Herd, and this week’s offering was no exception.

A gentle start to proceedings with flurries of dream pop from Snowy Mountain. Dressed in space attire ready for take off, the songs were fittingly other-worldly – notes of Portishead with a slightly more positive vibe if you will. And always good to see the room busy from the off; it seemed people were keen to see all four acts – a good decision as it turned out.

Snowy Mountain

GIFTHORSE

Maintaining the momentum, alt-pop outfit GIFTHORSE provided flowers and a refreshing burst of nostalgia without feeling like a carbon copy of any of the multitude of influences that seem to bring their sound together. There’s an impossible to ignore Blondie comparison to be made both in their sound and in Charlie and Naomi’s resemblance to a fresh-faced Chris and Debbie – lots more layers to unravel too though, with elements of 60s’ Spector bands and pure pop acts like Eighth Wonder each springing to mind. A sleek performance, would like to see again.

Big Fear

Taking a more indie-rock approach, Big Fear were up next, bringing loads of energy to the table. Recent single Mildew was a stand-out and is a good introduction to anyone not familiar with their music. We discovered it was keyboard player Ben’s birthday and the crowd were clearly impressed enough to offer up their own rendition of Happy Birthday  between tracks. To be fair, their set felt like a bit of a party – always nice to see a band enjoying themselves and it’s inevitably infectious.

Winter Gardens

I’ve seen headliners Winter Gardens numerous times over the years and, I have to say, I think their current output is the best it’s ever been. They manage to give shoegaze a strong injection of the guitar/synth bands of yesteryear topped with some phenomenal drumming that takes things to an altogether more urgent level. Shades of light and dark keep the music and performance dynamic and absorbing, Ananda and Jasmine’s vocals blending beautifully together. I have a sense that the crowd would have been happy for them to play for twice as long but, for now, this was the perfect ending to a great evening.

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

Published 14th December 2025

Solid Pleasure & Death Drive at Daltons, Brighton, 9th December 2025

A meeting of minds as Tenebris Presents bring swathes of darkwave beats to the jet black walls and kitsch of Daltons on a suitably stormy night by the sea. From electro-pop through house and EBM, the prevalence of music-making duos has been a constant, and tonight sees two on the line-up.

First up, London-based Death Drive waste no time in warming up the crowd, layering driving sequence patterns with piercingly intense vocals. With a multitude of sub-genres categorising music now, there maybe isn’t an obvious one for their sound, but industrial goth feels like a reasonable fit. Relentlessly pulsing latest single Don’t Hide is one of the stand outs of the set, fundamentally memorable and danceable. A strong performance on their debut trip to Brighton.

Death Drive

Having caught Solid Pleasure supporting Amsterdam’s indie-royalty collab Long Fling recently, it’s great to see them take the headline slot this time – to be honest and with no deference to the other party, they stole the show last time. A fusion of techno-synth and reverb-heavy vocality, the two-piece provide a slice of Twin Peaks’ Red Room ambience lightened by the inclusion of some updated 80s’ classics – to say cover versions ironically doesn’t really cover it; but there are insertions of Blue Monday and Sweet and Tender Hooligan that reflect rather than repeat the originals. Probably their most accessible track Lux Interior is an easy singalong homage to The Cramps’ frontman, while recent single New York takes an avant-garde trip to the local disco noir. A skilfully executed set, and a chance for more next week as they play at Green Door with Francis Pig and U Men on 18th December – be there or be regretfully missing out.

Solid Pleasure

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

Published 11th December 2025

Tungz, Kate Peaches, Internet Cafe & Sock Drawer at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 26th November 2025

Last week’s Hidden Herd showcase at The Hope & Ruin paid homage to the joys of the synth, and that can be no bad thing. All four acts took a different approach and it made for an eclectic evening’s entertainment. Two duos to start with – first up, the excellently named Sock Drawer brought echoes of Peter, Bjorn and John with some soft electro-pop and spot on harmonies. Following on, Internet Cafe added in a mix of laptop dance beats and indie guitar riffs, their set makes a big impression with its genre-hopping layers with the vocal sitting whimsically on top.

The third artist for the night was Kate Peaches, very popular in Brighton and it’s easy to see why. Kitsch and quirky is very much the local go-to and she has this all figured out. Not to say that it’s all leopard print and curls though, as her voice stands up in its own right, an amalgam of a couple of her namesakes in Kate Bush and Kate Pierson, and some strong tunes to boot. Last up, headliners Tungz were paying their first visit to Brighton and they received a very warm welcome. Bringing fun and funk to the party, their double vocals and tight knit tunes had the crowd digging out their dancing shoes for a great finish to proceedings.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Sock Drawer

Internet Cafe

Kate Peaches

Tungz

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

Published 1st December 2025

The Horrors at Chalk, Brighton, 23rd November 2025

When The Horrors released their debut album Strange House back in 2007, many took them to be a bit of a novelty goth band, albeit one that could write and play with some skill. The idea that they would still be regarded as a respected musical outfit close to 20 years later was probably an unlikely one but, none the less, here they are in 2025 pulling in crowds across Europe and with album number 7 under their cloaks. Night Life maintains the dark, dystopian flavour of their previous work whilst welcoming an underlying electro industrial feel.

It’s the latest step in their journey towards being something more than the sum of its organically changing parts. Of the original line-up, Faris, Joshua and Rhys remain part of the making of the record, and recent announcement that Joshua has moved on leaves just two of the starting line-up in place. An interesting mix of new recruits is clearly helping to shape their sound going forward. Telegram’s Jordan Cook on drums and Amelia Kidd on keys (ex The Ninth Wave) have been permanently joined in the last few weeks by guitarist John Victor, best known previously as one quarter of indie faves Gengahr. They all come from bands we’ve seen multiple times and would perhaps never have thought to put together, but it somehow seems to make sense and the new version of the five piece sound as though they have been playing together as a unit for far longer than is the case. 

Their performance at Chalk was impressive sonically if a touch evasive visually. Appreciating that their aesthetic has long been to play with minimal lighting and seemingly unlimited fog, this show felt particularly difficult to watch. Swathes of deep pink, red and blue covered the stage, with only fleeting glimpses of the band members as they appeared for a second or two through swirling strobes and lasers. Atmospheric? Absolutely. Orwellian soundscape? Sure. But just maybe it would have been nice to be able to actually see the band, sometimes it’s what makes the connection between artist and audience. Still, the new tracks blended well with the old, The Silence That Remains opening the set strongly and recent single Silent Sister proving popular with the crowd. Lotus Eater made it to the encore followed by an unexpected Berlin-era Bowie cover of Heroes with a dash of Weeping Wall by way of intro. Their usual closer Something To Remember Me By finished the evening on a high. The changing line-up has done nothing to dispel the talent of The Horrors; they remain fiercely good at what they do and the quality of their material has never really dipped. Still would have liked to see them rather than just hear them though; limited photos for obvious reasons.

Night Life is available to purchase here

Review by Callum
Photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 25th November 2025

Baxter Dury & Joshua Idehen at Brighton Dome, 21st November 2025

Touring with latest album Allbarone, Baxter Dury sauntered down to the seaside to take over Brighton Dome on Friday night. With the stage presence of a prowling coyote and a now extensive back catalogue of elegantly crafted tunes, Dury is a tough act to open for. However, Joshua Idehen proves more than capable of taking on the role, a showman with a different, but no less engaging, performance approach.

Idehen receives a decent greeting as he arrives on stage but, suggesting that the room can surely make more noise, informs us that he’ll be leaving the stage and when he comes back on we should react as though Dolly Parton has just walked on to sing 9 To 5. It has the desired effect, and he has the crowd in the palm of his hand from thereon in. Asserting that ‘depression cannot hit a moving target’ he instructs everyone to dance and join his refrain of ‘shimmy off’ directed at the ills of the world. Having caught his sets earlier this year at The Great Escape and more recently at Simple Things Festival, we’re happy to recommend a dose of his soulful positivity to anyone who cares to listen.

Joshua Idehen

So onto Baxter Dury, an artist managing to project a sense of disenchantment and disaffection, while simultaneously producing songs that are at times packed with humour and pathos, and at others with reflection and poignancy. Kicking off with Alpha Dog, Hapsburg and I’m Not Your Dog, we get an instant introduction to Allbarone’s tracklist followed by a look back at the excellent Night Chancers album. The set is then littered with tunes old and new; the grimy Miami inevitably getting a huge response (who’d have thought that the line ‘I’m the sausage man’ would induce one of the biggest cheers of the night), but it’s interesting to see new songs Schadenfreude and title track Allbarone receiving equally big reactions and setting the dancing pit wider and with added bounce. It’s always hard to predict how lesser known material will fare, but it seems that Brighton is more than happy to hear it all from Aylesbury Boy (I Thought I Was Better Than You) to Oi (Prince of Tears) and encore inclusion Mr W4 (Allbarone).

Across the years, Dury has developed his own distinct brand of spoken lyrics delivered with ennui and contrasted with haunting backing vocals and pulsing synths; his physical performance taking the character of a misunderstood lounge lizard as he slides and jolts across the stage. He makes what he does look easy but make no mistake, Baxter Dury is a very clever man – that old saying about it taking a lot of effort to look effortless falls pretty close to home here. One last shout out goes to the production team at the Dome – the sound and lighting was absolutely on point. A Friday night well spent.

Baxter Dury

Allbarone is available to purchase here

Review by Callum
Photos © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 24th November 2025

VLURE & someday, sky at The Joiners, Southampton, 10th November 2025

VLURE stopped off at Southampton’s Joiners for the latest leg of their current tour promoting recent album release Escalate with support from someday, sky. There are couple of things here that it’s heartening to see – firstly, in an environment where grassroots venues are shutting down with too much regularity, The Joiners has just been protected from closure by Music Venue Properties’ purchase under its Own Our Venues initiative, supported by Arts Council England. Secondly, we love to see artists continuing their journey on their own terms – VLURE never falter from being 100% authentic, progressive, and focused on doing things their way. The new songs have shifted up several gears and their performance matches this without fail. Bigger things to follow, surely.

Gallery from Monday’s show below

someday, sky

VLURE

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

Published 12th November 2025

The Lovely Eggs & Polite Bureaux at Concorde 2, Brighton, 26th October 2025

Celebrating 20 years of The Lovely Eggs feels like a fine way to spend a Sunday evening, and the Brighton show is packed to the rafters in recognition.

Opening act for the evening Polite Bureaux also have a lot of support in Brighton having spent time based here, and they’re clearly the reason a section of the crowd has arrived early and waited in the rain. Their set is testament to the the value of the grassroots music venues that have hosted them since their inception; their confidence and precision have visibly and audibly risen, and it’s great to see them commanding a bigger stage with a selection of tracks new and old. With spoken-word songs that take no prisoners and hard hitting electro beats, Polite Bureaux paint a picture of the reality of today’s socio-economic landscape while injecting a hint of delicacy and nostalgia. Do go and see them if you get the chance.

Hosted by Love Thy Neighbour

Polite Bureaux

And so to The Lovely Eggs, a duo who have somehow managed to blast through two decades and hang onto their authenticity, creativity and sheer vitality on stage. Holly and David could likely do this with their eyes shut and standing on their heads at this point, but they never give anything less than 100% from start to finish. There is a by now very easy connection between the band and their audience and the splashes of Eggs’ merch being worn by those in attendance is hard to miss, along with tropes of sing-alongs throughout.

With tracks like Introducing Bullshit and People Are Twats, there’s a clever balance between resentment and rage coupled with humour and fun. The same goes for the chats between songs, this time including a three years out of date can of Strongbow, a handmade denim ukulele case, and one more hark back to the Brighton audience of the past that featured someone at the front applying lipstick instead of dancing.

It’s a twenty song setlist which inevitably has to miss lots of tracks from across the years but The Eggs’ fanbase is such that they’ll be happy with whatever is dropped in. Playing a run of well loved independent venues is fitting for their DIY ethos and their trip to Brighton proves to be a warming contrast to the seaside weather, closing song Meeting Friends At Night a pretty good description of what just happened. There are still a few more dates before they take a well earned break – last remaining tickets here.

The Lovely Eggs

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

Published 29th October 2025

Gurriers & Nerves at The Wedgewood Rooms, 23rd October 2025

On a windy night here on the south coast, it’s up to support act Nerves to get things going, and they kick things off nicely with industrious opener Takes a Second. There’s no let up from this point on and the growing crowd are enthralled by what they’re witnessing. Tonight’s 30-minute set draws heavily from the band’s newest release Iarmhaireacht, and they round things off nicely with Leigue taken from 2024’s Glórach. This seven-minute blast of noise is a great parting gift; it’s part Swans, part Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but still uniquely Nerves.

Nerves

Next up, headliners Gurriers hit the stage to a pre-recorded version of Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You before launching into their latest single Erasure. Imagine The Rapture (with less cowbell) meets early Liars and you get somewhere close. Next up we have Dipping Out, which is another propulsive blast of driving post-punk. The song’s repetitive chorus will get stuck in your head for days, and a further read into the song’s lyrics suggest a deeper message worth paying attention to. Things only get better from this point on, and their hour long set flies by quickly. Some personal highlights and worthwhile mentions include Sign Of The Times with its sleazy bassline, as well as Come and See and their most popular track Top Of The Bill. These slower shoegaze songs are well placed in the set and offer the crowd the chance to breathe before the band race into the final three heavy hitters of the night, Approachable, Des Goblin and Nausea. The set is tight, packed with energy and passion, and there is no encore despite there being plenty of time left for a few more songs. But Gurriers have done what they came here to do, and it was a joy to watch.

Gurriers

Photos by Hannah Mesquitta – Instagram
Review by Ryan Howarth

Published 27th October 2025

Long Fling & Solid Pleasure at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 15th October 2025

Lots of buzz around headliners Long Fling and we weren’t to be disappointed. First up though, another reminder of why you get there early to catch the support band. Solid Pleasure bring something different to the current local scene, with a fusion of dark electro, no wave and pure pop that is instantly memorable. Featuring Neave Merrick and Lucy Milani, the tunes are a melting pot of 80s clubland meets goth distortion, all served up in a vat of Eurotrash. It’s safe to say I’ll be going back for more.

Onto the main event and featuring two of Amsterdam’s favourite indie musicians, Long Fling is the latest project from Pip Blom and Willem Smit (Personal Trainer). Both have separately pulled in Brighton crowds on multiple occasions and, unsurprisingly, The Hope & Ruin is packed for their return visit on Wednesday evening. It proves to be a masterclass in shared ownership as the spotlight flits between the duo’s vocals and musicality, the songs often forming a conversation, allowing both to shine. Joined onstage by Tender Blom, Sal Rubinstein and Darek Mercks, the entire band look like they’re having the best time, and the feeling is clearly contagious as the audience is full of smiles and dancing feet.

From the opening gambits of Pig and Mouse House, there’s a synergy that combines their strength and energy, with easy shifts between tempo. Collaborations between different styles don’t always make for a happy mix but this feels pretty easy to digest, and the general fun atmosphere on top gives the room an overall warm fuzzy feeling of contentment. It’s likely that some people will have come along as fans of either Personal Trainer or Pip Blom, and likelier still that they’ll have left with a new name to add to their purchases and playlists.

Long Fling play at YES in Manchester tomorrow and their recently released self-titled album is available here if you want to continue the party.

Hosted by Love Thy Neighbour

Solid Pleasure

Long Fling

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

Published 17th October 2025

Le Lamb, Swallowtail, Veronica & Restless Taxis at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 10th October 2025

If an artist who wasn’t on the bill ever deserved a shout out – this one’s for Kate Bush, without whom I’m not sure that Friday’s extravaganza of talent would ever have happened.

Playing at Brighton’s Hope & Ruin for Hidden Herd’s latest new music showcase, a quartet of acts all shining their own light on proceedings, kicking off with some ethereal shoegaze-psych from London-based Restless Taxis. Alongside the intensity of the music building as the set progresses, some impressive interpretive dance moves give an air of watching a Lynchian video, with the rest of the band totally focused on what they’re playing – a winner with the early crowd for sure.

Restless Taxis

Next up and deserving of the praise I heard from other regulars who’d seen them before, the first of three local acts (via Milan in this case), Veronica and her band almost float onto the stage, hypnotic and whimsical with a sharp edge of strong vocals. Encouraging the crowd to chant ‘one more song’ before their final song adds a sprinkling of humour too.

Veronica

Penultimate act for the evening, Swallowtail have recently undergone a significant (50%) line-up change but look and sound as though they’ve been playing together for significantly longer than is the case. The vocals are lighter and contrast well with the vigour of the music and some forceful drumming. Early days for this version of the band – it will be interesting to see how things develop as newer songs come into play.

Swallowtail

Owning the headline slot, another on point performance from Le Lamb. Their set is fine-tuned, rightfully confident and visually beguiling. Mia’s vocals and sense of theatricality are slick as ever, and the rest of the band ensure that the overall production is flawless. An excellent finale to a really well thought out line-up.

Le Lamb

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

Published 14th October 2025

Richard Hawley, Worthing Assembly Hall, 4th October 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitarist and sharp-witted raconteur Richard Hawley is currently playing a series of special shows, complete with string quartet, celebrating the 20 year anniversary of  his revered album Coles Corner. Veering from some of the more usual big city locations, the run has hit the seaside for a couple of nights, visiting Margate on Friday and Worthing on Saturday, with Weston-Super-Mare to follow at the end of this week.

Set firmly in the shadows of Hawley’s home city Sheffield, the tracks on Coles Corner none the less slot perfectly into the coastal landscape, Worthing Assembly Hall providing a fitting theatre style venue for the acoustics of the classically enhanced full band experience. It’s unsurprisingly a sold out show and although some of the audience have travelled to be there, it’s always a boost to have big-pull artists coming to town instead of staying on the A27 for a few more miles and performing in Brighton.

Diving straight into the album’s impressive tracklist, the melodies of the title track followed by Just Like The Rain and Hotel Room are soon wafting through the room.  Ever the entertainer, Hawley fuses the songs together with tales of his life growing up and how the songs came to be, each splattered with humour and reflection. As he ponders the fact that if The Ocean had as many hits back in the day as it does now on ‘that bastion of fairness’ Spotify, he’d be ‘flying to Lidl in a fucking helicopter’, then starts the track with the smoothest of vocals, it’s a little like listening to a tag-team between John Cooper Clarke and Glen Campbell, and that can only be a good thing. His ability to flit between musical styles is seamless and offers up something for everyone. Always a crowd favourite, Tonight The Streets Are Ours sounds like a mix of the best bits of The Smiths, Phil Spector and The Divine Comedy, and closing track Is There A Pill would sit happily amongst the great crooners of the 60s. A short break before the entourage return to sing the night out with For Your Lover Give Some Time and Heart Of Oak, leaving the crowd still hoping for more despite the 2 hour set. A really quite remarkable performance.

The special re-release of Coles Corner is available here

Words and photos by Callum and Siobhan

Published 5th October 2025

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