PROJECTOR + HUTCH + SLEEP COUNCIL – THE HOPE & RUIN, BRIGHTON 17.9.21
A sold out Hope & Ruin hosted the grunge power trio PROJECTOR kicking off the second date of their UK tour. A queue of excited fans down Queens Road prior to doors opening welcomed the band following the release of their second EP ‘Zero’.
Opening the night was Brighton based Grunge Disco/Shoegaze band Sleep Council, which was started in 2019 by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Richard Allan and has evolved into a more collaborative project, with bassist Gary Holder, drummer Tom Glasson and guitarists Daniel Woolfson now on board.
The ensemble began the night with a set of brand new material featuring intense harmonies to fit with the melodic lead guitar lines. The crowd found it hard to believe this was the band’s debut live show as they captured the full room’s undivided attention for the full 30 minutes. The highlights of the set include lockdown anthems on the subject of wearing your slippers round the house and more.
Next to the stage was self proclaimed “Twang pop post-yacht-rock soft psych” Brighton based band Hutch, who is made up of Jack Pritchard on lead vocals and guitar, Dan Shepherd on guitar and backing vocals, Charlie Bogg on bass and backing vocals and Owen Bullock on drums and backing vocals.
They formed at the beginning of lockdown in the Sackville Road area of town as three housemates (Jack, Dan and Charlie) and now reside in the Brunswick area.
The band started with the catchy song ‘Ink Man’ which quickly had the crowd swaying and singing along. The crowd favourite ‘Sandworms’ created a kind of musical chaos on stage which was impossible to look away from. Lead singer and guitarist Jack’s voice paired with harmonies from all four band members created a huge sound filling the packed room. Catch Hutch again today at 2pm in the afternoon as they are the opening act on day two of the Green Door Store’s 234 Fest in celebration of the venue’s 10th birthday.
Hutch setlist:
‘Inkman’
‘Slowest Creature (On Earth)’
‘Radiator Centre’
‘Charge Me Up (Buttercup)’
‘Sandworms’
‘Mechanical Bull’
Finally to the stage was the heavily anticipated PROJECTOR who formed in 2017 and are Lucy Sheehan (bass/vocals), Edward Ensbury (guitar/vocals), Callum Marinho (drums) and Ben Hampson (synths). They fuse the abrasive tendencies of Sonic Youth with the lushest alt-pop of the 90’s, inhabiting a space where the most infectious melodies sit alongside experimental musicality.
In 2018 they were the first awardees of PRS & Festival Republic’s ‘Rebalance’ initiative, and their debut EP ‘How Does It Feel?’ was welcomed by DIY, Clash and Dork, praising its “cinematic noir”, “stabbing urgency” and “visceral grunge pop”. You can listen to and/or purchase it HERE. In 2019 they were awarded the PRS Open Fund to release their second EP.
New single ‘ZERO’ is a brutal expansion on their grunge-pop pallet. Grinding electronics, drum machines and a hyper energetic pace add a new grit to PROJECTOR’s characteristically razor sharp songwriting and Pixies flavour dual-vocals. It can be found on the 4 track ‘ZERO’ EP HERE.
Tonight, at The Hope & Ruin they opened with ‘Someone Calling’, a track straight from the new EP. Their incredible stage presence and energy instantly brought the room alive turning the venue into one big dancefloor. This energy was carried throughout the set into the popular tracks ‘Feels Like Something’ and ‘Break Your Own Heart’ ending with an encore of title track ‘ZERO’.
Lead singer and bassist Lucy Sheehan’s raw voice and electric energy and gorgeous white wedding style dress paired with the grunge hits held the excited crowd’s attention for a full 45 minute set.
PROJECTOR setlist:
‘Someone Calling’
‘Feels Like Something’
‘Go Ahead’
‘Break Your Own Heart’
‘I Am Shamed’
‘Love’
‘Full Circle’
‘Dreaming’
Tame’
‘Same Dream’
‘ZERO’
Media: Spotify / Instagram / Facebook / Soundcloud
