IYES and Sam Jordan support Raleigh Ritchie at The Haunt

Posted on 01/12/2014 by brightonmusicblog

In 2013 we must have seen IYES at least half a dozen times. Things have been a bit quieter in 2014 though – despite a few singles and remixes it was only last night that they played their first hometown gig of the year, supporting Game of Thrones actor turned R&B songsmith Raleigh Ritchie. Since we last saw them they’ve signed to Sony (you’ve probably heard their track Glow on the adverts for Sony phones), and they’re sounding better than ever. Support came from local lad Sam Jordan, whose set was running late which mean that IYES had to cut a few songs from their set. Hopefully they’ll be back soon with a headline gig when Glow gets released in February. Until then here’s our shots from the last night. Click through to view large:

Pub Rock with Clowwns and Mum Dad & The Kids

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Posted on 30/11/2014 by brightonmusicblog

This gallery contains 12 photos.

Mum Dad and the Kids opened last night for the newly renamed Clowwns (extra ‘W’) at the Gladstone Arms on the Lewes Road. Tim Harbridge’s band play a brilliant high-tempo compound of power pop and glam rock, with some excellent … Continue reading →

Spectrum’s October showcase at the Dome Studio Theatre

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Posted on 01/11/2014 by brightonmusicblog

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Spectrum in association with Resident records are putting on monthly gig’s of new Brighton music, following on from the long series of similar events they curated with Source magazine. October’s gig at the Dome Studio Theatre featured four bands on … Continue reading →

Dark Horses live at the Hope

Posted on 15/10/2014 by brightonmusicblog

You’ll have read our interview with Ali Tollervey last weekend and know we like this band, so it’s no surprise we were at the Hope for Dark Horses‘ stellar show to promote Ali’s exhibition and their new album ‘Hail Lucid State’.

For those not in the know, Dark Horses produce gritty sexy rock music, somewhere in-between kraut rock and gothic new wave, with lead singer Lisa Elle giving out vibes of Patti Smith and Jim Morrison. Sunday night was special, with the band on top form playing a bundle of songs from their two albums, kicking off with the latest single Saturn Returns and ending with a dark moody cover of the Doors’ Hello, I love you, in amongst an array of visuals and light effects.

Brighton Music Blog took a double pack of camera folk to capture the spirit. If you head to the Hope, downstairs you can see Ali Tollervey’s photography of the band, but for now you have these.

Photo by Rob Orchard

Photo by Jon Southcoasting

Night House launch their EP

Posted on 04/10/2014 by brightonmusicblog

Last night we went to the launch of the new EP by Night House, the new band of man-about-town Nick Williams who has helped curate and participated in some memorable musical events at last night’s venue the marvellous Marwood Cafe. Previous Marwood events curated by Nick included a brilliant weekend of gigs featuring an array of local acts as part of the free The Great Escape festival earlier this year.

First on the bill last night was the extraordinary sight of Laura and the Bass. Amazonian, Scandinavian, Blonde and dressed in not much more than a lace-looking body stocking, Laura presented a striking vision. Fortunately her playing and singing was top-notch, with her songs of the trials and tribulations of modern love.

Next up was the soulful pop of the accomplished four-piece band Staniford, with another tall and talented lead singer in the person of Tom Staniford.

The penultimate act were one of Brighton’s finest, the Self Help Group. This was a tight venue for a six-piece to play, not helped by Mark’s visible man-flu symptoms and the chatter from the now packed upstairs space, but the Groupies rose to the challenge and played an absolutely blinding set with a mix of new and old songs. The harmonies between sisters Sarah and Clara Wood are always a delight, but the whole band seemed to relish the challenge and were as tight as I’ve seen them. Songs from their excellent album ‘Not Waving But Drowning’ were mixed with new songs, like Eddy’s House, a song about a dog house that takes on mythical proportions in the masterful hands of this band. They’re playing next on 22nd October at the Brunswick in a gig hosted by Chris T-T and come very highly recommended.

Finally, man of the night Nick Williams got to play the songs from the new Night House EP along with band versions of some of his older songs. Particular favourites to my ears were ‘Heart on a Wire’ and ‘Berlin’ (referencing “a seaside town” so maybe the title is figurative).

The lead track ‘New Year’s Prayer’ is a lovely thing, mixing some late 70s pop harmonies with an indie soul sensibility. You can see the video for the song here.

Time for T at Sofar Sounds

Posted on 28/08/2014 by brightonmusicblog

Brighton has it’s fair share of intimate venues, where you can go and see a band and be able to literally touch them onstage (not that we encourage that kind of behaviour), and recently added, but with no fixed abode is Sofar Sounds. Sofar Sounds, which had a reboot earlier this year, brings concerts into people’s living rooms taking intimate to a whole new level and last night they invited us along to this month’s event. In a slight change to proceedings last night’s gig wasn’t held in someone’s lounge, but in the basement of Nowhere Man Café just opposite the Windmill Pub, which doubles up as a rehearsal space for local bands.

Although last night was a very local affair, organised in Brighton with two of the three acts from Brighton, Sofar Sounds is an international concern and dozens of events took place across Europe and the US, all being tied together with the gig doubling up as a listening party for the new Karen O solo album at every venue.

Sofar sounds don’t have a headliner as such and all bands are treated as having equal billing, and first act to play was Darren Saunders – a local musician who hasn’t played a “proper” gig in over two years, but has been busking regularly. He was brought in at the last minute on the recommendation of one of the sound guys who said that he thought he had one of the best voices he’s heard. Despite nerves and a broken string great songs and a great voice won the day. Next up was Bec Sanridge, last night’s out of towner (all the way from Australia). I got the impression that Bec hides what a fantastic guitarist she really is, and despite earlier hints it was only in the last song in her Joan Baez-style folk set that her fingerwork truly shone through.

Last night’s final act was Time for T, recently back from a mini-tour of Portugal and with an EP about to be launched soon. A live hometown gig in a small venue obviously suited them as they appeared relaxed and confident on what could barely be called a stage. The lead singer performed a couple of solo acoustic numbers to begin with before being joined by the rest of the band for an assured folk-pop set peppered with tracks from the new EP. When the evening appeared to be over with final words of thanks being given by the Sofar Sounds people the crowd called for a genuine encore – a rarity these days when going off stage then coming back for a few more is all part of the plan.

(click the pics to view large)

The Re-incarnation of Trim Tab Jim

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Posted on 01/06/2014 by brightonmusicblog

This gallery contains 8 photos.

Friday night saw the Cable Club present the strange phenomenon that is the re-incarnation of Trim Tab Jim and it was another one of those brilliant Brighton gigs full of talented inventive musicianship that seemed to be attended by about … Continue reading →

Hidden Trail records launch Ellie Ford’s EP

Posted on 26/04/2014 by brightonmusicblog

We’ve been loving the Ellie Ford ‘Show Night In’ EP for a while, but after a couple of superb compilations the excellent Hidden Trail Records are putting it out as their first physical artiste release. It was launched last night at Brighton’s Red Roaster Cafe and we were there to enjoy a great night of some of the UK’s finest singer-songwriters.

First up was Stevie Ray Latham, a young folkswinger who completely inhabits the spirit of a young Bob Dylan circa1963 but writes his own brilliant songs which he conveys with real aplomb. Songs like the excellent South Coast Blues show off his authentic style. His new album on Brighthelmstone’s At The Helm records is due out soon and is definitely going to be a cracker, and we hope to bring you more info on that in due course.

Kelly Oliver was new to me. An out-of-towner, from Stevenage, this was her first gig in Brighton. We’re not supposed to mention the non-Brighton folk so I won’t dwell too long on just how excellent she was, but she’s played the Cambridge Folk festival and with Dave Swarbrick of Fairport Convention and judging from last night she’s going to be a big hit on the folk scene. Last night we were particularly taken by her song Grandpa was a Stoker and her cover of Beyonce’s If I were a Boy.

Headliner for the night was Brighton’s own Ellie Ford and she completely owned the small Redroaster stage, switching with ease between guitar and harp, claiming to have not played her EP for a while with typical flaky charm, then proceeding to play some magnificent soulful versions of the EP’s songs that held the packed room rapt. The songs sound even better to me live than on record, but particularly stunning in both forms was Low, which tonight was performed in a tentative heartful rendition that was quite stunning. There were also some new songs from the album-in-the-making which we really hope to hear before the year is out.

Ellie has also just released a ‘Covers project’ and show cased some of those tunes and a few others, two gorgeous Joanna Newsom songs, a Karen Dalton cover, a fantastic version of Bob Dylan’s Corrina Corrina, and ending with an unplanned encore of a beautiful interpretation of Dylan’s Buckets of Rain.

A terrific singer who is growing in confidence with every gig, Ellie is definitely one to watch.

Words and pictures were by Jon Southcoasting

Brighton Unsigned with Yourgardenday, Stark and Mortie Pockett

Posted on 23/02/2014 by brightonmusicblog

Brighton Unsigned launched their latest issue with a gig at the Hope featuring their cover stars yourgardenday, and three other up-and-coming acts. Another excellent night’s entertainment, emphasising the vast musical talent that exists in Brighton.

First up was a young guy called Mortie Pockett, who hails from Storrington but is now a local town player. His sound felt like a throwback to Elvis in his Sun Sessions period, strong rhythmic strumming and a twang-infused vocal style over some nice rocking tunes.

Next up were the startlingly youthful looking but exceptionally talented Stark, with a harder powerful sound that took us out of 1950s rockabilly into a late 60s bluesy heavy rock vibe, akin to Led Zeppelin. All three members of Stark were incredibly impressive, and the sound whilst rocking was also soulful and full of great tunes. They ended their set with a stunning and original version of Dylan’s Crash on the Levee. There’s an EP being launched at the Prince Albert on 4th March which comes highly recommended.

Then came the cover stars yourgardenday with their first full band set of the year, following last year’s successful launch of the Flat Stream EP. Another favourite of this blog, Robin Coward has a bunch of really strong songs which are highly memorable and stand out form the crowd. Robin can be heard every week at one of the open mic spots he runs around town, but in a full band setting songs like the opener Something in the Music, sons of a Gun and the beautiful closer Spring is Springing can be heard as they were intended. Pop classics every one.

Final band Unsung Lilly are out-of-towners, reflecting Brighton Unsigned magazine’s desire to spread a little more widely and cover more of the talent across the south east. They’re a big loud band with a powerful pop sound and oodles of talent.

Photographs and word by Jon Southcoasting

Brighton Source New Music night with Chris T-T, the Self Help Group and Sam Walker

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Posted on 22/02/2014 by brightonmusicblog

Last night was the final Source new Music night at the Dome Studio Theatre, and a fitting send off for this Brighton institution of the arts it was too with a dynamic, high quality and varied line-up of some of … Continue reading →