Brighton Music Blog 25 for 25 : 10 – 6

Posted on 19/12/2025 by brightonmusicblog

We’ve reached the Top Ten in our countdown, and today we’ve numbers ten through to six:

10. Rose Io / Autumn Automaton (from Autumn Automaton LP)
Rose Io isn’t really like anyone else on our list. Most bands out there aren’t sitting down and writing songs about robots or wizards or death that sound like nursery rhymes or lost folk songs. Despite this, Rose’s album Autumn Automaton was one of our favourites this year, unashamedly weird and uncompromising in its vision

9. Opal Mag / Wasting (single)
Opal Mag has released a number of singles in 2025, each building on the last. Her live sets have brought to the fore how much she’s developed, not just in terms of being a front person in her band, but also in the material yet to be released and the breadth of styles that now covers. With a fair wind and a bit of luck 2026 could just be her year

8. Hutch / Rustle (single)
Just the one single from Hutch this year, although there is an album in the pipeline (they played a fundraiser for it in October). There’s been plenty of gigs and plenty of side projects going on too so as they don’t lose their spot as one of Brighton’s most loved bands, packing them in in December with slots at Flip Top Head’s Rolling Sixes night, Mumfest, Folklore Room’s Christmas Christmas Party, and from what I can see, multiple gigs on New Year’s eve

7. Trip Westerns / Showdown Shadow (from Post Hunk EP)
Trip Western’s Post Hunk EP was one of this year’s highlights, their first release since 2023’s eponymous EP. On paper Spaghetti Western themed surf psych could feel like a novelty, but Trip Western’s commitment to the cause – all the way down to Stetsons and facial hari – combined with fantastic songs and thrilling live performances – mean that they’re anything but

6. ELLiS·D / Homecoming Queen (from Spill EP)
One of the big music sites put Ellis D as their live act of the year, and I’m in firm agreement. 2025 has been the year when literally years of hard work have started to pay dividends. We included an early demo of Homecoming Queen on the blog all the way back in 2019 and since then it’s grown to become one of the highlights of their live sets – if you haven’t got a ticket for their gig at the Prince Albert on 5th Feb, then get on it, because it’ll sell out sooner rather than later

Great Escape 2025 gallery

Posted on 04/06/2025 by brightonmusicblog

It feels like an age ago now, but I’ve finally got my photos band and edited from Great Escape weekend. I did my best to try and see a lot of Brighton bands at both official and unoffial gigs – in the end I caught multiple sets from a few bands from some of my favourites, because why not? Anyway, here’s one photo from each set by a Brighton band I went to where I could get close enough to the front, and where the light was good enough to shoot on film (on which note, please could someone have a word with Pink Moon and ask them to buy some lights?)

(click to view large)

Wednesday
goodbye / Green Door Store
Big Long Sun / Green Door Store
Big Long Sun/ Pipeline
Hutch / Green Door Store
ELLiS·D / Green Door Store

Thursday
Opal Mag / Unbarred
Trip Westerns / Bella Union Shop
The New Eves / Pipeline
George Bloomfield / One Church
Van Zon / One Church

Friday
Ladylike / TGE Beach – The Jetty
Coco & The Lost / Molly Malones
Jock / Queens Hotel
Ideal Living / Horatios
Hutch / St Nicholas Church

Saturday
ladylike / Horatios
Ruunes / Jules Emporium
Hutch / Molly Malones
Rose io / Manchester Street Arts Club
Van Zon / Folklore Rooms
Big Long Sun / Prince Albert
Hutch / Folklore Rooms
Trip Westerns / St Nicholas Church
goodbye / Prince Albert

Brighton Rocks #43 : ELLiS·D

Posted on 23/03/2025 by brightonmusicblog

Last Friday ELLiS·D released their Spill EP on Crafting Room Recordings, which features recent singles Shakedown (which featured in our end of year round up last year), Humdrum and Drifting. Ellis and his band are currently playing a few UK dates – you can catch them at the Green Door Store next Wednesday – before heading off further afield to conquer Europe. We caught up down at the beach last week to get the low down on his favourite local spots.

What’s the best thing about Brighton?
The music community stands out for me more than anything, it really is an amazing place for it. I think I’d also struggle to live somewhere that was hard to get around on foot.

Who are your favourite local bands?
Every time I see Plantoid I’m completely blown away. Legends in the making.

What’s the best venue?
The Rossi Bar has become like a second home these days. Shout out to The Old Market as well which is criminally underused.

What’s the best rehearsal space / studio?
I’ve been a worshipper at the altar of ‘The Carwash’ for a good five years now, the rehearsal space I’ve shared with an ever shifting group of local musicians. If you like dingy, mouldy rehearsal spaces with no late night noise restrictions, it’s the space for you.

What’s the best club?
I haven’t been out clubbing properly for a very long time. I used to get very silly at The Haunt’s (now Chalk) Monday + Thursday club nights after getting shitfaced on £1.50 pints at Pav Tav (RIP) when I was 18. Them’s were the days.

What’s the best record shop?
The Record Album just by the train station.

Where’s the best place to eat?
Sunbirds Deli on London Road is the best mezze lunch deal to have ever existed.

What’s the best pub?
We’re spoilt for great pubs in Brighton. The Great Eastern, Lion & Lobster, The Black Dove, The Green Dragon are all top spots. However gonna give my vote to my local The Eddy

Who’s your favourite Brighton celebrity?
Bobby Zamora

When was the last time you had any Brighton Rock?
Think I tried it once when I was a kid and never had it since

Spill by ELLiS·D is out now on Crafting Room Recordings, available to stream or download, and on blue marble and black vinyl. Resident currently have signed copies of both versions. Limited tickets remain for the Brighton launch gig at Green Door Store on Wednesday 26th March available here