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 #42 : Opal Mag

Posted on 14/02/2025 by brightonmusicblog

On a bright but chilly day earlier this month we popped down to the beach with Opal Mag to chat about Brighton and also her new single Love to See You Shine, which is out today:

What’s the best thing about Brighton?
Being able to live by the sea for sure! It’s so calming. Also, being able to walk everywhere within an hour, it’s a city but with a small town feel.

Who are your favourite local bands?
I think Lime Garden, CIEL, Ellis D, Hutch and Moon Idle are all great, also goodbye, who are supporting me at the end of the month at the Hope and Ruin. There’s so many amazing bands that come out of Brighton, it’s hard to choose!

What’s the best venue?
Green Door is a classic but I was really impressed with the new venue Alphabet, it looked like a speakeasy.

What’s the best rehearsal space / studio?
I like to rotate between Brighton Electric and Southlanes Studios to rehearse, but just recently I had a great time recording in 17b studios in Kemptown.

What’s the best club?
I don’t go clubbing but I like a Hope and Ruin/Presuming Ed’s or a Great Eastern DJ night.

What’s the best record shop?
I sadly don’t have a record player but I’m dying to get one. I went to a live show at Family Records the other night which was super fun!

Where’s the best places to eat?
I’m obsessed with O’Shio, Goemon and Shaanxi.

What’s the best pub?
Great Eastern is a good vibe or The Basketmakers.

Who’s your favourite Brighton celebrity?
Reggae guy, he always walks around with a big boombox and cool outfit.

When was the last time you had any Brighton Rock?
I don’t think I’ve ever had one, I’d be running to the dentist for a broken tooth repair.

Love to See You Shine is out now at all the usual streaming places. Opal Mag plays a launch gig at the Hope & Ruin on 28th February supported by goodbye and Grace Equi

Opal Mag “Looking For” single launch at the Green Door Store

Posted on 14/09/2024 by brightonmusicblog

Last week Opal Mag released their new single “Looking For“, and celebrated the launch with a gig last night at the Green Door Store (supported by Glass House Red Spider Mite and Frances Mistry). We were down the front with our camera to catch the action:

Maximilian / Surrender album launch at Fabrica

Posted on 05/04/2024 by brightonmusicblog

Last week Maximilian released his debut album Surrender, on Dead Dog records, and last night he played it live start to finish at Fabrica supported by Skydaddy and Brighton’s Opal Mag.

Playing an album all the way through in sequential order isn’t the most obvious thing to do – A set of songs which might make for a good gig can be quite different to a playlist / ordering that makes for a good album, but Maximilian created an immersive world last night aided and abetted by some of Brighton’s finest musicians that more than lived up to the challenge – intimate, and uplifting, the evening felt like it was over far too soon.

As I find myself saying for the second post in a row, if you missed the gig, Maximilian is on the bill at Homegrown Festival next weekend, so you can catch him again then.