MOON IDLE + ALFREDA + LUCY DARKE – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 25.4.26
Moon Idle chose to begin their first ever headline tour exactly where it made sense: at home. Their headline show at Brighton’s Hope & Ruin, courtesy of JOY. promoters, felt like a quiet milestone; a band returning to a room that shaped them, now sounding bigger, bolder and more assured than at any point in their journey so far. What hasn’t changed is the core of what makes Moon Idle such a distinctive presence in the city’s alt‑pop and trip‑hop landscape: cinematic textures, a sense of nocturnal drift, and a rhythm section that moves with hypnotic patience. But across this set, those foundations were stretched, sharpened and reimagined in ways that showed just how far the quartet have travelled.
The band of Quilla Robinson (vocals, keys, guitar), Jasper Fergus (guitar), Felix Burton (drums) and Felix Essex (bass) opened with ‘Godzilla’, a slow, deliberate build that immediately set the tone. Jasper’s pedalboard sculpted the atmosphere into something darker and more expansive, while Felix on drums and Felix on bass locked into a laid‑back, unhurried groove. Quilla’s vocals floated above with delicate melancholy, beautifully contrasting the tautness in the music. Part way through, the track shifted shape, keys swelling and the tension tightening. It was the first of many moments where Moon Idle pushed their own material into new territory.
‘Seed’ followed, and it was stronger and more assertive than ever. Quilla added a shaker, Jasper’s guitar flickered with a twinkling intricacy, and Felix’s bass cut through the mix with a clarity that grounded the whole song. The band let it grow slowly, almost imperceptibly, until the room was wrapped in its subtle rise and fall. The fade‑out, all echoing effects and Felix’s mesmerising drumming, was one of the set’s most quietly beautiful passages.
Two new songs arrived next, both signalling a band in forward motion. ‘The Greatest’ slid into a late‑night jazz‑club feel, Quilla’s voice showing a sweetness and higher register that contrasted with her usual soft, ethereal delivery. Jasper’s guitar veered into rockier, more experimental shapes, and the song moved between alt‑rock surges and gentler drops with impressive control. ‘Come Into the Water’ was faster and more up‑tempo, driven by a strong bassline and a swirl of effects that felt purposeful rather than decorative. Keys added depth, and the whole track hinted at a more expansive direction for the band.
Quilla then announced a slowdown, and ‘Bésame’ delivered exactly that. It was a wonderful duet between her and Jasper, with bassist Felix stepping offstage. It had a cabaret‑leaning, soft‑jazz feel, and Quilla’s vocal performance was extraordinary: seductive, poised, and showcasing yet another facet of her range. It was a reminder that Moon Idle’s intimacy is as compelling as their atmosphere.
The full band returned for ‘Gone’, a track that eased the audience back into their dream‑soaked world. The rhythm section was particularly strong here, giving Jasper space for more intricate guitar lines. The song shifted almost as if it were a new composition entirely. A recurring theme throughout the night, and one that kept the set feeling alive and unpredictable.
Their latest single ‘Delay Me’ brought one of the evening’s biggest reactions. Its trip‑hop rhythm, think Massive Attack with a dash of space‑invader electronics, had Jasper working his pedalboard and playing guitar one‑handed at times. Then came the burst: a funkier, alt‑rock‑leaning guitar section that pushed the track into a different gear. It was a perfect example of how Moon Idle are expanding their palette without losing their identity.
They closed with ‘Oranges’, a return to dreamy alt‑pop and Quilla’s trademark distinctive soft vocals. The song built and receded in waves, her soaring lines contrasting with clipped, stark effects. It was a gentle, luminous ending.
Moon Idle’s set showed a band evolving in real time: adding layers, testing boundaries, and revealing new sides of themselves without ever losing the hypnotic, dream‑soaked pulse at their core. Their first tour may have only just begun, but on this evidence, they’re already moving into something richer, deeper and unmistakably their own.
Moon Idle:
Quilla Robinson – vocals, keyboard and guitar
Jasper Fergus – guitar
Felix Burton – drums
Felix Essex – bass
Moon Idle setlist:
‘Godzilla’ (a 2025 single)
‘Seed’ (unreleased)
‘The Greatest’ (unreleased)
‘Come Into The Water’ (unreleased)
‘Bésame’ (unreleased)
‘Gone’ (unreleased)
‘Delay Me’ (a 2026 single)
‘Oranges’ (unreleased)
Lucy Darke opened the night with a stripped‑back set that revealed a different shade of her songwriting from the fuller, band‑driven performance she delivered at Homegrown Festival a few weeks before. Joined only by her keyboard player Valley T, she stepped into the Hope & Ruin with the quiet confidence that has become her hallmark. The kind that draws an audience inward before she’s even sung a note. Her songs unfolded like private conversations, warm and unhurried, carried by those honey‑smooth vocals that remain her defining signature.
She began with ‘Plaster’, all gentle keys and soft, dreamy twinkle, setting a tone of intimacy that held the room still. ‘Lynton’ followed with stronger, more emotionally charged vocals, her storyteller’s instinct coming through in every line. A whispered “thank you” bridged the moment before ‘Cease’, performed solely to keys at the start, added another layer of vulnerability.
‘Saboteur’, from her ‘Earthly Delights’ EP, brought a lift in energy. Valley T joined on guitar and backing vocals, giving the song a sumptuous instrumental glow and allowing Lucy’s voice to rise with a sweetness that never lost its softness. She closed with ‘Frank’, a moodier, more staccato piece that shifted her tone again: darker edges, sharper phrasing, and a final vocal rise that landed beautifully.
The set began in a hush and grew steadily in strength and presence, earning a deservedly warm reaction from those who arrived early. It was a reminder of how compelling Lucy Darke can be when her songs are given space to breathe.
Lucy Darke:
Lucy Darke – vocals, guitar
Valley T – keyboard, guitar
Lucy Darke setlist:
‘Plaster’ (unreleased)
‘Lynton’ (unreleased)
‘Cease’ (unreleased)
‘Saboteur’ (from 2025 ‘Earthly Delights’ EP)
‘Frank’ (unreleased)
London alt‑pop artist Alfreda made her Brighton debut with a performance that blurred the line between gig and theatre. Her keyboard player and guitarist were already poised onstage when she swept in wearing a striking black‑and‑white outfit, prompting a perfectly timed quip, “So nice of you to join us”.
She launched into a sassy, cabaret‑leaning opener full of character and sharp stage presence. Her set moved rather haphazardly between playful musical theatre flourishes and softer, more emotional moments, with storytelling between songs. Tongue‑in‑cheek looseness ran through her performance, even saying “I thought it was stand‑up comedy night.” At one point she asked, “What’s the next song?” and, when introducing ‘Pink Elephants’, added, “We are doing that one, aren’t we.” The track itself landed with power, her voice strong and commanding. On a new song she shifted from spoken delivery to soaring vocals. She closed on a gentler final number, singing on her knees, all theatrical glances and knowing humour, with the crowd joining in on the chorus. A charismatic and memorable first outing in Brighton.
