FACE UP! + ALTERATION + BANG BANG BUNNY – PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 30.4.23
Having long championed the punk and alternative scene, promoter Andy Cavendish of An Alternative Gathering has recently tapped into a niche with a series of popular matinee shows in South London and Brighton.
We’re at The Prince Albert, near Brighton railway station, to check out a hard and heavy lineup on the Sunday afternoon of a Bank Holiday weekend.
Today’s bill was originally scheduled for four bands, but Hastings hardcore outfit Comeback Cl*t have unfortunately had to pull out. That gives the three remaining acts an opportunity for a slightly longer set, and gives the punters extra time for a drink and chat before we get underway. There are plenty of familiar faces and it’s a reasonable turnout for a sunny holiday weekend, although there is still space for any last minute walk-ups.
First today are Bang Bang Bunny, a collective based in Brighton and London. They sometimes go out as a five-piece, though today are playing as a trio. Main songwriter Ellese is on vocals and guitar, joined by Nico on bass, and Fred on drums. It’s early in the day, but they’re doing their best to liven things up with opener ‘Skateboard’, which has a bit of a grime-punk feel. Ellese is riffing barre chords on an Ibanez lavishly decorated with stickers, whilst Fred is giving the toms a good pounding on some interesting rhythmic variations. Nico wears his bass high, and plays with his fingers, and everyone joins in with vocals on a big shouty chorus. ‘Hole’ has a jarring rhythm interspersed with stops and pushes, and there’s a section of screamed vocals that Ellese is keen to get the audience to join in with. She doesn’t seem wildly impressed with our efforts.
‘Fire’ has an offbeat rhythm and a “Bang Bang Bunny” lyric in the chorus. We are assured that ‘Bad Behaviour’ is not a true story. The lifestyle depicted comprises stealing food from the supermarket to live on whilst investing your benefits in crypto currency. This wickedness all moves along very briskly on a catchy four-chord progression.
Nico is playing right up the neck for ‘Party’ and treating us to a nifty bit of dancing at the same time. ‘Scream And Shout’ utilises an effective combination of spitting lyrics and punchy rhythm. Unsurprisingly, there’s another screamed section that we’re encouraged to join in with. We’re still some way short of gaining the vocalist’s approval, though. The final number is ‘Drummer Boy’, propelled along by a most insistent riff and some big builds on the kit, and I can’t resist having a bit of a dance. It’s been an enjoyable start to the afternoon.
Bang Bang Bunny:
Ellese Elliott – vocals, guitar
Nico Taurini – bass, vocals
Fred Sheeran – drums, vocals
Bang Bang Bunny setlist:
‘Skateboard’
‘Hole’
‘Fire’
‘Bad Behaviour’
‘Party’
‘Scream And Shout’
‘Drummer Boy’
Next on are Alteration, a three-piece from South East London and Brighton. Their 2019 album ‘Forget Everything You Know’ dips into punk, grunge, rock and metal, though it’s mostly rock I’m getting as they launch into lively opener ‘I Shouldn’t Be Doing This’.
Things move up a gear with the urgent ‘Neighbours’. Lead vocalist Cat summons a commendable amount of passion and fury, flailing her hair and grinding away on a white bass. Guitarist Alex is house left, a bearded hairy dude playing a black Les Paul and sportingly modelling the headline act’s T-shirt. Drummer Angelo’s playing is breathtakingly fast, fluid and powerful. Personally, I’d be quite happy to watch a set of just him thundering around the kit.
‘Want It More’ starts slowly in rock ballad mode, but soon gets much heavier, with a rasping vocal and a particularly satisfying descending pattern in the playout. Rhythm guitar leads ‘Who Wants To Be Alone’, its punky urgency punctuated by drum breaks with stunningly fast triplet rolls. ‘Throw Me To The Wolves’ is the nearest we’re likely to get to a slow reflective number. It has a vibey introduction with heavy bass and chiming chorusy arpeggios. Alex flashes up an EBow for ‘Machine Face’. This hand-held gizmo that vibrates the strings with a magnetic pulse. The sustain produced is put to good use, wailing majestically over a growling bassline. Set closer ‘She’s Lost It’ is packed with stops and stabs, and is a suitably energetic conclusion to what has been a great set.
Check them out on Bandcamp and Spotify.
Alteration:
Cat Stevenson – vocals, bass
Alex Wrigley – guitar
Angelo Perreta – drums
Alteration setlist:
‘I Shouldn’t Be Doing This’
‘Neighbours’
‘Want It More’
‘Who Wants To Be Alone?’
‘Throw Me To The Wolves’
‘Machine Face’
‘Tomorrow’s Sun’
‘She’s Lost It’
www.instagram.com/alteration_music
Face Up! are from Coventry and Birmingham and combine elements of punk, metal and hardcore. Their 2018 debut album ‘The World Is Ours’ established them in the scene, and they’ve since landed support slots with the likes of GBH, The Exploited, and the UK Subs. Onstage today they are a five-piece, and are delivering a hugely energetic and impressive performance from the off. Lead vocalist Roxx has a powerful stage presence and a strong, punky look, and she’s putting in maximum effort, regardless of the time of day. The sound is massive, with guitarists Tom and Neil adding backing vocals. Bassist Gav sports a Travis Bickle mohawk, and is bounding around the stage, digging into a white Precision. The drumming, provided by the appropriately named Bez Smash, is seismic in its intensity, and very rock oriented. It’d be right at home in a speed metal band.
‘Make You Suffer’ is introduced as a recent single, and stands out with a fine hook and a twanging guitar solo moodily drenched in delay. Bez gets busy with the double kick pedal on ‘In The Dark’, kicking up a rumbling wall of thud that feels like it might have the ceiling down. Not to be outdone, Gav gets a showboating opportunity with some tasty triplet bass on ‘The Few’. Roxx is definitely the star of the show though, covering plenty of stage, pulling endless cool poses, and unwaveringly maintaining a throaty roar throughout the set.
‘Rise Now’ is a cracking number with a naggingly catchy guitar motif and a big vocal hook. ‘Stand, Fight, Live, Die’, is in a similar vein. Roxx insists that the the audience demonstrate their chanting ability to her satisfaction before starting the song, and it’s pretty manic, introduced with a huge snare roll and topped off with a soaring guitar break.
This is probably the highlight of the set for me, although there’s more in the locker. ‘The World Is Ours’ is punkily brisk, and an excellent conclusion to a bostin’ set. There’s plenty of dancing, and the band take the opportunity to have a photo taken with the audience at the end.
With the photo call completed, shouts for “more” spontaneously break out. As an encore, we’re treated to ‘No Echo’, a new number from a forthcoming album. It’s fizzing with punky energy, and suggests that the new release will be well worth looking out for.
Check them out on Spotify and YouTube.
Face Up!:
Roxx – vocals
Gav – bass
Tom Harris – guitar, vocals
Bez Smash – drums
Neil – guitar, vocals
Face Up! setlist:
‘Stand Together’
‘United Chance’
‘Make You Suffer’
‘In The Dark’
‘The Few’
‘Rise Now’
‘Not Your Enemy’
‘F.U.C.K. Will Kill’
‘Stand, Fight, Live, Die’
‘Warning System’
‘The World Is Ours’
(encore)
‘No Echo’
It’s been another excellent matinee here at The Prince Albert , and we’re all finished at shortly after 5pm. This is a very civilised time of day, which gives the happy punters every chance of negotiating public transport and being home in time for tea. See you next time.
