‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘BRIGHTON & HOVE PRIDE’, PRESTON PARK, BRIGHTON 2.8.26 (DAY TWO)
‘Brighton & Hove Pride‘ returned to celebrate “The Power of Love” and its 35th birthday this weekend with a jam packed schedule of entertainment for everybody!
‘Pride On The Park’ isn’t just a festival, it’s a celebration of hundreds of LGBTQIA+ voices and talents lighting up the weekend! While the Main Stage and Dance Arena set the pulse, the magic spread across the park with something for everyone. There were multiple stages and immersive spaces, including Legends Cabaret, The Cocoa Butter Club, Queer Town, Party Bag, and exciting 2026 additions like Bears In The Woods, Queer Soap Box, and Outro, plus family zones and so much more. We, however, again base ourselves at the Main Stage in order to review the top stars! Today’s team is still composed of Jess Kemp and Martin J Fuller, and our photographers on the case were Sara-Louise Bowrey and Mike Burnell.
If you missed yesterday’s reviews, then they can be located HERE.
Sunday 2nd August:
PALE WAVES (Main Stage 13:10 – 13:55)
Pale Waves are based in Manchester, but as I said earlier the lead vocals have an uncanny edge of O’Connor. I had suggested her style has a dash of Joan Jet. Visually that is exactly what the lead vocalist was going for, the “Full Joan” circa Runaways and solo career. I have to say it works for her.
Not so long-ago the press touted Pale Waves as, “The next big thing” headed for stardom and chart success. Today they were opening on the Main Stage at Brighton Pride on a Sunday, a notoriously disheartening empty void to play to. However, they do gather a respectable crowd who were excited to see them and gave a flawless and engaging performance. I would happily see them again.
Opening the set with ‘Eighteen’ a track about, well, being in love at Eighteen. It is a ‘Ronseal’ track, with which the tone was set. Beginning with pure indie-pop-rock they gave the start of the day at the park a lightness and joy that would continue to permeate the day. ‘Perfume’ continued the earlier pop-rock theme and felt like a return to the late eighties’ early noughties John Hughes soundtracks of old. ‘Not A Love Song’ from the 2025 album entitled ‘Smitten’, (a favourite word of mine to express that kind of adoration that you usually only experience in your mid to late teens with first loves).
‘Not A Love Song’ is not the track of the same name by PiL, but a teen-angst refrain repetition not unlike the poetry which might accompany that same experience. The standout was the cover of the Cranberries ‘Zombie.’ When I think about it, the much missed and gone too soon Dolores O’Riordan is an obvious influence on the look and vocal sound for the lead. We had also heard them covering the song during soundcheck. After years of hearing the track murdered at Karaoke and Open Mikes it was refreshing to finally hear such an accurate rendering. Though, in all honesty, can anyone replace or top O’Riordan’s emotionally charged delivery? Given her demons and early demise, would anyone want to?
The short interlude offered by the anthem that is ‘Zombie’ was a short respite from the saccharin laden pop-rock that the band specialise in. It is a shame as it was a brief glimpse of what the band are truly capable of. I would like to hear more of them pushing the envelope rather than playing it safe.
(Jess Kemp)
CAITY BASER (Main Stage 14:15 – 14:35)
Caity Baser is originally from the ‘Port City in Hampshire’ aka Southampton, but is now a Brighton resident, specialises in what music journos have disappointingly described as ‘Feisty Pop’. Honestly, they barely held themselves back from inserting the derogatory ‘Girl’ in there. Caity’s lyrics say it like it is without any flowery guff. Cutting to the chase discussing romance, relationships, and personal anxiety she instantly caught on with her target audience without even trying. Not seeking to flatten her accent sticking with her Sauff ‘ampton intonation in a similar fashion to the likes of Lily Allen and Kate Nash peppering her lyrics with colloquialisms and catchy rhymes that connect immediately with the British teen/twenty something life experience, Caity Baser’s music a joyful celebration of youth and what it is to live free of responsibilities. I will not compare her to Allen and Nash as she is an artist pursuing her own path. It does give an idea of what to expect though as much as I loathe doing that, I would be remiss in not giving any reference points.
The local girl knew what her audience wanted and she gave it to them in spades. A standout was her track ‘X&Y (What I Didn’t Say),’ which is not only as catchy as hell, but also a pure joy to sing along to, should an ex be in the local vicinity…
The set was a non-stop avalanche of pure fun. I highly recommend listening to tracks from Caity should you need to lift your spirits. Tracks like ‘Pretty Boys,’ ‘Friendly Sex’ and ’I’m A Problem’ cannot fail to resonate. I mean a song starting with the lyric, “I’ve got big dick energy…” is just begging to be blasted from a stereo when getting ready to go out on a Saturday night. It is like she has distilled the southern England teen experience and mixed into a cocktail, a pink glitter cocktail.
(Jess Kemp)
MELANIE C (Main Stage 14:55 – 15:45)
Freshly revived from yesterday’s ‘Pride On The Park’ proceedings, I arrived at Preston Park to find the recently-wed Melanie C in full swing with her lively DJ set. Dressed in a sporty two-piece that nodded to her Sporty Spice roots, she danced energetically behind the decks while mixing a string of dancefloor bangers with some Spice Girls hits like early chart-toppers ‘Wannabe’ and set closer ‘2 Become 1’. It was an infectious fun-filled set.
(Martin J Fuller)
HOLLY JOHNSON (Main Stage 16:15 – 17:05)
Having wandered around to a couple of the dance tents, next up was Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s legendary frontman Holly Johnson and his band who rolled back the years with a joyous, hit-filled performance that demonstrated why his music continues to resonate societally and still sound fresh four decades on.
Backed by a polished five-piece band, Holly combined his unmistakable voice with his trademark Scouse warmth and humour, forging an easy connection with the Pride crowd from the outset. Dressed in a vibrant jacket over a shirt bearing the colours of the transgender flag, his appearance was as much a celebration of identity as his set was of a truly remarkable catalogue.
Opening with ‘Welcome To The Pleasuredome’ before powering through tracks including ‘Warriors Of The Wasteland’, ‘Americanos’, ‘Heaven’s Here’ and ‘Love Train’, he delivered each song with effortless aplomb while taking time between tracks to chat warmly with the audience.
One of the afternoon’s most poignant moments came with ‘This Was Me’, featured in the 2021 film ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’. Accompanied by striking visuals celebrating LGBTQ+ icons and history, the song served as both a personal reflection and a reminder of the progress made by the community, fitting perfectly within the spirit of Brighton Pride’s 35th anniversary. The mood quickly shifted as the politically charged ‘Two Tribes’ reignited the crowd before the unmistakable opening of ‘Relax’ sparked the biggest singalong of the set, with Preston Park enthusiastically joining in from first note to last.
For the finale, Johnson was joined on stage by the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus for a breathtaking rendition of ‘The Power Of Love’. Their rich harmonies transformed an already beautiful song into an emotionally charged celebration of love, unity and acceptance, providing one of the weekend’s most memorable moments. It was a fitting close to a performance that balanced nostalgia with genuine emotion, reminding everyone why Holly Johnson remains such a cherished figure within both British music and the LGBTQ+ community.
(Martin J Fuller)
PARIS HILTON (Main Stage 17:40 – 18:25)
Paris Hilton‘s appearance at Brighton Pride was always going to divide opinion, but it proved to be one of the weekend’s most talked-about sets. Billed as the Sunday “Icon”, Hilton leaned fully into the spectacle, arriving in a Geri-Halliwell inspired Union Jack mini dress and matching boots, accompanied throughout by a troupe of male dancers in matching Union Jack tops. Rather than attempting to present herself as a live vocalist, she embraced the role of pop culture personality, delivering a slick, high-energy PA with booming bass, well thought-out choreography and a high-energy party atmosphere. Her family and friends watched proudly from the audience as she worked the stage, encouraging the Preston Park crowd to sing and dance along throughout.
The set mixed her own material such as 2006 release ‘Stars Are Blind’ with familiar dancefloor favourites, including Ultra Nate’s ‘Free’, Madonna’s ‘Like A Virgin’ and Sister Sledge’s ‘We Are Family’ (performed on this very stage by the real band last year). The set ended with an explosion of confetti. It wasn’t a vocal masterclass, nor was it trying to be. Instead, Hilton delivered camp, unapologetic fun, glamour and nostalgia that fitted perfectly into the celebratory spirit of the event.
(Martin J Fuller)
FIVE (Main Stage 19:00 – 19:50)
Now I’m not one for ‘boy bands’ never have been, but I have to say, it was almost impossible not to enjoy FIVE‘s epic Pride set. Boys they may have been 29 years ago when they formed, but now into their mid-late 40’s, the maturity of the band gave the songs added nostalgia.
“The wait is over… the boys are back” boomed the PA – it was the perfect introduction, and within seconds FIVE were proving exactly why their catalogue has endured. Exploding on to the Preston Park stage with the irresistible ‘Everybody Get Up’, the quintet delivered a set that celebrated one of British pop’s most successful boy bands. Backed by a tight four-piece live band, thunderous bass and slick visuals, the sound was bigger and punchier than many would have expected, giving familiar hits a welcome shot of extra power.
The set barely paused for breath as ‘Slam Dunk (Da Funk)’, Got The Feelin’, ‘When The Lights Go Out’ and ‘If Ya Gettin’ Down’ kept the crowd singing every word. Their trademark choreography remains remarkably sharp, packed with the swagger and precision that helped define late-90s pop, while the band’s infectious enthusiasm never dipped. A rousing performance of ‘We Will Rock You’, their famous No.1 collaboration with Queen prompted a crowd clap and singalong, before the pace eased briefly for the heartfelt ‘Until The Time Is Through’, allowing the vocal harmonies to take centre stage.
There was only ever one way the set could end. Their November 1999 chart-topper ‘Keep On Movin’’ provided a euphoric finale. Nearly three decades after they first burst onto the scene, FIVE’s songs have undeniably stood the test of time. Packed with catchy hooks, energetic performances and genuine affection from the audience, this was an unapologetic celebration of pure pop that proved some songs simply never lose their ability to make people smile.
(Martin J Fuller)
DIANA ROSS (Main Stage 20:30 – 22:00)
The word ‘legend’ is bandied about too often these days, but there is no question that tonight members of the Pride crowd found themselves in the presence of one and they don’t get much bigger than Diana Ross.
Few performers could precede their arrival with a ten-minute biographical film and make it feel entirely justified, but Diana Ross is not just any performer. Charting her extraordinary rags-to-riches journey from Detroit housing projects to global superstardom, the film mixed early footage of The Supremes with snapshots from a career that has now spanned more than six decades. And then it happened… a 10 piece band dressed immaculately in white strode on to stage, alongside four backing singers and finally shimmering in a silver-white sequinned gown and an enormous feathered cape and hat, Ross emerged to the unmistakable opening of ‘I’m Coming Out’. Brighton Pride had its queen!
The opening run was a guided tour through the foundations of pop. ‘Baby Love’, ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’, ‘Come See About Me’ and ‘Stop! In The Name of Love’ rolled out in a joyous Supremes medley, with vintage footage of the young Ross flickering across the screens behind the superstar. It was impossible not to feel the weight of history, although Ross herself seemed determined not to treat the occasion like a museum piece. Her voice now has a little more grain around the edges and the backing singers (and crowd) did a lot of the heavy lifting, but the phrasing, authority and sheer star quality remain firmly intact. “I’m 82, right?” she grinned. “Move it or lose it.” Fair point!
From there, the hits kept coming. ‘The Boss’ sounded colossal, ‘Chain Reaction’ sent ripples of delirium through the crowd and ‘Tomorrow’ offered a brief moment to breathe. ‘Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)’ became one of the evening’s great communal moments, Ross asking the audience to connect while thousands of arms rose and the field swayed beneath the Brighton sky. There was no need for complicated staging or relentless choreography. Ross understood that sometimes all a legend has to do is stand there, extend a hand and allow 50 years of emotional attachment to do the rest.
‘Upside Down’ cranked the party back into gear, stretched into a loose, extended groove that allowed the band to flex its considerable musical muscle. A medley of ‘Love Hangover’, ‘Take Me Higher’ and ‘Ease On Down The Road’ followed, with Ross slipping away while the musicians and backing vocalists took over. This was no anonymous touring unit quietly filling time during a costume change; these were virtuosos, clearly delighted to be given room to play. Ross returned in a blazing red sequinned dress, feathered cape and sunglasses, every inch the old-school superstar, before throwing herself into ‘If The World Just Danced’ and the fizzing ‘Why Do Fools Fall In Love’.
By the time Ike and Tina Turner cover ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ arrived, Preston Park had become one enormous choir. Ross barely needed to sing the chorus herself; the crowd hurled it back at her with the force of a football terrace. Then came Gloria Gaynor cover ‘I Will Survive’, a great queer anthem of defiance, heartbreak and refusing to stay down, transformed into another sprawling band showcase. It was glorious, extravagant and just a little chaotic, exactly as a Pride headline set should be.
The final moments looked forward rather than back. Ross introduced ‘Be You’, written especially for the occasion, as a celebration of individuality, freedom and the right to live without apology. It was not one of the songs people had spent decades waiting to hear, but its message landed perfectly.
Ross completed a sequence of three costume changes for the encore which suggested understatement had never once crossed her mind. ‘Thank You’ closed the 1 hour and 44 minute set with warmth rather than grandiosity, Ross bidding farewell after a set overflowing with sequins, disco, Motown and sheer force of personality.
Tonight we had been lucky enough to witness a true cultural icon whose music continues to cross boundaries and connect generations in a way that very few others can. A truly mesmerising performance!
(Martin J Fuller)
