NADINE SHAH + MS MOHAMMED – BRIGHTON DOME 24.5.25
On a cool May evening in Brighton, the city’s iconic Dome Concert Hall played host to a night of uncompromising artistry, raw storytelling, and electrifying sound as Nadine Shah and support act Ms. Mohammed took to the stage as part of Anoushka Shankar’s guest director’s Brighton Festival, filling the auditorium with this duo of powerful voices on a wet and windy night.
Opening the evening was Ms. Mohammed (Dana J Mohammed), a new (to me) boundary-pushing artist whose sound pulls from punk, rock, and global influences, reflecting her Trinidadian-Indian heritage and New York / London roots. I was blown away this performer, mastery of guitar and vocals, singer songwriter and ready to rock.
This rising star has been played by Iggy Pop on BBC6 who exclaimed “Whoa! A Middle Eastern beat into a rockin’ groove!”. In a previous interview she has talked about his identity and its challenges – “I’m a gay woman of color with a Muslim surname, living in post-Brexit England in the era of Trump. Fun times!”
Backed by a killer three-piece band — including a borrowed bassist from Paloma Faith’s band Andrea Goldsworthy, and musician Will Taylor formerly of The Damned on drums — she launched into Tell Me No Lies, instantly grabbing the audience with searing vocals and fierce guitar work – Carnival Edge Meets Riot Grrrl Grit.
There was a distinctly PJ Harvey edge to her performance — something in the swagger, the ferocity, the guitar-heavy arrangements. She openly admits Peej’s influence on her work and launched into a stripped-back, heavy-beat cover of To Bring You My Love which nodded directly to Harvey’s iconic style, but it was never imitation. Instead, Ms. Mohammed bent the track to her own will, layering it with a driving energy that felt almost ritualistic.
Between songs, she was witty and sharp, introducing Written in Time — a poignant love song — with the quip, “my therapist will have a field day with this one.” She roared through Hallelujah, a song about healing, before closing with the defiant Never Again, preceded by a powerful shout of “Free Palestine.” Her final words — “Here’s to rock!” — rang out like a manifesto.
It was a performance that left the audience both stirred and ready. Ms Mohammed is an artist who commands your attention, not just for her sound but for her stance — politically charged, deeply personal, and unapologetically loud. She’s now on my playlist and should definitely be on yours!
Mercury Prize-nominated and much-loved independent artist Nadine Shah up next and the shift in atmosphere was palpable. The lights dimmed, anticipation hummed, and the packed (wide-ranging in demographic) house leaned in. Opening with tracks from her 2024 album Filthy Underneath, Shah wasted no time asserting her sonic territory — bold, dark, and laced with theatrical tension.
Her voice — rich, resonant, almost operatic — is an instrument in itself, capable of bruising intimacy and explosive power. The four-piece band behind her (featuring Mike Monaghan on drums, Ben Nicholls on bass and vocals, Dan Crook playing guitar and keyboards, Marcus Hamblett playing guitar, trumpet, percussion, vocals, and Pete Wareham on saxophone) provided muscular support without ever pulling focus from Shah’s commanding presence. At one point her powerful, throaty voice had the impact and style of a Bond film anthem.
The early part of her set included Ladies for Babies (Goats for Love) — a BBC6 favourite that is part lullaby, part feminist snarl — and a spoken-word monologue about a seaside town, delivered with eerie precision and dark wit. Each track was like a self-contained scene, sometimes stripped back to voice and skeletal rhythm, sometimes layered with synths and noise, pushing towards catharsis.
Shah performed tracks from her acclaimed fifth album Filthy Underneath (2024) — a bold, unflinching exploration of mental health, addiction, and survival. The track Twenty Things, grief-stricken and atmospheric, was a standout moment, dripping with loss and longing. Another track, with lilting vocals set against synth-heavy arrangements, gave off an unmistakable ’80s pulse — melancholic yet danceable, a sonic contradiction that perfectly mirrors Shah’s writing style.
Shah’s ability to embody her songs is astonishing. At times, it felt as though she was channelling different characters — broken women, vengeful lovers, angry daughters — but there was never any doubt that these were her stories, born of her own lived experience. Halfway through the set, she acknowledged the weight of the evening, referencing political realities and heartbreaks, both personal and global. Holiday Destination (from the 2017 album of the same name), a searing track about the Syrian refugee crisis, was delivered with added urgency, her plea: “How you gonna sleep tonight?” aimed squarely at the conscience.
Toward the end of the night, she returned to older favourites — Greatest Dancer among them (Light up your house for the greatest dancer, Happy for now watching shiny dancers, Held in a trance, Come and join hands with her …) — filling the auditorium with her voice, and by then, the room was hers. The packed auditorium, filled with enthusiastic fans, curious first-timers, and long-time Brighton Festival-goers, had been held rapt throughout.
Ending with an impassioned plea about Gaza, her final track, Out the Way, left no doubt: Nadine Shah is at the top of her game. Her voice had, at various points, soared, cracked, whispered, and roared. This was, a night to remember.
★★★★★ – Two fearless female artists. One unforgettable night. Brighton Festival at its best.
