WHITELANDS + HELEN GAYNA + ALPHABET + DIRTSHARKS – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 25.3.26
Hidden Herd returned to The Hope & Ruin with an expertly curated showcase, the kind of night that reminds you why their events have become a fixture in Brighton’s grassroots calendar. From surf‑worn indie and shape‑shifting alt‑rock to luminous Thai inspired alt‑pop and expansive shoegaze, a sold-out crowd settled in early and stayed locked in throughout.
Opening the night were Dirtsharks, a Brighton‑based four‑piece founded in Cornwall by brothers Aidan and Brendan Moran. They blend surf‑scuffed indie with rough‑edged alt‑rock, their melodic instincts sharpened by the addition of violins.
They set the tone early with ‘Sleep’, a slow‑build opener that swelled from gentle sway to a full rock surge, the violin carving out a distinctive edge. That instrument took centre stage on the instrumental later, both brothers bow in hand, with Aidan even strumming his violin like a ukulele. Older favourite ‘Wasted Time’ brought a tender indie warmth, while ‘Nosebleed’ shifted from soft introspection to one of the loudest eruptions of their set. New track ‘Foxglove’ hinted at darker, folk‑tinged territory before they closed on a high with ‘Retina’, the room singing along unprompted. It was proof that even with a name change ahead, their momentum is firmly intact.
Dirtsharks:
Aidan Moran – vocals, guitar
Brendan Moran – guitar, violin
Matt Edwards – bass
James Stevenson – drums
Dirtsharks setlist:
‘Sleep’ (unreleased)
‘Hawks’ (unreleased)
“Violin instrumental” (unreleased)
‘Wasted Time’ (from 2019 ‘Strangers’ EP)
“Interlude” (unreleased)
‘Nosebleed’ (from 2024 ‘Stay Lucent’ EP)
‘Foxglove’ (unreleased)
‘Retina’ (from 2024 ‘Stay Lucent’ EP)
Alphabet followed with one of the standout sets of the night, a reminder of how far the London alt‑indie outfit have come since first crossing paths in their Brighton days. Their sound deals in restless, shape‑shifting energy, being hazy and dreamlike one moment, sharp with post‑punk urgency the next. Hidden Herd’s stage gave them room to show the full spectrum.
They eased in with ‘City Glare’, its shoegazy drift gradually expanding into a room‑filling soundscape. It was the first glimpse of the band’s compelling contrasts: Lena Pishofer’s ethereal vocals against Milo McNulty’s more direct delivery, and also George Miles’ punchy drums locking in with Milo’s rhythm guitar while Tom Sullivan threaded intricate lines over the top.
Two unreleased tracks followed, both played live for the first time. ‘Echoes’ opened with a great drum intro, while ‘I Care’ leaned heavier, with Lena and Milo swapping vocal lines before joining together in a way that amplified the song’s tension. ‘Upside Down’ pushed further into indie‑rock and post‑punk territory, Milo’s vocal almost breaking into anger, before ‘Pressure’ shifted the spotlight back to Lena with a more forceful edge in her voice. Their closing run, with more familiar songs ‘Motion Sickness’ and ‘Artificial Light’, was a surge of atmosphere and momentum, ending in an instrumental frenzy that showed just how tightly this band operate. A brilliant set that exceeded my already high expectations.
Alphabet:
Lena Pishofer – vocals, bass
Milo McNulty – vocals, guitar
Tom Sullivan – lead guitar
George Miles – drums
Alphabet setlist:
‘City Glare’ (unreleased)
‘Echoes’ (unreleased)
‘I Care’ (unreleased)
‘Upside Down’ (unreleased)
‘Pressure’ (unreleased)
‘Motion Sickness’ (a 2025 single)
‘Artificial Light’ (a 2024 single)
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Brighton‑based Scottish‑Thai artist Helen Ganya brought a plush, luminous presence to the night, her psych‑tinged sound enriched by threads of traditional Thai instrumentation and those soft‑focus, airy vocals. Some folk will recall that Bella Union artist Helen previously released her music under the moniker Dog In The Snow.
Joined by a drummer and a multi‑instrumentalist switching between bass and saxophone, she opened with ‘Weera’, a piece that immediately foregrounded her heritage and set a mystical, theatrical tone. ‘The Crowd’ introduced a starker edge, its darker drumming underscoring the song’s theme of fearing crowds. A striking shift followed on ‘Deep Sea’, performed almost solo, with Ganya using a violin bow on her guitar to create atmospheric textures. New track ‘Panic Button’ pushed the volume upwards, while ‘Barn Nork’ returned to her Thai influences with a more reflective touch. She closed with the up‑tempo ‘Chaiyo!’, meaning “hurrah” in Thai. It was a bright, celebratory finish to an enjoyable set.
Helen Gayna:
Helen Gayna – guitar, vocals
Unknown – drums
Unknown – bass, saxophone
Helen Ganya setlist:
‘Weera’ (from 2025 ‘Share Your Care’ album)
‘Share Your Care’ (from 2025 ‘Share Your Care’ album)
‘Fortune’ (from 2025 ‘Share Your Care’ album)
‘I Will Hold That Hand For You’ (from 2022 ‘Polish The Machine’ album)
‘The Crowd’ (from 2022 ‘Polish The Machine’ album)
‘Deep Sea’ (from 2022 ‘Polish The Machine’ album)
‘Panic Button’ (unreleased)
‘Barn Nork’ (from 2025 ‘Share Your Care’ album)
‘Chaiyo!’ (from 2025 ‘Share Your Care’ album)
Headliners Whitelands closed the night with a set that confirmed why the London four‑piece are at the forefront of a new wave of Black British guitar music. Their sound is a blend of dream‑pop shimmer, shoegaze haze and quietly political undercurrents. It moves with swirling guitars, sky‑high reverb and melodies that sneak up on you. This was their third Brighton appearance, following The Great Escape and a support slot with Slowdive at The Dome, (Review HERE) and it felt like a band stepping confidently into their own space.
They opened with the upbeat jangle of ‘Blankspace’, before ‘Cheer’ washed the room in a softer shoegaze drift. A sense of fun ran through the set, even when they joked about starting the wrong song. ‘Heat Of The Summer’ pushed into louder, faster indie‑gaze territory without losing its dreamy core, while ‘The Profit And I’ brought punchier basslines and drums that had the crowd moving. ‘Birdsong (Forever)’ offered a gentler change of pace, blooming from a lone guitar into bright indie‑pop, and fan favourite ‘Mirrors’ drew one of the biggest reactions of the night. ‘Golden Daze’ layered drums, bass and guitar into a rising, falling swell. They closed with ‘Now Here’s The Weather’, a more indie‑rock‑leaning highlight that still held their shoegaze foundation.
It showed that Whitelands have stepped out of the shoegaze shadows into something bigger, brighter and increasingly their own.
Whitelands:
Etienne – vocals, guitar
Vanessa – bass
Jayun – drums
Karin – guitar
Whitelands setlist:
‘Blankspace’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘Cheer’ (from 2024 ‘Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day’ album)
‘Heat Of The Summer’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘The Profit And I’ (from 2024 ‘Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day’ album)
‘Birdsong (Forever)’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘I Am No God, An Effigy’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘Mirrors’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘Golden Daze’ (from 2026 ‘Sunlight Echoes’ album)
‘Now Here’s The Weather’ (from 2024 ‘Night-bound Eyes Are Blind To The Day’ album)
By the time Whitelands’ final notes faded, the strength of Hidden Herd’s curation felt unmistakable. Four artists at different stages, all evolving, all pushing their sound outward, and all proving why nights like this remain vital for Brighton’s live scene. As another edition of Hidden Herd’s showcase wrapped up, it was clear that the next wave of emerging talent isn’t just arriving; it’s already here.
News of Hidden Herd’s forthcoming shows and tickets is available HERE.
