CORDELIA GARTSIDE + LITTLE GRANDAD + LUCY DARKE – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 13.11.25
Cordelia Gartside took centre stage at The Hope & Ruin on Thursday courtesy of JOY. promoters, her evocative indie textures headlining a bill that also featured Lucy Darke’s heartfelt songwriting and Little Grandad’s Americana‑fuelled power‑pop. It was a line‑up that delivered a very memorable and enjoyable night of live music.
Cordelia Gartside’s music blends indie, alternative, and experimental textures with a captivating live presence. With Cordelia’s powerful stunning vocals at its core, the band’s sound is sculpted by Willow Simpson’s shimmering lead guitar, anchored by Tom Ironmonger’s rich bass, and driven by Max Garner’s dynamic drumming. Together they create a cohesive, emotionally charged force, making them one of Brighton’s most promising rising talents.
It has been a while since Cordelia Gartside have played Brighton, as the band took time out to write and develop new material, which they unveiled on Thursday.
From the outset, Cordelia’s presence was magnetic. She stepped straight to the front of the stage, commanding attention, her intense stare locking the audience into each lyric. The opener, ‘Pay By The Hour’, began softly before erupting into layered intensity, even incorporating screamed vocals. This dynamic of restraint giving way to liberating release became a defining feature of the set. Her voice was consistently powerful yet emotional, building line by line, sometimes stretching a single word into an unwavering long note that seemed to suspend time.
The set unfolded with striking variety. Cordelia asked “Does anybody like Twin Peaks?” before the new song ‘Laura Palmer’. Its spoken‑word over a hushed opening, and its haunting narrative were perfectly suited to the cult TV series references. The audience responded with respectful silence, letting the song’s dramatic build speak for itself. ‘Bella’ followed with subtle guitar and bass interplay, showcasing the band’s cohesion. ‘Dust’, a new track stumbled into a false start, but it did mean we enjoyed hearing the start of this song again. The faster tempo from the drums and bass gave the song a different edge. At the end Cordelia quipped, “We did it guys!”
The second half of the set pushed further into intensity. ‘Mind Hits Body’ leaned into indie‑folk rock with angrier vocals, while ‘Pattern Repeating’, an older song, was highlighted by Willow’s sharp guitar break. ‘Machine’ brought bleak starkness, its anger conveyed through subtle dynamics rather than sheer volume. Then came ‘Hospital Corners’, a highlight of my night. Opening with a moody intro, the song faded mid‑way into a pause, Cordelia singing softly, “…be what you want me to be…” before leading the band into a soaring crescendo. It was a moment of raw vulnerability and strength, with the vocals guiding the musicians rather than following them.
The closing part of the set shifted tone again. ‘Good’ introduced a poppier, soft‑rock vibe, its drumming, similar to LA band Automatic, getting the crowd moving, and capped by another flawless long note and a fiery guitar break. ‘X‑ray’ revealed a sweeter side to Cordelia’s voice, contrasting quiet passages with screamed vocals in unpredictable bursts. Finally, ‘What The Heart Wants’ closed the night with another standout guitar break from Willow, this time more prog‑rock like, as Cordelia sat at the side of the stage for the last few bars of the set.
What made the set remarkable was not just the individual songs, but the way they flowed together. Each track carried its own identity, with spoken‑word storytelling, poppier grooves, stark anger, or soaring crescendos, yet the band’s chemistry ensured cohesion.
This was more than a return to the stage after a songwriting hiatus; it was a statement of artistic growth. The new material showcased a band willing to experiment and grow, while still reminding the audience of Cordelia Gartside’s ability to balance delicacy with intensity. By the end, it was clear that it was the finest performance I’ve seen from Cordelia Gartside, and one of the best I’ve seen this year!
Cordelia Gartside:
Cordelia Gartside – vocals, guitar
Willow Simpson – lead guitar
Tom Ironmonger – bass
Max Garner – drums
Cordelia Gartside setlist:
‘Pay By The Hour’ (unreleased)
‘December’ (a 2024 single)
‘Shut Up’ (unreleased)
‘Tinnitus’ (unreleased)
‘Laura Palmer’ (unreleased)
‘Bella’ (unreleased)
‘Dust’ (unreleased)
‘Mind Hits Body’ (unreleased)
‘Pattern Repeating’ (unreleased)
‘Machine’ (a 2024 single)
‘Hospital Corners’ (a 2024 single)
‘Good’ (unreleased)
‘X-ray’ (unreleased)
‘What The Heart Wants’ (unreleased)
Little Grandad are a London-based band whose sound fuses Americana-indie with alt-country grit and power-pop urgency. They are Jack Lower (bass). Harry Lower (guitar), Ned Ashcroft (guitars and trumpet) and James ‘Jimmy’ Brennan (drums and guitar) with vocal duties shared among the band.
Little Grandad brought a set that was as eclectic as it was engaging, showcasing their ability to move fluidly between styles while maintaining a strong sense of identity. Opening with ‘A Minute On The Lips’, the band immediately established their knack for vocal interplay, shifting from solo lines to three‑way harmonies. The track carried a distinctly US indie feel, driven by tight drumming and a confident rhythm section. The mood softened with ‘Sleepwalking’, introduced on acoustic guitar and shaded with hints of country. Ned’s throaty backing vocal delivery gave the song a richness. At times the song reminded me a little of Glen Campbell, while the arrangement built steadily before fading back into quiet reflection. It was a moment of restraint that contrasted neatly with the opener’s urgency.
‘Tiny Feet’ was introduced with the working title ‘I Don’t Know You Today’ and began with Harry in solo voice before blossoming into three‑part harmony over minimal guitar. The song ramped up in intensity before closing with a striking a cappella duet, a reminder of the band’s vocal chemistry and willingness to experiment with form.
‘Unmasked’ saw Ned switch from guitar to trumpet, adding a melancholy edge to the storytelling, while drummer James took up guitar duties. The track morphed into soft rock, ending with Ned playing trumpet directly into his guitar laid on the stage, a theatrical flourish that underlined the band’s adventurous spirit. Afterwards they commented “it’s a journey that one.”
Closing with ‘Babe, We Run Out Of Time’, Little Grandad shifted gears once more. Fast, upbeat, and pop‑leaning, the song featured swapping vocals, screamed passages, and sudden changes of pace, yet still managed to land with a soft, understated ending. It was a fitting conclusion to a set that balanced chaos with cohesion.
Little Grandad announced a return to Brighton for The Great Escape festival next year and hints of more shows before then. Little Grandad left Brighton with a performance that was varied, inventive, and full of promise.
Little Grandad:
Jack Lower – bass, vocals
Harry Lower – guitar, vocals
Ned Ashcroft – guitars, trumpet, vocals
James ‘Jimmy’ Brennan – drums, vocals, guitar
Little Grandad setlist:
‘A Minute On The Lips’ (unreleased)
‘Sleepwalking’ (unreleased)
‘Tiny Feet’ (unreleased)
‘Unmasked’ (unreleased)
‘Babe, We Run Out Of Time’ (unreleased)
drop.cobrand.com/d/littlegrandad
Lucy Darke is a Brighton-based singer-songwriter known for her honey-smooth vocals, acoustic warmth, and intimate storytelling. She has become a familiar presence on Brighton’s live circuit this year, whether fronting her own band or lending her voice to Swallowtail. For this show she opted for something more intimate, joined by Jasper Fergus from Moon Idle for a stripped‑back set that highlighted the depth and versatility of her vocals.
Opening with ‘Fairweather Frank’, Lucy immediately set a late‑night mood. Breathily delivered, her voice carried the elegance of Julee Cruise, while evoking the atmosphere of a smoky jazz club. Classy and emotional, the song revealed a thoughtful sadness in Lucy’s vocals.
The next three songs came from her 2025 ‘Earthly Delights’ EP. ‘Sweet’ unfolded as a romantic narrative, Jasper’s guitar adding a different texture from his work with Moon Idle. Lucy held her long notes with poise, captivating the audience into complete silence. ‘Whitecliffs’ followed with a dreamlike, mystical quality, again recalling Twin Peaks’ ethereal soundscape, while on ‘Saboteur’ her voice was louder, yet still carrying vulnerability and emotional nuance.
A cover of ‘The Girl On My Left’ by The Inconvenience Mission offered a lighter interlude. Jasper switched to acoustic guitar, and Lucy’s vocals floated delicately over the arrangement. After a couple of playful false starts, including giggles from both performers and Lucy’s admission she was “freestyling on a cover”, the song landed beautifully on the third attempt. Afterwards Jasper joked, “We’re better with our own songs.”
Two new tracks closed the set. ‘Lynton’ carried the feel of a dramatic movie soundtrack, conjuring images of suspense films or long drives across the American plains. Lucy’s vocals here were particularly striking, closing the song with a beautiful flourish. The final number, ‘Her’, shifted into late‑night cabaret territory, with Jasper’s clipped guitar underpinning Lucy’s strong yet vulnerable delivery.
By the end, the loud applause confirmed what the performance had already made clear: Lucy Darke thrives in stripped‑back settings, as well as with a full band. Her voice moved from delicate softness to commanding strength, always with emotional honesty. It was an excellent set, and another reminder of her growing presence in Brighton’s music scene.
Lucy Darke:
Lucy Darke – guitar vocal
Jasper Fergus – guitar
Lucy Darke setlist:
‘Fairweather Frank’ (unreleased)
‘Sweet’ (from 2025 ‘Earthly Delights’ EP)
‘Whitecliffs’ (from 2025 ‘Earthly Delights’ EP)
‘Saboteur’ (from 2025 ‘Earthly Delights’ EP)
‘The Girl On My Left’ (a cover of The Innocent Mission)
‘Lynton’ (unreleased)
‘Her’ (unreleased)
