LIPWORMS + COCO AND THE LOST + ARCADIA RESIDENTIAL – ROSSI BAR, BRIGHTON 15.1.26
Three acts, three moods, one busy basement. The Rossi Bar pulsed with discovery as Brighton and Portsmouth talent met courtesy of promoters Hidden Herd and Parallel Lines in a night that never lost momentum. First Arcadia Residential set the tone with indie warmth, then Coco And The Lost pushed the room into dance‑pop overdrive, before Lipworms closed with a hypnotic techno‑psych storm.
Opening the night were Arcadia Residential. The Brighton‑based quartet, blending indie rock ’n’ roll with shades of post‑punk, psych and 70s soft rock, delivered a feel‑good set that showed just how quickly they’re sharpening their sound and identity. Frontman Oscar Oliver carried a compelling quiet urgency with a sense of something unresolved simmering beneath the surface in his vocals. His interplay with brother and lead guitarist Riley Oliver added an easy, natural chemistry that anchored the performance. While the band wove guitar, bass and drums into a sound that felt both warm and quietly intense.
They began in softer, psychedelic territory with an untitled track before shifting into the heavier edges of ‘Bedroom Window’. By the time they hit the upbeat, funk‑flecked ‘Industrial Estate’, the room was moving, with Oscar coaxing audience participation and earning one of the biggest cheers of their set. A tender change of pace followed with a folk‑leaning cover of Kacy & Clayton’s ‘Devil’s Daughter’, the brothers’ harmonies landing beautifully. A new track ‘Plant Shop’, introduced with the confession that it “wasn’t even finished”, proved instantly catchy, leaning into post‑punk with a Britpop bounce. ‘Piracy’ brought back the psych‑funk edge before their final number ‘Tandem’ showcased drummer James Devine’s sharp, driving precision. Oscar stepped to the very edge of the stage for the finale, sealing a set that felt varied, energetic and full of promise.
Arcadia Residential:
Oscar Oliver – lead vocals. rhythm guitar
Riley Oliver – lead guitar, vocals
James Devine – drums
Jamie Morrison – bass
Arcadia Residential setlist:
“untitled”
‘Bedroom Window’
‘Industrial Estate’
‘Devils Daughter’ (a Kacy & Clayton cover)
‘Plant Shop’
‘Piracy’
‘Tandem’
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With the room warmed up, Coco And The Lost delivered a bold solo set that marked a striking evolution in her sound. The Brighton‑based alternative pop artist, known for treating each song as a scene within her wider cinematic universe, leaned heavily into harder dance textures and 1980s‑inspired electronic rhythms, creating a vibrant atmosphere from the moment she stepped onstage unannounced, catching the audience slightly off guard.
Opening with ‘Icon’, written about Liza Minnelli, Coco immediately signalled a shift from her previous shows with heavy dance beats, sleek electronic layers but keeping her pop‑leaning vocals that cut cleanly through the mix. ‘Sweet Lullabies’ continued the disco pulse, before ‘I Could Go On’, a track about losing your mind, drawn from her newly finished debut album, softened the edges with twinkling synths and a lighter dance feel. ‘The End’ brought a moody, atmospheric turn, Coco adjusting her vocal tone to match its themes of betrayal.
Her stage presence was magnetic throughout: sassy, confident, full of sharp poses, striking dance moves and direct eye contact that made the room feel personally addressed. ‘Kill The Fantasy’ showcased her pop sweetness and playful side, complete with a cheeky cheerleader‑style chant, while last year’s ‘Um And Ah’ proved an undeniable earworm. The mellower ‘Wonderful’ offered a moment of reflection. ‘The End Part 2’ closed the set with cinematic flair. Its spoken‑word lead‑in gave way to upbeat alt‑pop energy. A smart, compelling finish from an artist clearly entering a new creative phase. It was one of the strongest performances I’ve enjoyed from Coco And The Lost, which created a real buzz around Rossi Bar.
Coco And The Lost:
“Coco” – vocals, synth
Coco And The Lost setlist:
‘Icon’
‘Sweet Lullabies’
‘I Could Go On’
‘The End’
‘Kill The Fantasy’
‘Um And Ah’ (a 2025 single)
‘Wonderful’
‘The End pt 2’
If Coco pushed the night into full dance‑floor mode, Lipworms (stylised as LIPWORMS) took that energy and took it in a techno‑psych fuzz direction. The Portsmouth four‑piece delivered a hypnotic set which saw a collision of acid techno pulse, psychedelic swirl and krautrock repetition. Their sound was noisy, industrial and strangely euphoric. It was the kind of experimental, dancefloor storm that pulls you in before you realise it’s happening. With Tom and Chris trading synths, guitar and vocals, Olly’s bass cutting through the haze, and Alex’s drumming anchoring the chaos, the electronics never swallowed the band’s live instruments; instead, everything locked together into a thick, rolling groove.
They opened with a rave‑leaning track built on heavy Ibiza‑style electronics and abstract, trance‑like vocals, layered with echo and effects until the voice became another instrument. It didn’t take long for the room to start moving. A second piece followed with a long, repetitive beat and a slow‑build structure that shifted from alt-rock into full electronic release, bass and drums phasing in and out as shouted vocals pushed the energy higher.
‘Maws’ brought a darker, starker mood. Its more ethereal vocals and even a harmonica line somehow worked against the electronic throb. It built into a full‑frenzy climax that earned one of the biggest cheers of their set. They closed with ‘Teeth’, a trance‑driven surge of screamed vocals and pounding rhythm. Lipworms feel built for late‑night tents and summer festivals. If they’re on a bill you’re at, they’re absolutely worth seeking out.
Lipworms:
Tom – synth, vocals
Chris – guitar, synth, vocals
Olly – bass
Alex – drums
Lipworms setlist:
‘Song 1’
‘Song 2’
‘Maws’
‘Teeth’ (a 2025 single)
All tracks unreleased apart from three, one each by Coco And The Lost and Lipworms, and a cover by Arcadia Residential.
