HAIM + NELL MESCAL – BRIGHTON CENTRE 26.10.25
There was a satisfying sense of symmetry watching HAIM return to Brighton, the city where their UK story and indeed career success first began. Thirteen years ago, the three sisters from Los Angeles namely Este, Danielle, and Alana were relative unknowns, particularly back in their native country, played a blistering set at the now-demolished ‘Psychosocial Basement’ (formerly Ocean Rooms) in Morley Street on the 11th May which was part of the 2012 Great Escape Festival.
Following that performance on a sweltering night, they got spotted by industry bigwigs and signed to their record label Polydor the following month…and the rest, as they say, is history. HAIM returned again to the city appearing at ‘The Haunt’ in November 2012 and again to The Dome in 2014 – and as they mentioned several times tonight, they have a love for and affinity with our great city which gave them their big musical break.
That fateful night was the start of a journey that’s taken them from indie darlings to one of pop-rock’s most confident and musically versatile acts. Thirteen years later, the Brighton Centre crowd greeted them like hometown heroines.
The sense of excitement built as a result of a retro style LED display with a ‘loading’ bar and percentage which went up until the band arrived on stage when it hit 100%. This display was a constant theme of the set, displaying messages, often humorous, with different variations on the ‘I Quit’ theme throughout, for example ‘I Quit Giving Up’, ‘I Quit Your Sh*t’, ‘I Quit Lying To Myself’, ‘I Quit Winter’ to name but a few, which provided an engaging backdrop to the tracks.
Opening with the sleek, moody groove of ‘Gone’, HAIM immediately set the tone for a night that balanced emotional depth with rhythmic precision. The follow-up, ‘All Over Me’, showcased the band’s trademark blend of tight harmonies and powerful drumming – Danielle, as always, leading with her steady guitar work and effortlessly cool vocals.
The early run of songs mixed material from across their back catalogue with new fan favourites. ‘Take Me Back’ shimmered with wistful nostalgia, while ‘My Song 5’ reminded everyone just how heavy HAIM can get, with Este’s bass reverberating through the venue. The band’s chemistry was electric – years of touring have made their interplay instinctive, and their prolific banter between songs still feels like catching up with old friends – at one point Alana necked a can of lager in one then crushed the can with her heel much to the amusement of the crowd.
A mid-set stretch of ‘Cry’, ‘Spinning’ (where we were all invited to spin), and ‘Don’t Wanna’ saw them lean into softer textures before ramping up again with ‘Million Years’ and the explosive ‘The Steps’. By the time ‘Gasoline’ rolled around, Danielle’s guitar solos were wailing and the audience was fully in sync, clapping every beat. There was a particularly slick and impressive drummer changeover mid-song on ‘Blood On The Street’ which was rewarded with hearty applause by the audience.
The heart of the show came with an acoustic turn: ‘The Farm’, stripped back and intimate, followed by a lush ‘Summer Girl’ that began with an extended, jazzy saxophone intro – a nod to their L.A. roots and a moment of pure magic. The trio, together with their two supporting band mates – Nick and Ryan – are all seriously accomplished musicians who can turn their hand to all manner of different instruments.
The final stretch – ‘Want You Back,’ ‘Relationships,’ and ‘Now I’m In It’ – was pure catharsis, showcasing HAIM’s uncanny ability to turn personal reflection into communal joy. They left the stage briefly before returning for a two-song encore that brought the house down: ‘The Wire,’ still their defining anthem of heartbreak and resilience, and the newer ‘Down To Be Wrong,’ a swaggering closer that left the audience buzzing.
Thirteen years on from their Brighton breakthrough, HAIM proved they’ve lost none of their charm or creative spark, in fact it’s more polished and evident than ever. This wasn’t just a musical homecoming – it was a celebration of growth, sisterhood, and the enduring power of pop-rock done right. They promised us a party on a Sunday night – and they delivered in spades.
HAIM:
Alana Haim – guitars, keyboards, vocals
Danielle Haim – lead vocals, guitar, drums
Este Haim – bass guitar, vocals
HAIM setlist:
‘Gone’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘All Over Me’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘Take Me Back’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘My Song 5’ (from 2013 ‘Days Are Gone’ album)
‘Cry’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘Spinning’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘Don’t Wanna’ (from 2020 ‘Women In Music Pt. III’ album)
‘Million Years’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘The Steps’ (from 2020 ‘Women In Music Pt. III’ album)
‘Gasoline’ (from 2020 ‘Women In Music Pt. III’ album)
‘Blood On The Street’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘The Farm’ (Acoustic) (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘Summer Girl’ (with extended sax solo intro) (from 2020 ‘Women In Music Pt. III’ album)
‘Want You Back’ (from 2017 ‘Something To Tell You’ album)
‘Relationships’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
‘Now I’m In It’ (from 2020 ‘Women In Music Pt. III’ album)
(encore)
‘The Wire’ (from 2013 ‘Days Are Gone’ album)
‘Down To Be Wrong’ (from 2025 ‘I Quit’ album)
Support this evening came from Nell Mescal, a talented 22-year-old singer-songwriter from County Kildare in Ireland.
Opening for HAIM, she delivered a captivating set that felt far bigger than a support slot. Performing with disarming confidence together with a supporting cast of four band-members, she filled the Brighton Centre with her brand of indie-folk-pop, soaring vocals and heartfelt personal lyricism. Songs like ‘Killing Time’ and ‘See You Again’ showcased her knack for emotional storytelling, while her connection with the crowd was instant – charming, genuine, and quietly magnetic.
Even in the vast arena, Mescal made it feel intimate, commanding full attention from early arrivals. By the end, it was clear she’s not just an emerging talent but a headliner-in-waiting, winning over a room that came for HAIM and left talking about her too.
Nell Mescal returns to the city for her own headline slot at Patterns on Monday 17th November 2025, tickets are available from HERE. Catch her at an intimate venue while you still can!
Nell Mescal setlist:
‘Killing Time’ (from 2024 ‘Can I Miss It For A Minute?’ EP)
‘Carried Away’ (from 2025 ‘The Closest We’’l Get’ EP)
‘Electric Picnic’ (from 2024 ‘Can I Miss It For A Minute?’ EP)
‘Sweet Relief’ (from 2025 ‘The Closest We’’l Get’ EP)
‘Warm Body’ (from 2024 ‘Can I Miss It For A Minute?’ EP)
‘In My Head’ (from 2023 ‘Teeth’ EP)
‘See You Again’ (from 2025 ‘The Closest We’’l Get’ EP)
‘The Closest We’ll Get’ (from 2025 ‘The Closest We’’l Get’ EP)
