CHALK are one of the best acts around at the moment and is the three-piece project of Irish filmmakers and award-winning musicians Ross Cullen, Benedict Goddard, and Luke Niblock. The trio sprung out of the gates live, supporting London’s PVA in Dublin for their first ever show, before selling out shows in Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, London and more.CHALK are certainly shaking up the world of industrial punk and techno-infused rock. They are known for their visceral performances and genre-blurring sound and seamlessly blend the intensity of the Dublin guitar band scene with the raw energy of hardcore dance floors. Think IDLES meets Bicep, Death Grips meets Daniel Avery—a perfect fusion of pounding techno, industrial noise, and high-octane guitar punk.
CHALK performed at the Green Door Store in Brighton back on 27th March this year, but we had picked up on them almost a year earlier, when we ensured that we would catch both of their 2023 performances at ‘The Great Escape’ new music festival. On 11th May they rocked the foundations of the Queens Hotel and the following evening they were doing the same in Pool Valley at their namesake venue, Chalk.
Here is an account of their half hour showcase performance at the Chalk venue in Pool Valley on 12th May 2023 from 7:30pm to 8:00pm:
“I’m going to confess to you all that the artist I was most excited about TGE’23 was Chalk. When their name came up on the listings, I amused to myself “wouldn’t it be funny if Chalk were to play live in the Chalk venue”. It seems the Great Escape planners thought so too, as that’s exactly where the Irish three piece post-punk/electronic outfit Chalk are tonight. I had witnessed the Belfast based band playing live yesterday in the Queens Hotel and was blown away. I had to have a second dose, in fact Chalk were the only act I saw twice during the festival. Ross Cullen, Ben Goddard and Luke Niblock met as film students back in 2019 and their debut release ‘Them’ dropped in March 2022 and won Steve Lamacq’s 6 Music Roundtable Record of the Week. Three singles and an EP later and the trio are most definitely up for entertaining the massive crowd in the packed (Chalk) venue. The first thing I notice is that the white lighting and patches of dark act almost as spotlights hunting escapees over the Berlin Wall. This heightens the senses in those present that something special is going to occur. Throughout the half-hour set, there was much use of the Fender Stratocaster, Akai Professional pre-sets, drums with drum pads. The vocal delivery is similar to that of Cal from DITZ and the music is as though they are the new Prodigy! So it’s not surprising that the crowd around me at the front were very enthusiastic indeed…cue mosh! The set was loud, clear and consistent, and for the penultimate number vocalist Ross jumped off the stage to lean over the crowd barrier and deliver his message that way. Chalk had whetted appetites at the Queens Hotel, but tonight they had well and truly arrived. No wonder the venue was so full. Chalk…..a must see band for fans of VLURE, DITZ, The Prodigy and Working Mens Club!.
If you like the sound of that, then don’t miss the chance to catch CHALK live at Concorde 2 in Brighton Saturday 8th March 2025, courtesy of JOY. promoters. This forming part of their UK & Europe ‘Conditions Tour’, which sees the band take in no less than 22 dates. Their ‘Conditions III’ release will be dropping on 21st February. In the meantime you can check out their previous releases on their Bandcamp page HERE.
Support for the Brighton gig will be the tremendous YARD who were arguably the best band of last year’s Great Escape new music festival.
So get ready to experience one of the most exciting live acts on the scene right now by purchasing your CHALK tour concert tickets HERE. Tickets for this Brighton concert at the Concorde 2 are also on sale now and can be purchased HERE and HERE.
If you need your CHALK live fix before March, then check out this year’s KEXP performance HERE.
