People of Brighton – Welcome to Eggland

Holly Ross of The Lovely Eggs at The Haunt, Brighton 3.11.17

THE LOVELY EGGS – THE HAUNT, BRIGHTON 3.11.17

The Lovely Eggs are said to be one of the most exciting, innovative and genuine bands on the British Underground Music Scene. These surreal punk rockers are currently bringing their raucous live shows to audiences up and down the country with 10 dates in all, including tonight’s bash at The Haunt in Pool Valley, Brighton.

It’s their first full-length UK tour in more than a year, after being hauled up in the studio working on a new album with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann.

Seazoo at The Haunt, Brighton 3.11.17

Tonight the Haunt was hosting a 5-piece DIY-psych-pop combo from Wales who go by the name of Seazoo as the support act. The band started out as nothing more than a bedroom-recording project and things have been growing since then. They quote their influences as Serge Gainsbourg and 60s space sounds, Gorky’s, SFA, Pavement, Cate Le Bon, CSS, Yo La Tengo and Deerhoof.

On stage they had a dolls head that was wired up as some form of instrument, but I couldn’t actually hear what it was supposed to be doing, but a novelty none the less. They commented on how packed the venue was and that people seemed to be in a party mood. This was later also echoed by The Lovely Eggs when they were on stage.

Seazoo performed eight of their compositions tonight and these were: ‘Panda Pains’, ‘Skulls’, ‘Dog Hotel’, ‘Dig’, ‘Shoreline’, ‘Telephone Jones’, ‘Roy’s World’, ‘No Wrenching Of Guts This Time’.

For more information on Seazoo, visit: https://www.facebook.com/seazooband/

David Blackwell of The Lovely Eggs at The Haunt, Brighton 3.11.17

After a relatively short intermission it was the turn of The Lovely Eggs to grace the stage. They are a DIY duo, comprising of married couple Holly Ross (guitar/vocals) and David Blackwell (drums), and they have been selling out venues right across the country without the help of management, booking agent or record label support – you have to really admire them for this achievement.

They are described by the NME as “one of the country’s most beloved underground bands”, the pair combine punk rock abandon with splatterings of psychedelia, carving out their own very peculiar niche and a growing army of fans. This was indeed the case at The Haunt tonight as Holly asked the crowd to raise their hands if they were from Brighton and then those that were not from Brighton had to then raise their hands. Surprisingly there were only 10-15% of the punters that were Brightonians. So this bares witness to the fact that a vast majority of those present were indeed hooked on their humorous nothern brand of eclectic rock and were more than likely following them around the country.

This has no doubt been aided by the fact that they have been getting generous support from Radio One and 6 Music. They have a staggering six BBC 6 music sessions under their belt with DJ Marc Riley declaring two of their singles ‘Goofin’ Around (in Lancashire)’ and ‘Drug Braggin’ among his official top tracks of 2015 and 2016.

Holly of The Lovely Eggs at The Haunt shortly before the crowd went mad

Their songs are beloved anthems of absurdity, truly unique and set apart from the mainstream music industry. Live, singles such as the fuzzed-out psych of ‘Magic Onion’ and ‘Goofin’ Around (In Lancashire)’ (from their most recent album ‘This Is Our Nowhere’) sit alongside classics such as ‘Don’t Look At Me (I Don’t Like It)’ and their philosophical mantra ‘F**k It’.

Tonight, The Lovely Eggs debuted new material from their forthcoming album ‘This Is Eggland’, which is due for release in early 2018. The album was produced by legendary engineer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev), flinging the resolutely DIY Eggs into a whole new world. The result is far more ambitious and raucous than their previous work. This was authenticated by one of my mates who saw them last time they came down to Brighton. He told me that tonight’s set was harder and faster.

The first single from the album ‘I Shouldn’t Have Said That’ was released today (3^rd November 2017), but this according to their website has already sold out, just like their 13 previous singles/EP’s.

Just what the doctor ordered eh Holly?

Despite having a cold, (which involved her special medicinal remedy, that’s several cans of cider to us), Holly battled on signing and playing guitar and sharing banter with the energetic appreciative crowd and hubby David was enjoying himself too with a beer.

Part way during their set Holly told the crowd that they very rarely do encores and that so far on the tour that hadn’t done one. Adding that it would have to be a very special gig or occasion for them to do so. This indeed is backed up by a statement on the bands website, under the heading of ‘No Fake Encores’. They feel that they represent everything that is wrong with music nowadays and that they are bland, predictable and unspontaneous. Guess what! Tonight was special for them as the punters were well up for it and so we were graced with just the one track as encore and that was the decent ‘Don’t Look At Me (I Don’t Like It)’.

So we were treated to 14 quirky ditties this evening and the full setlist reads as follows: ‘I’m With You’, ‘Food’, ‘I Shouldn’t Have Said That’, ‘Slug Graveyard’, ‘Drug Braggin’, ‘Goofin Around (In Lancashire)’, ‘Wiggy Giggy’, ‘People Are Tw*ts’, ‘Magic Onion’, ‘Allergies’, ‘Dickhead’, ‘F**k It’, ‘Return Of Witchcraft’, (encore, yes really) ‘Don’t Look At Me (I Don’t Like It)’.

Welcome to Eggland. Welcome to their world!

For more information on The Lovely Eggs, visit: http://www.thelovelyeggs.co.uk/

The Lovely Eggs Tour Poster