Review – Breaking Glass Magazine

Live – The DSM IV | Francis Pig | Jonny Couch | Solid Pleasure at Daltons

August 18, 2026August 18, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

The DSM IV, Francis Pig, Johnny Couch & Solid Pleasure at Daltons, Brighton, 16th August 2026

Sunday night at Daltons brought together four artists for a strong line-up including two of Brighton’s own rising stars. First up, reverb-heavy duo Solid Pleasure were sounding increasingly polished – there’s still plenty of shadowy, off-kilter energy in the mix, but the songs and shows are becoming more and more assured. Meanwhile, Francis Pig delivered another unfiltered, confrontational performance that felt part punk gig, part performance art – impossible to ignore and delightfully unpredictable. Sandwiched between them, New York’s Jonny Couch and his band brought a dose of indie rock across the Atlantic, before headliners The DSM IV rounded things off with killer hooks, a set packed with catchy riffs, infectious energy and a playful sense of chaos. While there’s plenty of fun to be had at their shows, underneath it all are some seriously accomplished musicians.

And then there’s Daltons itself. One of Brighton’s newer venues, it already feels like a place that understands what a good music space should be: welcoming, inclusive and somewhere people can simply be themselves. The staff are lovely, the atmosphere is relaxed and there’s a genuine sense of community around the place. At a time when grassroots venues are continuing to close down, it’s brilliant to see somewhere like this springing up and creating space for artists, audiences and a little bit of glorious musical subversion.

Solid Pleasure

Jonny Couch

Francis Pig

The DSM IV

Photos ©️ Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 18th August, 2026

Live at Borde Hill Summer Series – Nile Rodgers & CHIC

August 15, 2026August 15, 2026Posted in Event Gallery, Live Music, Review

Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Borde Hill Summer Series, 13th August 2026

There are worse places to spend the hottest day of the year than Borde Hill. The huge Haywards Heath estate, with vast gardens and open skies, made a pretty spectacular setting for the first event in their Summer Series – and Nile Rodgers & CHIC wasted absolutely no time getting the party started.

With picnickers out in full force, a ten-minute warning was issued to pack away the blankets and clear some space for dancing. And it didn’t take long for that to become a reality as the first song up was trademark CHIC track Le Freak.

From there, we went on a whistle-stop tour through some of the most recognisable pop, disco and funk of the last 50 years. CHIC classics rubbed shoulders with numbers Nile wrote or produced for the likes of Sister Sledge, David Bowie, Madonna, Beyoncé, Duran Duran and Diana Ross. The set was packed with songs that seem to exist somewhere in everyone’s musical memory, with the crowd singing along word for word.

The band was seriously impressive too, absolutely nailing everything thrown at them. There was no shortage of big moments, but Bowie’s Let’s Dance was probably the biggest singalong/dancealong of the evening — an instantly recognisable 80’s classic that still sounds ridiculously good blasting out on a summer’s night.

There was a more emotional moment when Nile dedicated the Sister Sledge track I’m Thinking Of You to his late CHIC collaborator Bernard Edwards. It was a beautiful tribute, and he seemed genuinely choked as he spoke about his old friend and musical partner. A reminder that beneath all the glitterballs, grooves and seemingly endless hits, there’s a lot of history behind this music.

And then there’s Nile Rodgers himself. Still an effortlessly entertaining performer, he spends plenty of time interacting with the crowd, and clearly hasn’t lost any love for what he does. Watching him lead thousands of people through songs that have soundtracked decades of their lives feels less like a nostalgia trip and more like a celebration of just how deeply his music has embedded itself in popular culture. From the disco explosion of the 70s through pop/dance royalty, R&B and beyond, Nile has played a hand in an extraordinary amount of music — and his influence is very much alive and well today (thankfully).

Great surroundings, a hugely talented band, an enormous catalogue of songs everyone knows by heart, and a performer who still looks like he’s having a brilliant time doing it – for the initial night of Borde Hill’s Summer Series, it was pretty much an ideal start.

Catching Nile on one of his upcoming dates? Enjoy yourself (you will) and do not turn up without your dancing shoes.

Photos ©️ Siobhan
Review by Callum

Published 15th August 2026

Live – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds + Special Guests, Preston Park

August 1, 2026August 1, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Flaming Lips, English Teacher, Cate Le Bon & Warmduscher at Preston Park, Brighton, 31st July 2026

It’s the date that’s been on everyone’s calendar in Brighton since it was announced last year. He may have come and gone from the city but Nick Cave will always hold a special place here. Playing with The Bad Seeds last night at Preston Park, the absolute musical understanding between each one of them on the stage was in no doubt, and the huge crowd was in for a treat on an equally huge scale.

But first, a select group of artists invited along to kick things off for this all-day extravaganza.

Always a clever addition to any line up, Warmduscher started things off for the early attendees with their fusion of dirty basslines and disco beats. Few contemporary bands can blur those juxtapositions so well.

Warmduscher (photos by Mike Burnell)

Next, a switch in tempo as Cate Le Bon joined the party. Creating songs that flit between art rock and avant garde folk, her vocal is clear and distinctive, and carried well across the length of the park. Another smart booking.

Cate Le Bon photos by (Mike Burnell)

The last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for English Teacher, who were next to perform. Winning the 2024 Mercury Prize instantly elevated the band from cult favourites to one of the UK’s most celebrated new guitar acts. Rather than slowing down, English Teacher have continued to build on that momentum. The band spent 2025 touring extensively across the UK, Europe and North America, picking up further recognition with a BRIT Award nomination and a place in the BBC’s Sound of 2025 poll. None the less, this is, as vocalist Lily points out, “the biggest stage we’ve ever played on” and they filled it with ease.

English Teacher (photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll)

The penultimate act before the headliner came in the shape of the inflatable-wielding Flaming Lips. Known for putting on a show driven as much by spectacle as by music, with oversized beach balls, confetti cannons and a riot of colourful props, frontman Wayne Coyne was as always the ringmaster of organised chaos. Bounding across the stage with endless enthusiasm, he encouraged the crowd to embrace the absurdity, transforming the performance into a celebration for all.

The Flaming Lips (photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll)

And so to the main attraction – Nick Cave has been a stalwart of the music scene for decades, revered at high level by a multitude of ages and backgrounds. He has met some perfect matches across the years and his fellow musicians in The Bad Seeds are without question one such complementary body. They played together with confidence, gentleness and potency as required and kept the audience in the palm of their (red right) hands from start to finish. Kicking off with Get Ready for Love, Nick Cave was surely the only person in the heatwave decked out in a black suit, shirt and tie, but I guess you wouldn’t expect anything less.

We were treated to a stack of favourite tracks including The Mercy Seat, The Weeping Song, Jubilee Street and Wide Lovely Eyes – the latter dedicated to his wife Susie and accompanied by a reference to Brighton Beach, “the Kemptown end”. And for good measure, a guest appearance from Kylie Minogue to duet on the beautiful Where the Wild Roses Grow.

His forays into the crowd and their adoring response for his imploring calls to join in are not a million miles away from feeling like a mass religious experience, highlighted by the congregational singalong word for word to a simple piano-backed rendition of Into My Arms to close the evening. A memorable ending to a memorable day, very much well worth the wait.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (photos by Mike Burnell)

Photos – please note these must not be reproduced without permission:

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Cate Le Bon, Warmduscher © Mike Burnell iso400.com | Instagram: iso400mike | X: iso400photo

The Flaming Lips, English Teacher © Siobhan 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Review by Callum & Siobhan

Hosted by Joy Concerts

Published 1st August 2026

Festival Review – Latitude 2026

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026Posted in Event Gallery, Festival, Live Music, Review

Latitude Festival, Suffolk, 23rd – 26th July 2026

For the major part of this year’s Latitude, Henham Park was bathed in relentless, baking sunshine, while the line-up proved every bit as hot as the weather. With world-class performances, hidden woodland gems and a summer party atmosphere, Latitude once again reminded everyone why it remains one of the UK’s most distinctive festivals.

On the main Obelisk Arena stage, Friday belonged to David Byrne. The former Talking Heads frontman delivered a masterclass in live performance, his trademark choreography as sharp and inventive as ever, perfectly complementing a set packed with classics. Psycho Killer and And She Was were suitably infectious, while a beautifully delivered Heaven provided another special moment.

Saturday saw Billy Ocean draw one of the biggest and happiest crowds of the weekend. From the opening notes, it became one giant singalong as everyone on and off stage belted out timeless hits including Red Light Spells Danger and Suddenly. It was a reminder that great songs transcend generations, with festival-goers of every age joining in from start to finish.

But Latitude’s magic has always extended far beyond its headline stages. One of the most enchanting performances came from Jacob Alon, whose set on the picturesque Waterfront Stage, surrounded by the festival’s famous lake complete with gondola weaving up and down, felt almost surreal. Alon’s music blends folk, indie and alternative influences, with a distinctive falsetto voice that has made them one of Scotland’s most acclaimed emerging artists.

Speaking of acclaimed Scottish artists, deep in the woods, there was more mastery from north of the border. The Sunrise Arena was bursting at the seams as VLURE crammed the tent, their intoxicating blend of searing electronic dance beats, visceral energy and sheer intensity creating surely one of the most exhilarating sets of the weekend, leaving many wondering why they weren’t playing an even bigger stage.

Meanwhile, over at The Listening Post, Dr John Cooper Clarke demonstrated exactly why he remains one of the UK’s finest performance poets. Slick, razor-sharp and effortlessly funny, his established deadpan delivery had audiences hanging on every word before erupting into laughter.

Elsewhere across the weekend, the depth of Latitude’s line-up ensured there was always something worth discovering. Indie favourites The Last Dinner Party drew a huge audience with their theatrical flair, while Tom Grennan brought crowd-pleasing anthems. Dry Cleaning’s art-rock cool provided a striking contrast to the more mainstream acts, and Jalen Ngonda’s soulful performance was another standout. New to the table, the many members and dancers with Biird had lots of people talking about them – it will be interesting to see how things progress with their traditional with a twist offering.

Sunday brought a little cloud and the odd light shower, offering a welcome respite from the heat rather than dampening the festival spirit (not sure we’ve ever heard people actively hoping for rain at a festival before!), and provided a fitting finale to Latitude’s 20th anniversary celebrations with Lewis Capaldi, Self Esteem, The Undertones, Flaming Lips and Saint Etienne amongst others.

Away from the music, Latitude excels in creating a festival experience that feels welcoming rather than overwhelming. The host of independent food traders once again offered an impressive range of high-quality options, catering for every taste without relying on the predictable festival staples. The site itself was remarkably clean and tidy throughout, no small achievement given the crowds and the dust infused weather.

Thanks to everyone involved for a great few days.

Latitude Festival – sponsored by Klarna

Review and photos by Callum and Siobhan

Published 30th July 2026

Live at On The Beach 2026 – Madness

July 25, 2026July 27, 2026Posted in Event Gallery, Festival, Live Music, Review

Madness at On The Beach Festival, Brighton, 23rd July 2026

Brighton’s On The Beach Festival in fusion with Camden’s nutty boys, Madness, brought two sold out nights of Madrophenia to the seaside last week. Sunshine, bold staging, much dancing and a setlist full of classics made for a most enjoyable summer’s evening. Before the main event, some inspired support acts graced the stage – Thursday saw The Selecter, The Blockheads, Craig Charles, The Beatles Dub Club and Henry WP warm the crowd up throughout the day.

The Selecter

There really couldn’t have been a better setting for Madness than Brighton Beach. With the sea as a backdrop and thousands of fans packed onto the seafront, Madrophenia felt like a huge celebration of one of Britain’s most-loved acts.

From the opening notes of One Step Beyond, they delivered hit after hit, from Our House to Baggy Trousers via Bed and Breakfast Man and Mr Apples along the way. And no Madness show would be complete without a serving of their trademark humour and anecdotes, Suggs noted “the problems we’re having with boats” having spotted a small flotilla that had anchored just offshore to enjoy the concert for free, adding that someone should get out there and charge them a fiver each. There was also a light-hearted dig at Brighton & Hove Council for trying to take over Peacehaven, which resonated with the locals – particularly those from the outskirts of the city. Then a change of mood as Suggs beckoned everyone to sing the chorus of It Must Be Love back to him, highlighting the emotional connection between the band, their songs and their fan base.

Watching the sun go down over Brighton while surrounded by a sea of fans dancing, singing and having heaps of fun created a brilliant festival atmosphere, with the audience littered with fezzes and pork pie hats. This wasn’t just a concert; it felt like one giant party, with the crowd bouncing from start to finish, closing with fan favourite Night Bost to Cairo.

Madrophenia delivered everything the band’s long-standing and newer fans could have hoped for with the blend of classic tunes and camaraderie that Madness provide, proving that more than four decades on, they’re still one of the best live acts in the UK.

Madness

Review & Photos by Callum & Siobhan

Published 25th July 2026

Live – Solid Pleasure | Formal Sppeedwear | Polite Bureaux | Tasska | Jawdropped at Alt Festival Shows

May 20, 2026July 5, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Jawdropped, Tasska, Polite Bureaux, Formal Sppeedwear & Solid Pleasure, Brighton 14th-15th May 2026

Whilst The Great Escape takes place, there are always a huge number of shows running in alternative venues across Brighton. To be honest, if you only attended those, you’d still have been spoilt for choice. As we were covering the main event, I didn’t have time for too many but managed to still catch a few of the best on offer…

Jawdropped at The Hope & Ruin

Visiting from LA, Jawdropped were part of this year’s No Friends in the Industry event, which has become a popular annual feature hosted by Love Thy Neighbour. Finding its home downstairs at The Hope & Ruin, the bar area is the perfect spot for an informal but busy showcase of local and touring acts. The four-piece, who have recently joined the Transgressive roster, pulled in a decent crowd and impressed with their fuzzy power-pop songs. Dual vocals and the indie essential tambourine brought upbeat tunes that reminded me a little of Martha, and that’s no bad thing.

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Tasska at The Pink Moon

Always nice to check out what Strong Island Recordings are bringing to the alt shows; this year one of their collabs was with Miohmi Records upstairs at The Pink Moon – a good space though apparently later in the week numbers had to be cut as the ceiling below was bowing! Brighton locals Tasska gave a polished performance of guitar-driven indie folk that had the crowd dancing. Easy listening and a clearly strong connection between the trio.

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Polite Bureaux at Alphabet

Onto three acts brought to us by Slack City. Alas no longer Brighton based after returning to Bradford but still with a loyal fanbase here, Polite Bureaux’s set at Alphabet gave another opportunity to hear their socially aware musings. The second recent outing with Jo playing solo and honestly, it works so well, allowing the freedom to take over the whole stage and adding potency to the visual impact. The increased confidence is absolutely justified and there are some beautiful tracks in there amidst the frenzied forcefulness of the performance. Queues outside as the room was full? Well deserved.

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Formal Sppeedwear at Alphabet

With rhythm sections reminiscent of Talking Heads and jagged layers running throughout their songs, Stoke-on-Trent’s Formal Sppeedwear are stealthily making a name for themselves and definitely seem to be upping their game. Artsy and veering into experimental, their sound forms a cohesive blend of multiple elements. Expect bigger things.

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Solid Pleasure at Alphabet

Last show of the week for me with Solid Pleasure’s electro darkwave transforming Alphabet into underground clubland. The venue proved to be an impeccable sparring partner with its theatrical history and dimmed lighting, and the duo continue to polish their live shows with the swell of vocals drenched in reverb, and the introduction of occasional acidy synth hits, saving the purer dance tracks for the latter part of the set. Pretty perfect way to end 3 days of live music.

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Review and photos by Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 20th May 2026

Festival Review – The Great Escape 2026

May 18, 2026June 15, 2026Posted in Event Gallery, Festival, Live Music, Review

The Great Escape, multi-venue across Brighton, 13th – 16th May 2026

Largely blessed with sunshine despite forecasts of rain all week, this year’s Great Escape pulled off another masterclass in programming a massive event over the duration of the four-day festival’s 20th anniversary. Hundreds of artists from around the world, an abundance of venues, and music from all genres offered up something for everyone. True to its tagline The Festival for New Music, there was plenty to explore and some new favourite acts to discover in every corner.

We started Wednesday evening with the range of local talent being promoted on the BBC Introducing stage at Concorde 2; Winter Gardens up first. The band seem to continually refine their fusion of gothic shoegaze, and manage to create the same ambience whatever size stage they’re on. It was a solid start to proceedings and we stayed on for the next act, Gilska, who blended alt-pop with modulated synth breaks with ease.

top: Winter Gardens, bottom: Gilska

Time for a quick wander along the seafront to check out the layout for The Beach stages – and just in time because as we were leaving the area was already operating a one-out one-in policy, largely down to the huge queues for the Canadian disguised duo of Angine de Poitrine. We were headed to a packed Daltons for a hip hop – grime – metal mash up perfectly executed by Native James, who somehow got a circle pit going where there surely wasn’t enough room to do so!

Native James

The draw back to Concorde was driven by Lemonsuckr, definitely on the must-see list for a lot of festival-goers, this seemed like our best chance of catching them as their other pending sets were in much smaller venues. Despite the hype, they didn’t disappoint, with an immersive show from the outset. The formula is well established by the likes of Deadletter and Gurriers, but the five-piece manage to add a quirky confidence-filled touch that elevates their spiky post-punk offering into something fresh. It won’t be a surprise to see them taking on bigger headline slots over the coming year.

Lemonsuckr

Onto fuller days and a wonderfully impressive performance to kick off Thursday from Aimée Fatale on The Beach Soundwaves stage, with echoes of Dusty Springfield / Nancy Sinatra and a strong 60s’ vibe and styling. It’s clear from her online fanbase that Aimée is grabbing attention for all the right reasons – her delivery is smooth, her songs are well put together, and there’s a speakeasy atmosphere to boot. Final song, The Way It Is, is something quite special. Will see again.

Aimée Fatale

A couple more acts at The Beach before heading into the city – Marina Josephina caused us to stop off at The Jetty stage to take a listen to her jazz-tinged vocals, then back to Soundwaves for a switch up to some indie rock tunes from Ireland’s Black Nylon. And all of this before lunch…

top: Marina Josephina, bottom: Black Nylon

The afternoon took in a trip to the Canada House showcase. Micah Sage gave us some fine alt-pop along with a ‘Favourite Ex-Girlfriend’ sash presented to – well, her favourite ex-girlfriend. Following on, Featurette turned up the volume and turned down the lights for jagged electronics overlaid with powerful vocals. An impressive mix of different styles and genres, which continued the next day with an energetic and engaging set from Vera Daisies, nodding towards indie/grunge but also adding in some lighter elements and interesting attempts at bi-lingual conversations by the crowd – let’s just say her English was better than their French!

top left: Micah Sage, top right: Featurette, bottom: Vera Daisies

The evening saw some big queues joining up between neighbouring venues at Waterbear Music Bar for Walt Disco, followed by Pigeon at Charles St Tap. For those lucky enough to make it inside, Walt Disco in their latest evolution were beset with technical issues which ultimately cut their set short. However, the songs they managed to squeeze in were well received, with latest single Coup de Foudre probably getting the biggest reaction. To say there was a queue for Pigeon is something of an understatement as, where the pavement ran out on one side, there was actually a second line formed across the road. Missing the first 10 minutes of their slot didn’t take away from the quality of what came next. Bags of energy and clap-alongs ensued, their afro-funk beats grabbing the crowd by the hand and insisting it danced along. One of the stand out shows of the week for sure.

Walt Disco

Pigeon

Over at Patterns, Annie-Claude Deschênes was making the most of the club speakers for her dystopian disco party. Whilst a chunk of the crowd may not really have known what to expect, the whole room seemed to be having a good time, resulting in the only stage invasion we witnessed.

Back at Charles St Tap, The Orielles packed the venue. Still with their original line-up, they don’t look old enough to have been around as long as they have but, given they were barely into their teens when they formed that does add up. While they’ve overhauled their sound and it’s definitely less poppy than before, it’s good to see them still in their element and as in sync as ever. Another artist who hit success in their teens, Australia’s Ruel is now one of their biggest names in pop and proved popular with the late night crowd at Brighthelm.

Ruel

Some highlights from the seafront venues on Friday included the long walk down the pier to Horatio’s to catch Marsy’s mix of indie-folk songs. Their music was easily enjoyable and entwined with pop sensibilities and delicate melodies. They were followed by Y, fusing together different genres and previous band influences. Complete with shades and an air of intentional chaos, ‘experimental’ is clearly high in their vocabulary.

Always good to finish up with some thumping electronic beats; veering almost to trip-hop in their newer material, PVA have been stalwarts of the dance/rave scene for the best part of 10 years now and seem comfortable in their skins as festival-pleasers. Certainly regulars on the Brighton events calendar, it’s fitting to have them here this week.

So there we have it, another year done and dusted, a hive of activity all across the city, lots of connections made, and a plethora of new music names introduced to us and many others. We’ll be checking in with some of the artists we saw at TGE over the coming months, so keep an eye out for that…

You can find photos from Peaches’ spotlight show at TGE by Mike Burnell here

Limited super early bird tickets for next year’s Great Escape are available now on this link

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

Published 18th May 2026

Live – Bloodworm at Green Door Store

May 9, 2026June 15, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Bloodworm at Green Door Store, Brighton, 7th May 2026

Word is spreading about Bloodworm, and rightly so. Having recently been handpicked to tour with Suede, the trio are currently out on their own headline shows around the UK. On Thursday, they took a trip to the coast and impressed the Brighton crowd in style. From the opening notes, their set showed a formidable cohesion of sound. With reminiscence of the heady days of 70s/80s goth and alt-punk scenes, their songs have clear shots of the likes of Bauhaus and The Chameleons topped with their own modern day twist.

The quality never dipped; it’s clear that their art is well practised and real, and it will be interesting to see how things shift over the next year or so. It feels like Nottingham may be sharing one of its finest acts with a whole lot more people to come very soon. Check out the band’s recently released EP Blood & Lust for some premium angst with atmosphere that makes the darkness a little brighter.

(Bonus points for having The Fall’s Totally Wired as the walk on track).

Setlist: The Crown, Depths, Back Of A Hand, Nothing, Alone In Your Garden, 100 Lifetimes, Jangle, The Ground, No Face, Bloodlust, Cemetery Dance, Clairvoyance

Review & Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 9th May 2026

Live – White Magic For Lovers | Catrin Vincent | Platonica Erotica | Charlie Keen’s Silver Birch at The Hope & Ruin

April 28, 2026April 28, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

White Magic For Lovers, Catrin Vincent, Platonica Erotica & Charlie Keen’s Silver Birch at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 24th April 2026

Hosted by Hidden Herd

A night filled with ambience and alt-folk waves as a well matched collection of artists graced the stage at The Hope & Ruin on Friday night. First up, Charlie Keen’s Silver Birch took the ancient art of the ‘one-man band’ in a new direction. Not often that a trombone makes an appearance at gigs and nice to see it taking the spotlight here, sharing duties with a synth and another rarely spotted device in the shape of a Shruti Box. A very cool way to begin, with the room quickly starting to fill up throughout the set.

Charlie Keen’s Silver Birch

Some dark, dreamy and delicate tunes next from Platonica Erotica, offering up elfin dance moves with a languid performance evocative of a 1940’s underground jazz club. Simple but effective, proving that sometimes less fuss does indeed reap more flavour.

Platonica Erotica

Another accomplished solo set to follow from Catrin Vincent. Love to see the confidence to wait for people to stop talking before embarking on the first song, and it was with good reason that the chatting didn’t rekindle other than between tracks, when tales of being stuck on a boat and past band adventures with Another Sky were shared. The purest of vocals kept the crowd enthralled; an impressive delivery start to finish.

Catrin Vincent

Headliners for the night were White Magic For Lovers, creating an intimate staging of their laid-back lounge sound, incorporating velvety sax and lithe flute lines. A masterclass in sophisticated restraint, their playing felt effortless – the perfect conclusion to end proceedings.

White Magic For Lovers

Review & Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 28th April 2026

Festival Review – Homegrown 2026

April 13, 2026April 13, 2026Posted in Event Gallery, Festival, Live Music, Review

Homegrown Festival, multi-venue across Brighton, 11th April 2026

Back for its third year to celebrate Brighton’s thriving grassroots artists, venues and community, Homegrown Festival took in 9 of the city’s favourite live rooms and offered up an eclectic mix of talent to choose from. With busy queuing for wristbands and the threat of rain, it was a trepidatious start that quickly picked up pace as the music kicked off.

First on my list were SoftTop at Daltons – their ‘soft music for soft people’ was the perfect way to start the day and proved enough to bring the sunshine out as well. A multitude of not seen often enough instruments including clarinet, cello and flute filled the stage, with understated melodies still managing to pack a punch. Shout out to Daltons too – a venue putting heaps of effort into building a welcoming space for everyone.

SoftTop

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Next, onto what feels like my home from home at The Hope & Ruin. Lots of buzz around My Precious Bunny, the new project by Lily from Penelope Isles and friends. Playing as a 7-piece, the camaraderie between band members was crystal clear and they sounded on point – a suitably dreamy and nostalgia-filled addition to the Bella Union roster. Their debut album A Moment In My Eyes is out next month with more dates pending if you want to check them out.

My Precious Bunny

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I stuck around at The Hope to catch The Daniel Wakeford Experience, a charming and enjoyable set filled with some cleverly formed rock-pop songs. Lots of singalongs from the crowd, unsurprisingly perhaps for his tribute to Brighton, Wonderful City. A stripped back cover of Jealous Guy was the highlight for me and I’d guess for the many swaying hands in the air too.

The Daniel Wakeford Experience

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Onto another new venue that is a welcome addition to the local scene – Alphabet is situated in what was the Rialto Theatre and the decor has retained an appropriately retro Speakeasy feel. On stage, Cowboy Lyf played electronic beats through a sea of dried ice and dimmed lights, creating pockets of clubland dancers in the crowd – impressive for an early evening set.

Cowboy Lyf

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Back up the road to The Albert for, as expected, an accomplished performance of gritty grunge-pop and fake blood from Girl Apocrypha, a happy late inclusion on the line-up. Including a guest book for everyone to sign and a cover of MGMT’s Kids, beneath the visual gimmickry there are some strong songs and vocals, and this act feels very much like a contender for the ‘ones to watch’ list.

Girl Apocrypha

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Although there was much more music continuing into the night, the final visit for me was to Green Door to see AtticOmatic, a band whose musicianship is right up there and who manage to genre-hop seamlessly. Their skills are downplayed but obvious, and they manage to convey a solid sense of emotional questioning and balance. It would have been a tough act to follow and finished things off flawlessly.

AtticOmatic

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A reminder of the diverse talent and nurturing environment Brighton has to offer, Homegrown put on a formidable showcase. Please support grassroots venues – the world of music would be significantly lesser without them and the breakthrough artists they foster.

Review & Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 13th April 2026

Live – Bibi Club | Solid Pleasure | Hi? at The Prince Albert

April 9, 2026April 9, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Bibi Club, Solid Pleasure & Hi? at The Prince Albert, Brighton, 7th April 2026

Hosted by Love Thy Neighbour

Hi?

Having met 2/3 of Hi? at multiple gigs in Brighton, it was a pleasure to finally catch them live, opening up at The Albert on Tuesday night. Drawing from noticeable influences including The Cocteau Twins and Wire, their set included a mix of jagged and ethereally delicate vocals, layered with hints of psychedelia and dream-pop. Their EP days of sunshine and seashells, released towards the end of last year, is aptly titled to reflect their sound and the sense of nostalgia and harmony that the songs bring.

Solid Pleasure

Consistently perfecting their own brand of darkened synthwave sprinkled with a beautifully transient deep to falsetto vocal range, Solid Pleasure are firmly digging their heels into the heart of Brighton’s live music circuit. Always an inspired addition to any line-up, 2026 looks like a promising year for the two-piece with hopefully many more live dates to come. If you could place Solid Pleasure into a TV show, they’d be playing Lynch’s Red Room in Twin Peaks, and ultimately who doesn’t want to be in Cooper’s dreams?

Bibi Club

Headliners Bibi Club were new to me and many others I spoke to, so it’s fair to say that the huge reaction they received was spontaneous approval – understandable given the Montreal-based duo’s performance; their energy fuelled dancing and futuristic projections both visually entrancing. I’m sure it’s been said before but there’s a definite parallel with Stereolab’s Dots and Loops era, and a real connection between the two as they seem to play off each other with absolute synchronicity. An excellent end to the evening.

Review & Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 9th April 2026

Live – Shtëpi | Kitchen Lover | CHITCHAT | Nagasaki Dog at the Hope & Ruin

April 3, 2026April 3, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Shtëpi, Kitchen Lover, CHITCHAT & Nagasaki Dog at the Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 1st April 2026

Volume up to the max for Wednesday’s latest showcase from Hidden Herd at the Hope & Ruin, with four acts giving animated performances over the course of the night.

First on, and with bonus points for a Cribs T-shirt, Nagasaki Dog got things off to a lively start with some sharp indie guitar hooks. Following close behind, a solid mix of heavier riffs and softer melodies from alt-rock ensemble CHITCHAT. Bringing their own sparkly floor covering (as you would), Kitchen Lover opted for the well established tradition of head banging and a mosh pit – kudos to the crowd for maintaining this throughout their set.

Finally to Shtëpi and the dilemma of how best to describe them – art punk maybe? Stacked instrumentation including a telephone and a tambourine against guitar, bass, drums and keys will give you an idea of the set up and energy involved. A great night, April Fool if you weren’t there.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Nagasaki Dog

CHITCHAT

Kitchen Lover

Shtëpi

Photos by Siobhan – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 3rd April 2026

Live – The Cribs at Concorde 2

March 29, 2026March 30, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

The Cribs at Concorde 2, Brighton, 27th March 2026

Storming into the first of a two-night run at Brighton’s Concorde 2, The Cribs were back with new songs, great jackets and a light show worthy of the brightest fairground in town.

With a set spanning their whole career but not just reliant on the big singles, there was lots to enjoy – good to hear the likes of City of Bugs and Direction making an appearance and, after kicking things off with their latest album Selling A Vibe’s opening track Dark Luck, they went straight into classic tracks I’m A Realist and Hey Scenesters!

The band of brothers have a deservedly loyal fanbase and their live shows have always been an integral part of building that community. Despite their 25 years playing together, they’re still as good to watch as ever and seem completely comfortable in their own skin, doing their own thing. The stage size and layout offered a welcome opportunity to see Ross nearer to the front of proceedings, with Gary and Ryan criss-crossing the rest of the space.

Selling A Vibe (released in January) is a confident and cohesive piece of work that reflects their standing and longevity; their authenticity and family chemistry ever apparent as noted in Brothers Don’t Break (‘but we’ll keep it from an honest place and the brothers won’t ever break’).

They’re great storytellers between songs too, not just in their lyrics. With a nod to the hosting seaside city, Gary recalled having a bit of an existential crisis at the end of the New Fellas campaign and coming down to Brighton for the week, resulting in the writing of a track now synonymous with the band in Be Safe.

To close, a big final three songs in Men’s Needs, Mirror Kissers and Pink Snow sent the crowd home more than happy and safe in the knowledge that their loyalty was a sound investment. At this stage, The Cribs have nothing to prove but still work harder than most – always a pleasure, never a disappointment, roll on the next time.

Selling A Vibe is available to purchase here

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

Published 29th March 2026

Live – Whitelands | Helen Ganya | Alphabet at The Hope & Ruin

March 27, 2026April 5, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Whitelands, Helen Ganya & Alphabet at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 25th March 2026

A busy live room at The Hope & Ruin with four acts taking the stage. Due to other commitments I missed openers Dirtsharks but heard good things about their set from friends. So first up for me were Alphabet, a London based 4-piece with previous links to Brighton, their dual vocals and melancholic soundscape reminiscent of Disintegration-era The Cure. A fitting scene-setter for what was yet to come.

Next, an artist I haven’t seen before – Helen Ganya brought a sweet sense of calm, dipping into her Thai heritage to include a collection of hypnotic tracks with stories to add flavour. Sonically, the trio of musicians gave an intricate performance with vocals that had notes of Kate Bush but remained clearly a very personal offering. It’s hard to capture in words so take a listen and enjoy it for yourself.

Following the recent release of their album Sunlight Echoes, headliners Whitelands shared some of their beautifully crafted new songs with the sold out crowd on Wednesday. I am No God, an Effigy and Golden Daze made a big impression, showcasing the subtly different shades of shoegaze, melodic and layered with dreampop guitar riffs. Back at The Great Escape in 2023, I saw Whitelands play an accomplished set at The Paganini Ballroom championed by Steve Lamacq; they impressed then and even more so now – great album, great set.

Alphabet

Helen Ganya

Whitelands

Review and Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 27th March 2026

Live – Polite Bureaux | Table Football at Green Door Store

March 24, 2026March 24, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Polite Bureaux & Table Football at Green Door Store, Brighton, 21st March 2026

Hitting home that Brighton’s loss is Bradford’s gain, Polite Bureaux were back in town at the weekend delivering a vibrant and forceful performance at Green Door. I’ve seen them play with multiple live line-ups and this time it was just Joe and Maya on stage which worked perfectly with the venue size. A lot of local support built during their time in Brighton was evident from the packed room, and brilliant to see how their ever-growing catalogue of songs has developed to include poignantly reflective tracks alongside the more forthright confrontations. With Broke Biscuits, Bodyrocker, Bradford and Dyslexic Cycling Proficiency all in the mix, it was a treat of a set – they’ll be welcome back any time.

Strong support too from Table Football, giving a really confident show and definitely putting themselves on people’s radar as ones to watch. Gallery from both sets below.

Table Football

Polite Bureaux

Review and Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 24th March 2026

Live – Ashnymph | Francis Pig | Solid Pleasure at The Rossi Bar

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Ashnymph, Francis Pig & Solid Pleasure at The Rossi Bar, Brighton, 19th March 2026

A night full of underground electronica and art-punk as The Rossi Bar was filled with three acts all making waves on the local scene.

Only a few months since we first caught darkwave duo Solid Pleasure and already it’s clear to see the progression in their live performance. The layered synths sit sweetly alongside the reverb splattered vocals which dip into echoes of The Cramps, The Associates and The Sisters of Mercy in turn. We remain suitably impressed.

Solid Pleasure

Next up, Francis Pig are equally fond of pushing their performance forward with much crowd interaction and floor writhing in place. Channeling The Slits and The Mary Chain, their catalogue of confrontational avant garde tracks is reaching the stage of audience singalongs, and they have the makings of a little army of regular fans visible at their shows. Another impressive set.

Francis Pig

Headlining the evening, Ashnymph drew the crowd back from the bar for more synths married with drums and guitar. A little reminiscent of Scaler but with more light and shade, they provided a solid end to the line-up curated by Hidden Herd and Parallel Lines.

The next Hidden Herd show is this week on 25th March at The Hope & Ruin with another great bill featuring Whitelands, Helen Ganya, Alphabet and Dirtsharks – limited tickets here.

Ashnymph

Review and Photos by Siobhan O’Driscoll – 16beasleystphotography.com | Instagram: 16beasleyst

Published 23rd March 2026

Live – Franz Ferdinand at Brighton Dome

March 6, 2026March 6, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Franz Ferdinand at Brighton Dome, 4th March 2026

Following the release of their sixth studio album The Human Fear last year, Franz Ferdinand are touring across the UK and Europe and still deservedly pulling in big crowds. It’s a reflection of their back catalogue and continuous progress that there were three, maybe four, generations gathered at Brighton Dome to see them play, each of which were contentedly singing along to the songs old and new.

The band have somehow managed to retain that tricky combination of cool artsy attitude mixed with absolutely belting tunes. Not withstanding their mountainous debut Take Me Out which clearly remains a firm fan favourite amongst the whole venue, they’ve amassed so many instantly recognisable songs that many of us would probably choose something different to place at the top of our wish-list. Aside of the absence of tracks from Always Ascending, there was something from every album on the set list tonight so odds of hearing your favoured era were high; the show kicking off with the scholastic romance of Dark of the Matinee followed by the contemplative regret of Walk Away. With tracks from the latest album including Audacious and a hugely well received Hooked, a selection of past hits also found their way into the party encompassing No You Girls, Jacqueline, Darts of Pleasure and the now standard final showcase of the mighty This Fire.

A hefty light show covered minimal stage design which was worked to the max. It’s apparent that the newest line-up have played together consistently, as they sync like a well oiled machine kicking out tunes that will inevitably be stuck in your head the next day.

Ultimately, and in contrast to the old adage, Franz Ferdinand’s songs are both big and clever. A pleasure to hear them live – get along to one of the shows if you have the chance.

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

Published 6th March 2026

Live – The Youth Play | The Slow Country | HIGHDRIVE | Batmilk at The Hope & Ruin

March 2, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

The Youth Play, The Slow Country, HIGHDRIVE & Batmilk at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 26th February 2026

Last week’s Hidden Herd event brought us music from Brighton and London (via Manchester) with an intricate blend of genres and influences. Openers for the evening were relatively new local outfit Batmilk; with the softest of vocals in play it was good to note the lack of chatter in an already pretty busy crowd. The music was complemented by audio of bat calls and night flights. With a smattering of shows already under their belts, it will be interesting to see how Batmilk progress when they inevitably spread their wings and head out to play on the wider circuit.

Another Brighton band followed – HIGHDRIVE clearly taking their lead from the grunge and shoegaze scene of the 90s, mixing fuzzy guitars with textural vocals and varying shades of light and dark. With a couple of singles in hand and making their mark on the live scene, it’s looking like 2026 may well be a busy year for the 5-piece.

As The Slow Country set up on stage there was only just room for all 7 members and their plethora of instruments. Whichever vintage shop they’d been to, there were some impressive wardrobe pieces on display – a throwback to the kitsch of the 70s mirrored in some of their setlist. However, things switched up throughout their catalogue of songs with forays into alt-folk edged with glam, multi-lead vocals and instrument switches keeping everyone on their toes.

Headliners for the night, The Youth Play managed to serve up a performance that felt raw and accomplished at the same time. Post-punk with hints of shoegaze probably covers it best, but it feels as though the band are evolving their sound as they go and will definitely be worth keeping an eye on as they push forward. A solid end to proceedings and good to see the venue so busy – pictures below.

Hosted by Hidden Herd

Batmilk

HIGHDRIVE

The Slow Country

The Youth Play

Published 2nd March 2026

Live – Meryl Streek at The Hope & Ruin

February 5, 2026February 5, 2026Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, Review

Meryl Streek at The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, 4th February 2026

The lights go down, a news reel begins, the content is a bleak reflection of poverty and injustice in Ireland, and Meryl Streek makes an understated entrance onto the stage. The understatement however lasts for approximately 5 seconds before he begins the incessant pacing of the floorspace, only interrupted by forays into the crowd, all the better to get his message across at close quarters. While the songs are full of crucially bleak messages, there is none the less a sense of hope that emanates from them, a reminiscence of early punk days where the bands were often considered some kind of threat to society when for the most part they were simply challenging the oppression and inequalities of the world. Fittingly, Meryl is wearing a UK Subs T-shirt (subs an abbreviation of subversives rather than substitutes), the graphic providing the only hint of colour on stage save his signature bunch of red roses.

Swinging a hand held strobe to light his way, there is a clear and close bond between musician and audience, with a solid amount of time spent in the crowd and one of the happiest mosh pits you could wish to see, notably during Death To The Landlord. It’s a full-on, no-frills, frenetic performance and it’s impossible not to be caught up in the energy. Defiant, demanding and vitally important to the integrity of today’s music scene, we need artists right now who are prepared to stand up and shout about the craziness of the current political landscape; thankfully it appears that Meryl Streek still has plenty to say.

Pending tour dates here

Published 5th February 2026

Live – Madness | Squeeze at Brighton Centre

December 15, 2025Posted in Gig Gallery, Live Music, 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