‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘VARIOUS VENUES’ – THE GREAT ESCAPE, BRIGHTON 13-16.5.26
Taking over the city of Brighton every May, The Great Escape is the world’s leading new music festival for discovery, bringing together 450+ emerging artists from around the world across 35+ walkable venues, alongside a globally respected music industry conference. There was also a whole host of ‘Unofficial Escape’ events happening throughout Brighton & Hove at the same time again this year, featuring literally hundreds of additional acts to see, and so where possible, we dipped into some of these events for a full rounded perspective of things.
This is our fourth installment. You can find the others below:
FRIDAY 15th MAY (PART ONE – 12:00 TO 19:15):
CHARLIE HOUSTON – North Laine Brewhouse 12:00 – 12:30
Toronto, Canada indie-pop singer-songwriter, and guitarist Charlie Houston was high on my list of acts I wanted to see at this year’s festival, so I was grateful that she featured on an unofficial alternative showcase at North Laine Brewhouse in Gloucester Place early on day three of the festival. She performed an eight-song set with two other band members: Eric Vanier (drums) and Adam Hanney (guitar). There is also a prominent backing track in operation. The opening three songs of the set are all taken from her 2025 debut full-length album, ‘Big After I Die’. The first two are really catchy. The poppy stop-start opening song ‘Pink Cheetah Print Slip’ has a bit of a Wet Leg feel to it, while the next song, ‘Lewps’, deserves a lot of attention. Again, it’s catchy and makes you want to move and dance around the room. The third song is slower, ‘Slut For Excel’. Charlie then tells us that her first album was “all about eating weed cookies and dating bisexual girls”. Her second album, which has already been written, is about being a tomboy. Currently, there is no release date for the new album, although we do get to hear five songs that are expected to feature on it. First up is ‘Cobra George’, which has a heavier beat to it. This is followed by ‘Ladylike’ and ‘She’s Making A Splash’. The next one is about bad habits. Charlie asks if any of us watching have any. She says at one point she was addicted to online gambling, but now she is addicted to opening Pokémon cards. The song is called ‘Dig Your Heels In’. The final song of an entertaining set is Charlie’s latest single, ‘SkiDay’, another that has a bit of a Wet Leg resemblance to it.
(Ian Holman)
QUIET HOUSES – The Hope & Ruin 12:15 – 12:45
Shockingly early for a queue so big, the indie dream-pop duo of Quiet Houses take to the stage. A queue snakes all the way down the stairs; within two tracks, the hype is justified. The duo of Hannah Elliott and Jamie Stewart awkwardly joke with the early-afternoon audience between poignant tracks, echoing Gracie Abrams in their lyrics but sonically evoking Alvvays. 2023 release ‘See For Miles’ is a highlight, dialling confessionalism with ethereal folk for a pop-leaning sound that deserved to be a hit. Joking throughout about burning off pastries and media hype cycles – Jamie states, “Did Hannah mention we’re a brand new act.. we’re 17.. We formed a month ago” – the duo are immensely likeable, earning laughs throughout. Youthful in all the right ways, their tracks feel like young love; a synth-infused, country-indebted ode to figuring yourself out – by the time ‘Ocean Avenue’ in all its triumphant, reckless night-out abandon lands, the room has given itself over. If this crowd’s opinion is worth anything, Quiet Houses are ready for radio playlists.
(Keir Shields)
TWAT UNION – Daltons 12:15 – 12:45
I got to the venue extra early and still had to wait in a queue that snaked round the corner — so clearly Twat Union are hugely popular with the festival crowd. I managed to get a spot stage‑left by the speakers, while four of my fellow reviewers stood right at the front in the packed Daltons (lucky buggers!). I’d heard of them but never seen them live before, and when they kicked off with ‘Tiny Shorts’, this punky six‑piece from South London initially left me a bit underwhelmed — I thought they weren’t quite as good as Panic Shack. But as the set went on, I really started to warm to their chaotic stage presence and the brilliant chemistry between the band members. They definitely have a sharper, funnier comedic edge that Panic Shack don’t quite pull off as well. Frontwoman Kate Mac made reference to female orgasms as they launched into ‘Little Pink Drill’ — and yes, she really did use a vibrator as a plectrum, shredding away and taking the sound to new heights. Next up was ‘Red Flag’, where everyone was handed a red cloth. We did an interactive line dance, waving them along as Kate sang those cheeky, provocative lines: “You’re better without make‑up; You should shave down there; It’s better without a Condom” — each ridiculous comment punctuated by a flag wave. Songs tackling taboo subjects like ‘UTI’ and ‘Period Sex’ really sums up what they’re all about. It was such good fun to watch, and musically they absolutely hit the mark. They closed with ‘Singer In The Band’, dragging a guy out of the crowd, handing him a tambourine, and getting him to shake along amid the guitar frenzy and spoken‑word lyrics. They kicked my Friday off brilliantly and I left with a massive smile on my face.
(Stephen Willcox)
LYNNIE SNOW – Shipwright’s Yard 12:50 – 13:100
Lynnie Snow delivered a captivating live set filled with intensity and wonderful stage charisma, backed by a four-piece band comprising her fellow BIMM graduates that perfectly balanced delicacy with explosive energy. Her haunting debut single ‘Streetlight, Save Me’ shimmered with cinematic melancholy, while her new single ‘Medal’ was released on the day of this performance and added a sharper edge that hinted a major breakthrough could be on the horizon. Lynnie’s sound moved between intimate indie and dramatic alternative rock, with a vocal performance that held the crowd gathered outside in the Shipwright’s Yard in thrall, the garage stage amplifying the sound really well. A homegrown star in the making.
(Martin J Fuller)
BONES ATE ARFA – The Black Lion 13:00 – 13:40
It’s back to The Black Lion to catch an early set from Bones Ate Arfa, one of at least 10 shows they are playing across The Great Escape weekend. The band certainly know how to perform, somehow managing to squeeze a stadium-worthy rock show into the back of a bar. Their stage presence is undeniable and their musicianship jaw-droppingly good, mixing grunge and hard rock muscle with enough visual flair to make it impossible to look away. Arfa on lead vocals and bass is a force of nature, wielding his bass right into the faces of the crowd, while Bones delivers riffs and ear-shredding guitar licks with effortless swagger. On drums, 8 is pure rock theatre, spinning sticks, prowling through the crowd with a cowbell and striking every pose in the book. Set highlights include the glorious ‘Chew So Easy’ and the rocking ‘Akimbo People’. If this taster is anything to go by, Bones Ate Arfa can go far. Remember the name.
(Cris Watkins)
SLAG – Daltons 13:15 – 13:45
Rising Brighton band Slag have made great strides since they were formed in 2023. They’ve put in a lot of graft playing numerous local shows, going out on nationwide tours, releasing three singles as well as their debut EP. Their live shows are full of high-energy. They provide a genre-blending sound, mixing up a shapeshifting blend of math-rock, alternative indie-pop, and art-punk. They are Amelie Gibson (vocals, guitar), Dan Phillips (guitar), Freya Eastcott (bass, backing vocals), Seb Cooper (keys, backing vocals), and Luke Martin (drums), although there is a change to today’s line-up as Dan is unavailable as he is best man at a friend’s wedding, so Nick Jones has taken over. Nick has made a great effort as not only has he stepped in to perform, he has the Slag logo coloured into his shortly cropped hair. The five-piece start off with their wonderful second single ‘Heaven’. This is followed up with ‘Private Gyno’ and ‘Losing’ with its screeching guitar ending. After ‘Still Here’ they perform the excellent raw and brooding ‘Dislocated’ which includes the lyric “you can’t fix my dislocated elbow by kissing it better”. At this point, as is normal in a Slag set, Seb walks over to Freya and kisses her elbow. Next, we get debut single ‘Ripped’, which features some spacey keyboard sounds. The set finishes with two corkers. ‘Face Off’ and ‘Legs’ during which Freya joins the audience with bass in hand as the set comes to a close. Amelie spins her guitar round and lifts it to reveal the word SLAG.
(Ian Holman)
ADULT DVD – Komedia Basement 13:30 – 14:00
The Komedia basement is absolutely rammed; the low ceiling is a perfect setting to catch a band described as “the buzziest act at all of SXSW.” In the vein of Fat Dog’s balls-to-the-wall nu-rave, Adult DVD have already outgrown this venue with their sarcastic ‘48:13’ era acid-rock. Tearing through the jittering hi-hat-driven groove on ‘Coffin Dodger’ and the 80s synthwave aberration of ‘Dogs In The Sun’, the walls are rattling, and a usually reserved crowd is jumping – no mean feat for a lanyard-adorned crowd with a full day left. However, frontman Harry Hanson isn’t content, constantly stoking up a crowd for mosh pits that never quite happen despite every track booming – ‘Do Something’ is not only jauntily electronic but hilarious. The lack of circle pits is no reflection on the band; they are doing absolutely everything, playing frenzied dancefloor detonators to a room of ‘lanyard wankers.’ By the time sarcastically entertainment-obsessed closer ‘Bill Murray’ lands, everyone is converted, and half the room is jumping. With the entire room clearing out directly after, the people were here just for Adult DVD. Consider this a flag planted in the ground moment: they are one of the most exciting groups in the UK. Major labels will be murdering each other to sign them.
(Keir Shields)
MARINA JOSEPHINA – Waterbear Music Bar 13:30 – 14:00
Effortlessly authentic and captivating, Marina Jospehina delivered a beautifully intimate performance at the WaterBear Music Bar, armed only with her voice and a Nord Electro 6 in the absence of her regular backing band. The Teesside artist blended smooth R&B grooves with touches of soul and jazz, creating a warm, late-night atmosphere despite the afternoon slot in the Northern House basement showcase. In addition to some new songs that hinted at the impressive depth in her songwriting, her rich expressive vocals and understated stage presence kept the room completely absorbed throughout the set. Check out her latest single ‘Did It Again’ as the perfect introduction to Marina’s music.
(Martin J Fuller)
J APPIAH – One Church 14:15 – 14:45
It seems every R&B artist with a semi-decent voice gets the same comparison: Frank Ocean. While most artists do not deserve this, it’s difficult to find a more apt comparison for British-Ghanaian singer-songwriter J Appiah, whose voice is as strikingly mellifluous. Usually a touring vocalist with Gorillaz, his 2:15pm slot at One Church is a far cry from the arenas he’s used to. A stripped-back Mon Rovia setup, just him and a guitar, is a bold move, but one that hugely pays off. ‘LSA’ is just as gorgeous without the production of the recorded track, transforming from a Blood Orange-type arrangement into intimacy; the church setting provides the perfect acoustics for Appiah’s vocals to shine. Throughout, Appiah is a genuinely humble presence, even bringing his sister on stage for ‘Wake Up Calls’ – an interesting harmony with both vocals prevalent, never truly blending. Showing a setlist somewhat resembling a teenager’s schoolbook doodles, Appiah states, “I think I have one more song left.” Captivating an audience with some assistance from the church setting and a slight diversion into rap with ‘Forget About it’, J Appiah is a genuine star in the making, set to follow Luther Vandross and Elton John as the next backing singer to move 20 feet further up the stage to stardom.
(Keir Shields)
SPACEACRE – Daltons 14:15 – 14:45
SpaceAcre are a queer indie-rock duo consisting of Phoebe Little (lead vocals, guitar) and Jas Scott (bass, vocals). They are from Bedfordshire. They have the addition of their regular drummer, Alex Thomas, with them for this afternoon’s performance. They are starting to grow a reputation on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to their stadium-sized dark rock sound that is full of soaring riffs. They performed at The Old Market during last year’s festival on the same bill as Skunk Anansie. They open their seven-song set with ‘That Girl’, which has all the ingredients for stadium rock, while the second song ‘P45’ has a Skunk Anansie feel to it. ‘In My Head’ builds from its slow start into a soaring rock song with dual vocals on show. The middle song of the set ‘Say’ is more dreamlike with soaring vocals from Phoebe. It’s back to the stadium rock sounds for the rest of the set with three corkers. They are ‘Reassuring Pat (Life’s A Bitch)’, ‘Pathogen’, which was dedicated to their trans brothers and sisters, then they close with ‘Why We Left’ as a song explaining why they took their music off Spotify last November.
(Ian Holman)
WALT DISCO – Brighthelm 14:30 – 15:00
It’s my first ever concert here at the heart of the Brighton punk scene. (Those that know, will know). Thankfully there aren’t any decaying bodies brought out to watch the Walt Disco set on the PRS Foundation stage. The venue is rammed and at full capacity. I last witnessed the band performing live a couple of years ago when they were supporting OMD at Eastbourne Winter Garden, they were sensationally out there and I have been waiting ever since for them to hit the big time. As the group take to the stage it seems that vocalist Jocelyn Si (James Potter) has a number of new bandmates. There’s still the vocals (and occasional guitar); keys and guitar; bass; guitar; and drums, but will they be able to entertain the mixed bag audience? Joceyln immediately states “Such a beautiful venue, oh my God” and they are away. There’s still the jangly guitar action with constant drumming and the Billy Mackenzie meets David Bowie crooning styled vocals, which are thankfully delivered with true flamboyance, but apparently the whole set is made up of new material, which is certainly wiping the slate clean for Mk2. Unfortunately, overall they are less weird than they used to be and so, for me, have lost that edgy sparkle. Having said that, it’s still like listening to unreleased and unheard Bowie tunes, which certainly isn’t a bad thing.
(Nick Linazasoro)
ALEX AMOR – One Church 15:15 – 15:45
I have to confess. I thought I was seeing Girl In The Year above after reading the days wrong (curse you, Great Escape app). Adorned in a Stevie Nicks-type dress at One Church, Alex Amor takes to the stage, joking “Do you all want to move forward? I don’t bite… maybe I do.” There are shades of dream pop on opener ‘Meet On The Moon’, setting a dreamy haze that is practically the same progression as Beach House’s ‘Space Song’ while paired with Lana Del Rey-type lackadaisicalness on vocals. Amor’s set is drenched in the blissfully dreamed-out TikTok-core-pop, immensely easy-listening, but overly derivative of her influences. “This is my first time with a wind machine… It’s kind of distracting” she jokes about her fan, providing a sort of whimsical, windswept appearance. Amor channels a breadth of chronically online influences, from the dearly missed Hers to sad-girl Tumblr favourites, into a sort of spacey pop suffering from a cosmic identity crisis. Latest single ‘Icarus’ is more dreamy and shimmers in a Greek Mythology-inspired New Dad melody. With a voice designed for bedroom playback and an unafraid stage presence, Alex Amor is ready as a performer, but her tracks do feel slightly more like those of other artists than her own.
(Keir Shields)
GIRL TONES – Daltons 15:15 – 15:45
Girl Tones are a high-energy garage rock duo consisting of classically trained sisters Kenzie Shultz and Laila Crowe. They grew up in Kentucky, USA. Kenzie plays lead vocals and guitar while Laila plays drums and adds backing vocals. For this afternoon’s performance at Daltons, Kenzie is sporting a blue and black dress that matches well with her blue Supro electric guitar. Kenzie seems really pumped up to get the crowd involved from the off. From the opening thumping drums from Laila and opening chords from Kenzie on ‘Got It’, it’s no surprise they have been compared to The White Stripes. Later in the set, Leila even shows similar mannerisms to Meg White. For the second track ‘Burnout’, Kenzie asks for help from the audience while for ‘Fade Away’, the majority of the audience clap their way through it. Between tracks, Kenzie says they are enjoying their time in England. They’ve visited a museum and been banger-racing. The vocals on ‘Volcano’ resemble early 90s Chicago band Veruca Salt. For the penultimate song ‘Again’, Kenzie wants everyone to jump while she joins the audience during the final track ‘Cherry Picker’.
(Ian Holman)
ENJOYABLE LISTENS – Grand Central 15:20 15:50
Situated opposite Brighton Station, The Grand Central provides the perfect upstairs space for Enjoyable Listens frontman Luke Duffet to showcase his unique eccentricity to a packed-out crowd. Dressed in a sharp jacket, a tie featuring a 1970s pattern, and sporting arguably the most impressive moustache on this side of the south coast, Luke takes to the stage alongside bassist Jimbo Savage and the rest of the band. They launch into ‘A Laugh And A Half’ – a track that speaks directly to the audience about the importance of staying true to yourself. It’s at this moment that you truly recognise his skill as a storyteller, while his vocal style brings to mind artists like Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy and Mike Flowers of Mike Flowers Pops. Previously, I had only ever seen the project performed as a two-piece, backed by pre-recorded tracks, but tonight they have expanded into a full five-piece lineup. This change brings a new level of depth and authenticity, delivering the full experience of a live band performance. ‘International Space Station’ proves to be an instant crowd favourite; everyone joins in with its smooth, easy-listening lyrics, while Luke moves across the stage with a charming swagger, evoking the grace and poise of English baroque nobility. While his distinctive stage presence is hard to ignore, Luke’s voice stands out far beyond these mannerisms. It is soft, haunting, and deeply melodic, perfectly complementing the band’s carefully arranged sound, which blends modern songwriting with a delightful 1980s-inspired aesthetic. They close their set with ‘Drowning In The Reef’ – a song that firmly establishes Luke as a master of his art. It leaves the audience calling out for more, lingering on a beautifully bittersweet finale.
(Stephen Willcox)
KULEEANGEE – Fabrica 15:30 – 16:00
KuleeAngee lit up a busy Fabrica with a vibrant, technicolour set that fused electro indie-pop hooks with sleek techno-disco rhythms. The five-piece played with infectious energy throughout the mid-afternoon showcase with the sun streaming in through the windows, driven by an animated stage presence and falsetto vocals that gave tracks like ‘Television’ and ‘Animated Love’ a lifting fun feel, whilst the band spent the whole set smiling, clearly enjoying entertaining the assembled crowd. They mentioned a new EP ‘Love And Affection’ is due for release at the end of the month and a funky new retro-sounding single ‘Daisies’ given an airing here was released last month. A danceable highlight that invited the crowd to join in the fun, to which they duly obliged.
(Martin J Fuller)
PIHKA IS MY NAME – Dust 15:40 – 16:00
I next have to suffer the second worst clash of sets across the 4 days, this being seeing radical electronic trio VVV [Trippin’you] from Móstoles (Spain) at Horatios at the end of the pier or witnessing Finnish-German duo Pihka Is My Name doing their thing at Dust. As I head down from Brighthelm where I saw Walt Disco, I really can’t bring myself to pass the door at Dust and I head on in and go downstairs to the BIMM stage in order to see what Berlin/Oulu-based Lasse Turunen and Henna Helasvuo have to offer for their first ever Brighton concert. They are here off of the back of their new LP ‘Lost In Encryption’ which dropped last month. Their setup is two keyboards with electronics, and laptop and dual vocals. We are treated to 7 numbers, these being: ‘Pulsate’, ‘Pulsing Polarities’, ‘Plus Minus’, ‘Reaching For The Out Of Range’, ‘Binaries’, ‘Too Much Noise’ and ‘Exponential Potential’. Their material reminds me of German electronic group Dune of ‘Hardcore Vibes’ and ‘Can’t Stop Raving’ fame. We are informed that they released a single a week ago and that it features Brighton based Ian George, and said person comes bounding onto the stage for the tune. Henna’s long hair gets thrown around during the set and adds to the excitement and Lasse states “Brighton.. the capital of European loveliness”, so let’s hope that they make a swift return to these parts. I heard the word July uttered, but it’s not confirmed. If you’re a fan of EBM and techno then Pihka Is My Name are for you!
(Nick Linazasoro)
SILVERWINGKILLER – The Oak 16:00 – 16:30
I headed warp factor 10 up to The Oak in order to see who their “secret set” artist was. I knew that I was going to miss a third of it, but at least I would be there! I arrived at the Kemptown pub and swung open the door and the joint was absolutely rammed, I could barely get in and there was certainly no chance of heading forwards, so I managed to squeeze past folk and found a tiny position next door to a poster which had written on it in pen to the side of secret act “Silverwingkiller”. To be honest, I hadn’t got a clue exactly who they were, but I could see that they were a male-female duo, composed of Yushang and James, who were giving it their all, they were urgent, chaotic, and impossible to ignore! Turns out that they are coming at us from Manchester and they dropped their debut 4-track ‘Triad Funded’ EP last November (‘Triad Funded’ being the title of the release). I was rather liking what I was hearing and so were the masses of punters, judging by the enthusiasm in the air. Their social media refers to themselves as “high energy electronic punk. inspired by human culture, science fiction and all the video games you’ve never heard of.” It’s exciting stuff indeed and the pub walls are getting a serious pounding from the brutal force of the electronic and drumbeats. Musically it’s a mashup of punk ferocity, motorik beats and electronic experimentation, with (as far as I could tell) the vocals being split between English and Chinese. I wish I had seen their whole set, but hopefully some of our gang can cover the forthcoming Silverwingkiller gig at The Piper in St. Leonards-on-Sea on Saturday 20th June.
(Nick Linazasoro)
BROTHER WALLACE – Tide Beach Club 16:10 – 16:40
This is my first time at Tide Beach Club for a live music set. I am sure in my youth I probably went clubbing at whatever it used to be, but it’s a cool place. The crowd gathered as more and more musicians took up positions around a soundchecking Brother Wallace who is from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and he is billed as R’n’B. The 3 minute soundcheck pretty much was a whole unique song on its own as one by one the musicians joined in, riffing and Brother Wallace making up the words on the fly. So what else did we have on this packed stage, we had drums, a Yamaha CK61, a Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Telecaster Deluxe and two female backing singers. Now that’s not the set up for R’n’B if you ask me, what we had here this afternoon was some fine retro gospel funk and soul, the power, the love, the vibes that oozed from this set were off the chart. That funky bass line started, the guitar was juiced, the organ keys played, the drums kicked, the backing singers flowed and we had ourselves some ‘Electric Love’. They moved onto ‘Who Do You Love?’, which was funky as, and whoa did that guitar wail. Next up we had the smooth and easy ‘Gone With The Wind’, but it wasn’t long until it heated up. ‘Midnight Valley’, a beautifully soulful song, amplified once more by the gospel backing singers, guitarist Ian Newberry had a fine guitar solo too. James Brown got a mention as we moved into ‘You’re The Man’, this had a moment where Brother Wallace slowed it down having the bass player really power the bass line into a reggae vibe, and then moving back up to speed; everyone was instructed to get their hands up and sway around. That funky 70s guitar and organ fired up once more for ‘Who’s That?’. The band and Brother Wallace were totally on fire by this point, everyone so lively, the crowd all dancing, singing along and cheering. The last song ‘Let’s Get Together’, was delivered in full on party mode, and it reminded me a little of ‘Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher’ by Jackie Wilson, it totally lifted the room with Brother Wallace jumping down into the crowd, all the band going crazy, the keyboard player picking his keyboard up and playing it on top of his head, a drum frenzy, red hot guitar, thundering bass and oh those singers! WOW, what a lift and pick me up this set was. It was a real unique set to hear at The Great Escape, that retro funk, the gospel soul. This was my No. 1 act of the whole festival, 30 minutes just wasn’t enough!
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
FRANCIS PIG – The Oak 17:00 – 17:45
We head on up to The Oak in Kemptown for something rather special, Brighton’s “Dirty little secret!” Francis Pig, who have just the right blend of punk rock DIY attitude, with the retro coolness of The Velvet Underground and The Jesus And Mary Chain. Their lineup features Alana Doyle (vocals), Henry Wickett-Padgham (vocals, guitar), Jacob Newman (guitar), Phoebe Feren (bass) and Christopher Hallen (drums). The quintet have arrived here off of the back of their tour with Demob Happy and are now a very finely tuned ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ machine. The pub is rammed with punters endeavouring to cast an eye on proceedings. I’ve witnessed this lot grow in stature and despite the less keys action, they now more than make up with it by offering screechy guitar action. They are now a heavier beast than before and those industry darlings that have finally picked up on Bathing Suits, will also need to add Francis Pig to their plugging armour, for this is fruity sex music! Today’s set really was one of those “I was there” moments, as the band were the tightest I’ve ever heard them and Alana’s antics were ramped up several notches. She’s wearing seductive red leather boots and yet still manages to clamber on top of the bar and then roll around on the floor whilst still bellowing out her lyrics. It was a fabulous wall-of-sound edgy set and it’s the best that I’ve ever witnessed from them, theatrically and musically. Without a doubt this was my No.1 Escape set of the 36 that I watched across the four days. It’s a real shame that my partner Jordan Mooney isn’t still with us as she would have absolutely adored everything about this! John Robb and chums take note!
(Nick Linazasoro)
SASSY 009 – Tide Beach Club 17:00 – 17:40
A very youthful crowd had gathered at Tide Beach Club for Sassy 009. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, Sassy 009 is producer, songwriter and vocalist Sunniva Lindgård. She has been involved in various projects since finding early acclaim in 2017 with her EP ‘Do You Mind’. But her main focus currently is her recently released album ‘Dreamer+’ of which a lot of her set today is from. There was no fanfare or word of welcome as Sassy 009 took to stage with her Squire Jaguar Bass Guitar, dressed in a black & white tracksuit of which she kept the hood up throughout the whole set. Joining her onstage we had a drummer and synth player, and what a synth/electronic set up it was, a Korg MS2000, a Prophet 12 Synth, a Novation Bass Station and some more bits. We were taken straight into the first song, a nice slow start, slow bass lines, slow drums and lots of dreamy synth. “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” Sassy 009 called out as they played ‘Tell Me’ a cool and eerier number. ‘Butterflies’ came next, the drumming picked up and Sassy 009 used a voice effect on her vocals, making it sound like a computer voice, the song was a little more dancier, but it went up a notch again in the dance stakes for ‘Someone’, by this point Sassy 009 had put down her bass and was purely vocals. “Three Vikings on a stage, thanks for coming out” she called out to the crowd, we then had ‘Enemy’ followed by a song I don’t know the name of, which is a crying shame as it the best song of the set for me, the bass was back in play sounding very Cure like, there were lots of “ahhhhhs” and long drawn out lyrics, it was spacy and like being in a dream, a bit like a film score, I really did like it. Next came ‘My Way’ a Limp Bizkit cover, very beat driven and danceable, with lashing of synth before we were treated to the eighth and final song of the bloody awesome 30 minute set. I can already sense I’m going to be going down the rabbit hole soon with her music back catalogue.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
OPUS KINK – Shipwrights Yard 17:40 – 18:10
Brighton legends Opus Kink are notoriously mental. With their brand of horn-section punk madcap, it is a sonic panic attack, yet they pack out Republic of Music’s Shipwrights Yard. No one can see a thing, but no one cares – “Has anyone got a straight cigarette… really? No one?” pleads frontman Angus Rogers during the soundcheck, in which a who’s who crowd of Brighton band members shrug off the request. From the sleazily wonky ‘Come Over Do Me Wrong’ to a surprisingly thin-sounding ‘I Love You Baby’, Opus Kink are more smash-and-grab than ever, with only 20 minutes to fit their filthied mariachi post-funk. It’s a set that is over as quickly as it begins, with Angus Rogers only ever breaking his macabre, homeless man rambling on The Level aesthetic to pay tribute to James Borrer. The atmosphere peaks with the centrepiece ‘St Paul Of The Tarantulas’: a folkloric, arachnophobic loop of dizzying barking – no one stays still, locked in a medieval dance fever whipped up by Brighton’s most frenzied group in a set that ends as quickly as it starts.
(Keir Shields)
ALICE FAYE – Unitarian Church 18:15 – 18:45
Scottish singer-songwriter Alice Faye put on a show during a delightful solo performance in the vast surroundings of the Unitarian Church, yet it felt incredibly intimate. Dressed entirely in black and seated at a grand piano, Alice delivered a beautifully poised half-hour of new material and established songs with warmth, wit and effortless vocal control. Songs ‘Gilda’, ‘Bitchman’ and closing track ‘Slice Of Me’ all had a little personal story and carried a theatrical charm. ‘Silly Little Fool’ balanced humour with emotional bite. With work underway on a debut album, Alice Faye is an artist with real talent and a warm stage presence. A little curtsy at the end rounded off proceedings perfectly. An engrossing and thoroughly charming show befitting of the rapturous round of applause she received as she exited the room.
(Martin J Fuller)
OPAL MAG – Pink Moon 18:30 – 19:00
I head on back into town to arguably the most compact grassroots music in town, Pink Moon. It’s like artists are actually performing live in your lounge. I like everything that the owners are trying to accomplish here, and more and more local bands on their way up are using this establishment to trial their material prior to hitting the larger venues. Opal Mag brings me here today and it’s been quite a while since I’ve last seen her and her chums in action and I’m curious in order to see what’s going down. In front of me are a handful of musicians who take care of vocals, guitars, keys, bass and drums. The room is packed like sardines with folk eager to watch the set, but they spill out into the hallway and so some can only hear the music. If the likes of Mazzy Star and The Sundays are your bag, then Opal Mag is for you and other dreamers and the bedroom dwellers, although today they are sounding a tad heavier than my last encounter at Daltons. I’m pleased to say that it’s a solid performance that’s going down very well with those gathered, which notably includes folk from other bands (including Winter Garden) giving their seal of approval, which is always a good sign. The vocals appear to be delivered from the heart and yet the overall sound was big enough to fill the whole Lanes, with last year’s ‘Wasting’ single being the set highlight.
(Nick Linazasoro)
M.WOODROE – The Black Lion 19:00 – 19:30
M.Woodroe (styled as ‘m.woodroe’) are an impressive emerging local Brighton band that I have seen a good number of times over the past 16 months. They always impress and recently signed a deal with independent label Venn Records. Their debut EP is set to be released in the autumn. They are an alternative rock and post-punk quartet with plenty of range to their grunge playing style. They comprise Marcie (lead vocals), Ben (guitar), Jeorgie (bass), and Sam (drums). This show at The Black Lion is their fourth and final one of the festival. They perform six songs, starting off with ‘Fruits Of Disorder’ and ‘Brazen Bull’, then it’s the turn of their excellent debut single ‘Carte Blanche’, that Marcie tells us is about killing fascists. Following ‘Sweetness, Sweetness’, the penultimate song ‘Stalactites’ features slow and haunting lyrics as well as screams with Marcie giving it 100% pure effort. The two-mic last song ‘For Of War’ features on a compilation album featuring local Brighton bands titled Small Pond Presents: Emerging Vol. V and is a great way to close out the set.
(Ian Holman)
ROSA WALTON – Chalk 19:15 – 19:45
One half of alt-pop staples Let’s Eat Grandma, Rosa Walton, opens up Transgressive’s takeover of Chalk. A far cry from the dazzling double Kate Bush of the duo’s roots, Walton, as a solo artist, is more sugary, glossed-out synths, yet retaining the same vocal versatility that made her name. Opener ‘Heart To Heartbreak’ channels Pale Waves in a dazzling synth-pop that belongs in the 80s, slightly cursive in cadence. Her set – mostly from her upcoming album ‘Tell Me It’s A Dream’ – is immensely fun, leaning on words built for sing-alongs. While slightly sullied by extended gaps to retune between tracks, this is quickly explained away: “This is the first Rosa Walton show!” she beams, clearly over-the-moon to be back. From the Muna-channelling ‘Taking The Roof Down’ to slightly rocked-up vibrance of ‘Sorry Anyway’, Walton’s set is lilting pop-literate new wave with hooks destined to bounce around your head like the DVD logo. By the time closing track ‘Wave Machine’ in all its ‘Friday I’m in Love’ countdown of days glory lands, the crowd is entirely invested. With a slightly bashful stage presence, Rosa Walton not only shakes off the rust in her first public show in nearly 3 years but also threatens to outshine her origins in Let’s Eat Grandma, proving this is no obligatory solo album but something necessary: it feels empirically like a future ‘I was there’ moment.
(Keir Shields)
Further Great Escape reviews will follow…………
