Priestgate are arguably one of the most entertaining new post-punk outfits around at the moment. That’s certainly something that hasn’t gone a miss with Dork, who are sending the band out on their debut headline tour next February.
The tour begins in Glasgow on 3rd February and then calls on Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and London before dropping into Brighton at The Prince Albert on 9th February. After that the quintet conclude their countrywide jaunt in Birmingham and then Nottingham.
Priestgate who are Rob Schofield (vocals), Isaac Ellis (guitar), Connor Bingham (guitar), Kai Overton (bass) and Bridie Stagg (drums) are now also on the radar of BBC Radio 1 as Jack Saunders chose their new song ‘Some Things Never Change’ as his ‘Tune Of The Week’. You can watch the accompanying video HERE and purchase options are available HERE. The band have also received support from So Young and 6Music.
Hailing from the sleepy rural town of Driffield, Yorkshire, Priestgate are charismatic, angsty and euphoric in equal measure. After a stellar year of experimentation, the band emerged in 2020 with ‘NOW’, a tune highlighting their own brand of guitar music infusing pop hooks with dark sensibilities as popularised by The Cure and Joy Division. The bar was raised in 2021 with the arrival of the wonderful ‘SUMM(AIR)’ which was hotly followed by ‘Bedtime Story’. In March they dropped their debut 4-track EP ‘Eyes Closed For The Winter’ and on 11th October ‘Some Things Never Change’ was released.
The Brighton & Hove News Music Team have had the pleasure of seeing Priestgate live on a few occasions, the last of which being as part of the ‘Mutations Festival’. Our account of their performance read as thus:
“Priestgate are a five-piece from Driffield, Yorkshire, and their dark, intense, and theatrically performed brand of post-punk is the reason I’m upstairs in The Prince Albert, rather than investigating the “secret set” at Chalk. Along with a cracking repertoire, the band has a considerable asset in vocalist and frontman Rob Schofield, who is an assured and utterly mesmeric performer. I have no doubt at all that this band are going places. Kicking off with ‘Mem Loser’, the haunting main riff is atmospherically post-punk in the Joy Division sense, and Rob’s piercing screams of “I can’t breathe,” sound like he means it. By the second number, the gorgeously atmospheric ‘By The Door’, he dispenses with the services of his white vest by literally ripping it from his torso. Guitarist Isaac, by way of contrast, wears a rather smart suit jacket, and has clearly been working on his stage moves too, playing whilst gymnastically bent over backwards, headstock thrust towards the ceiling. Connor completes the twin guitar attack, alternating jangle with ghostly howl, whilst bassist Kai and drummer Bridie chug a hypnotically insistent and unfaltering rhythm.
Rob struts the stage like a young Iggy Pop, his manic stare accentuated by heavy eye makeup. He has a straight mic stand which tends to get waved in the air quite frequently. On ‘White Shirt’, with its more urgent stabbing beat, the chord pattern is moving nicely giving a beautifully expansive feel. Rob is hanging from the lighting truss, which I’m sure is correctly fixed to the appropriate standard, but gives the impression it already has quite enough load to bear. Recent single ‘Some Things Never Change’ has a dreamy feel and a catchy vocal line whose delivery reminds me of Maximo Park. ‘Bedtime Story’ is another excellent song, with great riffing and some beautifully fluid drum fills from Bridie. The set concludes with ‘Summ(air)’, which has a massive playout. Connor instigates a crowd clap-along, and I glance around the room, pleased to note that by this point it is properly rammed. Quite right too”.
Priestgate will return to Brighton at The Prince Albert on Thursday 9th February 2023. Purchase your tickets HERE.
