ECHOBELLY + BABYBIRD – CHALK, BRIGHTON 17.10.25
Upon entry into Chalk on Friday evening, there was a sense of palpable anticipation of the nostalgic celebration ahead of us. Echobelly, the Britpop stalwarts fronted by the ever-charismatic Sonya Madan, were back in Brighton to mark the 30th anniversary of their most commercially successful album, ‘On’. This tour stop delivered a full playthrough of the album that catapulted them into the spotlight, blending their signature indie rock with shoegaze edges and socially-charged lyrics.
Supported by ‘Babybird‘ another band who enjoyed some success towards the end of that era, the venue was filled with fans who remember that period like it was yesterday, when Echobelly rubbed shoulders with the likes of Blur and Oasis in the Britpop genre.
The band, featuring original members Sonya on vocals and Glenn Johansson on guitar, arrived on stage to excited cheers. Due to the running order of the album, we were guaranteed absolute bangers in the first few tracks and thus, first up was ‘Car Fiction’ (which strangely was never released as a single), its short sharp and urgent delivery coupled with Sonya’s vocals soaring over driving guitars really set the tone for the rest of the set, her engaging stage presence undimmed by the decades.
‘King Of The Kerb’ with its sharp lyrics, anthemic chorus and infectious guitar riffs came next, then ‘Great Things’, exploded with infectious optimism, Sonya’s delivery as defiant and joyful as ever as the crowd sang along to every word.
As they worked through the rest of the album, there was plenty of banter from Sonya interspersing the songs, which was well received with the audience. The set continued with other great tracks like ‘Pantyhose And Roses’ and ‘Four Letter Word’. However, the eleventh track of the night, the hauntingly beautiful ‘Dark Therapy’ is my favourite song of theirs and it certainly didn’t disappoint, the layered melodies, introspective lyrics and emotional resonance mesmerising the crowd.
Final album track ‘Worms And Angels’ blended folk-tinged indie with bittersweet reflections on love and mortality, proving ‘On’s enduring relevance 30 years on. Its critique of societal norms felt as on-point as it did in the mid-nineties. It was an album I bought on CD at the time of release (13th November 1995) and I played on repeat. However, I completely rediscovered its brilliance through tonight’s show, the songs still sounding as fresh as the day the album hit the stores.
But Echobelly weren’t done there. The final part of the set delved into their wider releases, finishing up with a couple of crowd-pleasers from their debut album ‘Everyone’s Got One’ namely ‘Father, Ruler, King, Computer’ and closing out with ‘I Can’t Imagine The World Without Me’.
Overall, this was more than just an Echobelly nostalgia trip, it was a testament to the quality of their songwriting and enduring connection with the songs, a band not just revisiting the past, but revitalising it.
Echobelly:
Sonya Madan – vocals
Glenn Johansson – guitar
Dion Rushe – guitar
James Harris – bass
Jonny Brister – drums
Echobelly setlist:
‘Car Fiction’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘King Of The Kerb’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Great Things’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Natural Animal’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Go Away’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Pantyhose And Roses’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Something Hot In A Cold Country’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Four Letter Word’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Nobody Like You’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘In The Year’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Dark Therapy’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Worms And Angels’ (from 1995 ‘On’ album)
‘Close…But’ (from 1994 ‘Everyone’s Got One’ album)
‘On Turn On’ (from 1995 ‘Great Things’ EP)
‘Aloha Lolita’ (from 1996 ‘Dark Therapy’ EP)
‘Atom’ (from 1996 ‘Dark Therapy’ EP)
‘Scream’ (from 1994 ‘Everyone’s Got One’ album)
(encore)
‘Father, Ruler, King, Computer’ (from 1994 ‘Everyone’s Got One’ album)
‘I Can’t Imagine The World Without Me’ (from 1994 ‘Everyone’s Got One’ album)
Support came from three-piece ‘Babybird‘ who showcased their eclectic catalogue, frontman Stephen Jones’ sardonic humour throughout going down well with the crowd. Their best known song and biggest hit ‘You’re Gorgeous’ was the second up, surprisingly early into the set and was teased by Jones about being played at countless weddings without people understanding the lyrics!
Throughout, Jones’ gravelly vocals set against his band’s stripped-back setup—guitar, keys, and electronic generated percussion—created an intimate vibe, drawing cheers from a nostalgic ’90s crowd. Songs such as ‘Failed Suicide Club’, a darkly witty, tender and jagged melancholy composition and ‘Candy Girl’, a haunting addictive pop gem laced with dark irony were a couple of highlights.
Their first UK top 40 hit ‘Goodbye’ closed out the set and in my opinion, they’d saved their best track until last. A thoroughly enjoyable opening to the night’s proceedings.
