THE MOLOTOVS + THE FORTY FOURS – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 9.4.25
Upstairs at The Prince Albert – an iconic venue to us Brighton locals – a crowd slowly trickles in, eager to catch a glimpse of The Molotovs, a young, energetic band currently making waves across the UK and beyond. Having received high praise from the likes of The Libertines, Blondie, and Green Day, siblings Matt (lead singer) and Issey (bassist) are seizing their moment in the spotlight, keen to follow in the footsteps of their legendary predecessors.
The anticipation was met with an retro style performance from the support act The Forty Fours who are arguably one of the highest regarded rock and roll bands to emerge from Cornwall, although they have now relocated to London in order to further their career. The Forty Fours take influence from traditional Blues and Merseybeat to create an energising live set of covers and original material. They have thus far released their first demo album which is titled ‘Fourplay’ and comprises of eleven tunes, which you can find HERE.
The band comprise Oliver Harriss (lead guitar and vocals), Jason Bazeley (bass guitar and vocals), and Andy Stander (drums and vocals), and vocal harmonies accompanied with raw rhythm and blues instrumentation is the essence of The Forty Fours, and they are very much looking towards a resurgence in classic British Invasion music.
Tonight, they are dressed up for the occasion in sharp suits and looking like they’d just stepped out of a 1960c catalogue. Performing with equal charm, their style, charisma and sound were all clear nods to The Beatles, with their cover of ‘One After 909’ standing out as a personal highlight. Their enthusiasm was refreshingly sincere, cultivating a vibe that felt less like a polished set and more like stumbling into a spontaneous jam session among friends on a Wednesday night. Not to say it lacked rehearsal, rather, the performance was effortlessly fun with endearing suave tones and those present showed their appreciation with hearty applause at the end.
The Forty Fours:
Oli Harris – vocals, guitar
Jason Bazeley – bass, vocals
Andy Stander – drums, vocals
The Forty Fours setlist:
‘So Long’
‘Jack The Ripper’
‘I’m So Blue’
‘You Don’t Need Me’
‘Crying Waiting Hoping’
‘One After 909’
‘Now She’s Gone’
‘Hitch Hike’
‘Let Me Know’
‘Hush’
Soon after, The Molotovs took to the stage in their now-refined and iconic looks – quite the transformation from earlier when Matt was casually wandering outside the dressing room in his boxers. Their appearance now was polished, evidently keen to portray a particular image of coolness, ready to deliver a tight, high-energy performance that matched this curated image they are craving out for themselves.
They kicked things off with ‘More More More’, their only officially released single on streaming platforms, unleashing a punch of quintessentially British rock-pop energy and sounds. The audience was receptive, heads bopping and some more devoted attendees could be seen to be singing along. On ‘Johnny’ fans eagerly chanted in unison over the bridge: “still waiting here”, a moment that visibly motivated the room.
The performance was defined by relentless energy, driving power chords and commanding stage presence. No corner of the stage was left untouched after ‘Wasted On Youth’, with Issey and Matt crossing paths to exchange mics and working the crowd from both ends of the room. The band’s confidence as performers particularly shone on ‘No Time To Talk’ and David Bowie cover ‘Suffragette City’ which featured a thrashing guitar breakdown and a well-executed call-and-response moment that had the whole crowd engaged.
The audience was dominated by fans of an older generation, clearly enjoying the nostalgic nod to Paul Weller-esque swagger that lead singer Matt had to offer. The crowd resembling a casting call for a Quadrophenia remake, it’s hard to imagine the band expanding much beyond this demographic.
Bassist Issey was hard to miss, constantly in motion, gazing blankly yet intensely into the crowd, evoking gothic undertones. Unlike her bandmates, her appearance was less of an echo and demonstrated some deeper originality: a sparkly mini dress and bold smokey black eyeshadow. She brought a rock-chick vibe to the stage all while still pertaining to the trio’s retro aesthetic. Her performance was indubitably talented – fingers effortlessly dancing up and down the fretboard of her white Rickenbacker. On tracks like ‘Newsflash’ and ‘Come On Now’ she dramatically threw her guitar above her head to close out the songs. Her vocals were a stand out, on ‘Geraldine’ this was particularly pertinent where her softer tones paired beautifully with the powerful drums. I found myself wishing the band leaned into this more, perhaps even crafting a Mico-esque moment or two as a reprieve from the constant blitz of power chords.
The night ended in high spirits, with a cover of The Housemartins ‘Happy Hour’, a clever choice that allowed each bandmate to shine whilst collaboratively delivering the kind of upbeat singalong the crowd clearly craved. There is nothing remarkably striking about this gig, but that did not seem to matter. If you haven’t managed to snag tickets for Blur, Oasis, or any of the recent Britpop revivals, or you’re an ex-mod looking for a revival, a trip down memory lane with The Molotovs might just be the thing.
The Molotovs:
Matt Molotov – vocals, guitar
Issey Carts – bass, vocals
Noah Riley – drums
The Molotovs setlist:
‘More More More’
‘Johnny Don’t Be Scared’
‘New England’ (Kirsty McColl cover) (Matt solo)
‘Get A Life’
‘Wasted On Youth’
‘Geraldine’
‘Rhythm Of Yourself’
‘Newsflash’
‘Suffragette City’ (David Bowie cover)
‘Wasting My Time’
‘Daydreaming’
‘Pop Star’
‘No Time To Talk’
‘Today’s Gonna Be Our Day’
‘Come On Now’
(encore)
‘Happy Hour’ (The Housemartins cover)
The problem they will have, mentioned in the article and experienced by other similar bands, is that their audience will be predominantly made up of men (for the most part) in their 50’s and 60’s who still can’t get over the Jam splitting up. The audience should be people of their age who will probably be put off by the advancing years of the majority of the crowd.