THROWING MUSES + LANDE HEKT – CHALK, BRIGHTON 6.9.25
Throwing Muses (8:30pm – 10pm)
Kristin Hersh might just be one of the hardest working constants of Indie rock. For the past forty years she has relentlessly composed and performed with tonight’s headliner Throwing Muses. The singularly unique and talented writer, Hersh’s stark and candid writing style served to set the band ever so slightly apart from contemporaries, allowing Throwing Muses becoming one of the great cult American indie-rock bands that have endured rather than flicker out.
Tonight’s eagerly expected show at Chalk was originally scheduled for 29/5/2025 along with the rest of their UK tour, felt even more special, as one of the rescheduled shows separated from those earlier in the year and giving the audience the rare opportunity to see the band in full flow prior to them heading off to the rest of Europe.
The current enthusiasm for ‘90s music that pervades the charts has seen a plethora of old favourites seize the opportunity to make a return to the touring circuit. However, unlike many of their peer’s tonight’s headliner, Throwing Muses have made a stronger return (If they ever really went away) with a brand-new album, 2025’s ‘Moonlight Concessions’. Experience, a relentless and precise musicianship add pervade Hersh’s and her band mate’s composition and lyricism on this new release and their two earlier releases, 2020’s ‘Sun Racket’ and 2013’s ‘Purgatory Paradise’. This new material is just as fierce, and formidable as the band’s original breakthrough album forty-years ago. Hersh’s relentless touring has paid off.
Hersh formed Throwing Muses in 1981 with stepsister Tanya Donelly and several high-school mates. The band recorded together constantly until Donelly left to form ‘Belly’ in 1991 with then bassist Fred Abong after the release of ‘The Real Ramona’. Both would return when Throwing Muses reformed in 2003. Abong is now back as the band’s drummer, (and Hersh’s Partner).
On the night, the anticipation was high in the venue. I had not seen Hersh perform for over two decades when I was lucky enough to see her perform solo in Brooklyn supported by Screaming Females. When the band finally made their appearance Hersh’s sheer presence proved to have lost none of its power. Within a few seconds of that sly smile disappearing Hersh’s distinctive and memorable side-to-side head-sway took hold. Her eyes always staying laser sharp, she might be smiling, but the subtle head movement is that of a python, mesmerising, underscored with warning. Once in Hersh’s gaze it is impossible to look away; she has a command of the band, audience, and venue that few possess.
Never one to walk to the beat of anyone else’s drum, the band wove newer material in between their back catalogue, keeping tracks from ‘Moonlight Concessions’ front and centre. Unusually it was the tracks from this album that were the strongest of the set. There’s a renewed confidence in the composition and an introspective vulnerability coupled with a louder and expansive sound than ever before. Familiar shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures and surreal lyrics are still present, but the new turn delivers a more mature grounded tone. The opening track of the night ‘Theremini’ lulled the audience into the start of the set. The addition of cellist Pete Harvey softened the formerly occasionally hard edge of the band lending a chamber music resonance to the set.
Having given the audience the idea that this would be a much quieter affair, the rug was pulled away with a return to 2013’s ‘Purgatory Paradise’ and the punchy ‘Sunday Venus’. Harvey parried his delivery, which under less dexterous hands could have swamped keeping pace and adding a more focused edge to old favourites throughout the set.
‘Slippershell,’ from the ‘Purgatory/Paradise’ album was a return to what might be referred to as ‘classic’ Throwing Muses fare. Combining garage rock with pop sensibility. The audience’s rapt attention and fervor visibly pleased Hersh and her bandmates throughout the set. The effusive applause between every track drew her genuine thanks on several occasions. Before moving into ‘Colder’ from ‘House Tornado,’ Hersh took the opportunity to introduce the band including her “…beautiful son Dylan [on bass] who’s been in this band as long as I have!”.
Now very much a family affair there was a tangible warmth to the evening and joy. Standout tracks from the new album not only include the opener, but also, ‘Drugstore Drastic,’ Summer Of Love,’ and ‘South Coast,’ though they might prove less bombastic fare than long-time fans expect; the album marks a new direction and more joyful for Hersh and the band. Striking the perfect balance of new and old throughout the band’s collective cohesion was flawless. Throwing Muses can still perform and blend the inherent musical contrasts of their catalogue in the most impressive of ways.
The cherry on the cake of the almost flawless set was the encore featuring thundering performances of both ‘Shark’ and ‘Bright Yellow Gun,’ the latter of which I had been holding out hope of hearing but did not fully expect. At the close of the set the band drank in the audience’s rapturous applause while Hersh thanked us for “… sticking around” with a genuinely heartfelt and humble gratitude.
Throwing Muses:
Kristin Hersh – lead vocals, guitar
Fred Abong – drums
Dylan Hersh – bass
Pete Harvey – cello
Throwing Muses setlist:
‘Theremini’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Sunray Venus’ (from 2013 ‘Purgatory Paradise’ album)
‘Dark Blue’ (from 2020 ‘Sun Racket’ album)
‘Bea’ (from 1989 ‘Hunkapapa’ album)
‘Bywater’ (from 2020 ‘Sun Racket’ album)
‘Slippershell’ (from 2013 ‘Purgatory Paradise’ album)
‘Colder’ (from 1988 ‘House Tornado/ The Fat Skier’ album)
‘Static’ (from 2013 ‘Purgatory Paradise’ album)
‘Him Dancing’ (from 1991 ‘The Real Ramona’ album)
‘Drugstore Drastic’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Lazy Eye’ (from 2013 ‘Purgatory Paradise’ album)
‘Summer Of Love’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Kay Catherine’ (from 2020 ‘Sun Racket’ album)
‘Libretto’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Opiates’ (from 2013 ‘Purgatory Paradise’ album)
‘Soap & Water’ (from 1988 ‘House Tornado/ The Fat Skier’ album)
‘South Coast’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Albatross’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Limbo’ (from 1996 ‘Limbo’ album)
‘Counting Backwards’ (from 1991 ‘The Real Ramona’ album)
‘Bo Diddley Bridge’ (from 2020 ‘Sun Racket’ album)
‘Sally’s Beauty’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
‘Moonlight Concessions’ (from 2025 ‘Moonlight Concessions’ album)
(encore)
‘Shark’ (from 1996 ‘Limbo’ album)
‘Bright Yellow Gun’ (from 1995 ‘University’ album)
Lande Hekt (7:30pm)
On first listen Hekt recalled late ‘80s chanteuse, say the The Sundays, but fronted by and slightly more vibrant Alison Statton from Young Marble Giants, or a young Tracey Thorn circa Marine Girls. Given her list of influences, including, The Replacements, The Raincoats, Sharon Van Etten, The Slits, Patti Smith, Sacred Paws, Le Tigre, Against Me!, should not come as a surprise. It is a marked change for the current vogue of ‘90s retro.
The live experience of Hekt’s band drifted into the first track ‘Romantic,’ without introduction. A wistful mid-tempo affair pondering the very nature of the start to a love of burgeoning love. It was a welcome start to the evening. It is the kind of track you could nod happily to in the background of a rom-com.
This first track highlighted both Heckt’s vocals, musicianship and lyricism ably supported by her backing band. The next track was the first from her 2022 album ‘House Without A View’. Written immediately on the tail of her first album ‘Going To Hell’, both albums explore Heckt’s intensely personal journey and experience of coming out, which was briefly touched upon briefly in the set.
While the material from the first album, such as ‘December’, and ‘Half With You’, which appeared immediately afterwards in the set, had a more ‘low-fi’ feel than the more lushly production sound of newer tracks, ‘Cut My Hair’ and ‘Backstreet Snow’, they were no less enjoyable or effective.
Hekt describes her music as “upsetting Indie pop songs” on Instagram. However, there was a lightness of touch to the composition which was more bittersweet reflection than genuinely upsetting. Genuine whimsy made an appearance when Hekt introduced the track ‘Lola’ which is about trying to understand the behaviours of a pet cat. The preamble to this almost splitting the audience which the performer quickly sought to quell when dog lovers ever so slightly bristled.
Overall Hekt’s set was delivered with a genuine honesty and warmth, which the audience absorbed thoroughly leaving them with a warm glow to carry over to the night’s headliner.
Lande Hekt:
Lande Hekt – lead vocals, guitar
unknown – drums
unknown – bass
unknown – guitar
Lande Hekt setlist:
‘Romantic’ (a 2022 single)
‘Cut My Hair’ (from 2022 ‘House Without A View’ album)
‘December’ (from 2021 ‘Going To Hell’ album)
‘Half With You’ (from 2021 ‘Going To Hell’ album)
‘80 Days Of Rain’ (from 2022 ‘House Without A View’ album)
‘Backstreet Snow’ (from 2022 ‘House Without A View’ album)
‘Lola’ (from 2022 ‘House Without A View’ album)
‘Pottery Class’ (a 2023 single)
‘Gay Space Cadets’ (from 2022 ‘House Without A View’ album)
