Brighton Music Blog Twelve Days of Christmas : #4 Immersion

Posted on 09/12/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Back in pre-pandemic times, the Nanocluster nights put on by Immersion, Love Thy Neighbour and Graham Duff at the Rosehill were a highlight in our diaries. They invited another artist (Tarwater, Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier, Ulrich Schnauss and Scanner) to Brighton and jammed for a week before the gigs, and then on the night Nanocluster and the act played a set each and then played a joint set together. At the time there were some comments that recordings had been made, but it took until Record Store Day earlier this year for a double 10” entitled Nanocluster Volume One to be released. Since the release was “volume one”, we’re sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for some more gigs from them

Brighton Music Blog Twelve Days of Christmas : #3 Lime Garden

Posted on 07/12/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Lime Garden were on my list of bands to watch before the pandemic along, when they were still called Lime. Apparently though there’s another Lime elsewhere which caused issues when the band signed to So Young records, so back in March their name grew. Since then word has spread far and wide – Their gig at the Prince Albert in October was sold out, and they were one of the highlights of Mutations festival for us. And even if they weren’t a local band Pulp would have been one of my tracks of the year

Brighton Music Blog Twelve Days of Christmas : #2 BUNKR

Posted on 03/12/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Next up in our end of year round up is BUNKR, who released their second album The Graveyard Orbit this year. Ambient electronica sits alongside tracks where melodic synths soar over skittering beats and rumbling bass

Brighton Music Blog Twelve Days of Christmas : #1 The Go! Team

Posted on 02/12/2021 by brightonmusicblog

As I’ve said in previous years, I’ve never been a fan of end of year top ten lists. And while I’m posting again on the blog I’m fairly sure that there’s more than ever going on that I’m not aware of, which would make an end of year list from me even more meaningless. So instead, between now and Christmas I’m just going to make twelve posts about bands and things they’ve done this year that I’ve loved. It might have been a single, it might have been a whole album, it might have been a live set, or some combination of all them. They won’t be in any particular order – it’s all subjective, and if I don’t post about something you love that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t great.

Anyway, first up is The Go! Team, who returned after a four year gap with a new album entitled Get Up Sequences Part One, and a bunch of accompanying singles. Lockdown meant that there was no live launch party, which is a terrible shame because The Go! Team are a truly fantastic live band, but the album was packed with tunes just as catchy as their best – my six year still wanders around the house singing “World Remember Me Now” to himself. Anyway, here’s the video for Cookie Scene made by Ian Parton and local visuals legend Innerstrings. Fingers crossed we don’t have to wait too long for Get Up Sequences Part Two

Great Escape First Fifty at Chalk, featuring Heights and Isabelle Brown

Posted on 23/11/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Let’s talk about the Great Escape. And let’s not mess about, it is probably the single most important event in Brighton’s musical calendar (alongside it’s sister event the Alt Escape). We missed it last year and we missed it this year, but the festival have just announced their first batch of artists for the 2022 festival taking place 11-14 May. They call this release their “First Fifty” and to make a bit more noise about it they put a couple of gigs – one in London (where Brighton was represented by Lime Garden), and another at Chalk where local newcomers Heights and Isabelle Brown supported Sam Ryder. They invited us along, we brought our camera, and you can see our pics below (click through to view large)

The full Great Escape line up can be found here

Lime Garden at Mutations Festival

Posted on 15/11/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Last weekend was Mutations Festival. We were only there for one day as a punter, and we only caught one local act, but here are our photos of them. Lime Garden are one of our favourite bands right now (check out their new single Clockwork), and we look forward to what they come up with next. Click through to view large

AK/DK supported by Genn at Chalk : gallery post

Posted on 18/10/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Last Friday AK/DK headlined at Chalk – a gig we had been looking forward to for a LONG time. It was an AK/DK gig that was one of the first cancellations due to Covid, when they had originally been booked in to play Brighton Electric in April last year. It’s been pretty much an eighteen month wait to see them, but they didn’t disappoint, showing that they’re still one of Brighton’s best live bands. Support came from one of our new fave bands Genn. Click through the pics to view large:

Ġenn and Mangö supporting Pins at the Green Door Store Gallery

Posted on 05/10/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Last Friday, Melting Vinyl invited us down to the Green Door Store to see Pins supported by two local bands – Ġenn and Mangö. It was the first time we’d caught either band, and we weren’t disappointed – in fact we’ve already pencilled in Ġenn’s next gig – at the Hope & Ruin on 6th December, supported by Currls and Cabria – into our diary. Click through on the pics to view large:

Genn October 2021

Projector at the Hope & Ruin Gallery

Posted on 19/09/2021 by brightonmusicblog

Gigs have been back for a few weeks now, but it’s taken me until now to bring my camera along to see some local bands and take enough photos to justify a blog post. But last Friday Projector played a storming set for the hometown date of their current tour at the Hope & Ruin and we found our way to the front. Support came from Hutch (who we did see) and Sleep Council (who we saw a bit of, but only from the back).

It’s great to be back at gigs, and hopefully we’ll have some more pictures to share very soon

Brighton Rocks #36 : Great Pagans

Posted on 16/08/2021 by brightonmusicblog

More than five years in the making, Great Pagans return in the next few weeks with their new album Aux Follies, coming out on local label Cupboard Music. We caught up with Alex Painter to give him the Brighton Rocks treatment:

What’s the best thing about Brighton?
I’ve lived in various parts of the country and never felt as at home and at ease as in Brighton. I suppose that’s why I’ve been here 15 years now. Also there’s always someone weirder than you, which is reassuring.

Who are your favourite local bands?
The biggest pleasant surprise recently has been Ensemble 1, the album ‘Guitar, Bass & Drums’ is amazing repetitive, morphing guitar patterns but not dry and emotionless like that could be. Also Japanese Sweets, Owen from Speak Galactic’s modular synth project. He creates really beautiful human sounds with them.

What’s the best venue?
I like the Pipeline, it has that same DIY feel that upstairs at Fitzherbert’s used to have before they gentrified it. But with a better PA. Green Door Store will always have a place in my heart too.

What’s the best rehearsal space / studio?
Friendliest staff has to be Small Pond, and they have a nice range of cables to borrow when I invariably forget something.

What’s the best club?
Hard to recall after the last couple of years but downstairs at the Rossi Bar has a nice feel. Small, great sound, interesting nights like Flex etc.

What’s the best record shop?
We’re totally spoilt for record shops here aren’t we. I think a special mention should go to the great little well-curated record corner in Family Store though. It’s nice to have a selection chosen by real people and not just what will sell well.

Where’s the best places to eat?
Any of the myriad posh bakeries we’re blessed with in Brighton.

What’s the best pub?
I would consider having my ashes scattered in The Basketmakers.

Who’s your favourite Brighton celebrity?
I love the old guy who walks slowly through the lanes in a different glam rock/punk outfit every day. He used to have a little dog and often wears platform boots and like bright blue velour suits. I’d love to know his story if anyone knows?

When was the last time you had any Brighton Rock?
I am a Brighton Rock virgin. Saving myself for that special rock.

Aux Follies comes out on 3rd September, and the band are playing on the bill of a free gig at the Hope & Ruin on 1st September.