The kid brother to the Manchester, Edinburgh and much Liverpool Psych Fest is blossoming into a delightful event, that is becoming a much loved event by the Brighton music loving faithful. While we still don’t quite get Goat on the line up (hint hint Joy Promotions) as the other events do, the 2025 edition saw a really interesting mix of new and old favourites, that generated some tough choices for Team Source. We did however have a blast, and our 2026 early bird tickets are already in the bag for next year.

Gong – Komedia
And we’re off Baby! Into a packed Komedia to witness a psychedelic institution; Gong for some light jazzy proggish rock. Could one of these people been an original member of Gong? Certainly none of them are old enough to have been there in in the band in 1967, but does that matter? It was always an ever changing collective, and all these musicians, played with the blessing of founder Daevid Allen. We certainly have at least one cardiac in Korvus who pointedly pays tribute to Daevid Allen before the band plays Rejoice. There are plenty of ‘heads’ down the front going wild. There is still some mileage left in the Teapot!! (NM)

Trip Westerns – The Prince Albert
Trip Westerns get the Albert fully rammed, which is a joy to see, as we cram our way in to hear the sounds of some cooking harmonica playing. Their 60s bluesy gumbo is getting better by the minute. To show what a seasoned pro gun slinger he is Harrison; restrings his instrument while delivering his lead vocal. With a new EP out in October, ‘Maybe Fishin’ taken from it, is a tremolo heavy slice of medicine that should ease us into Autumn. The solo in Sleepwalker is pure souful fire. They finish with a dirty rendition of ‘Charlie’. (NM)

Cryogeyser – Patterns
With their debut dropping in 2019, LA’s finest have been around for a while now but this is our first encounter and, oh, it is a sweet one. Alt-rock melancholia swirls around the stage and envelopes singer Shawn Marom’s quite staggering vocal. Love love LOVE that voice. The band seem genuinely touched by the nice big early doors crowd and their laconic west coast (perhaps even Best Coast) drawl sets us up for the mighty day ahead (JW)

Yin Yin – Komedia
Yin Yin chuck out the global funk vibes. The Dutch band draw a noticeably youthful and fun crowd to Komedia. The music lurches between surf, funk and cumbia with wild abandon and that’s just the first track we hear, which draws a huge cheer. Then the big disco beat kicks in for a drum solo that gets the ‘Rabbitt’ running. ‘Takahashi’ features some dirty synth electro bass, that is almost acid techno. By this point no one is standing still. No one. They close with the early banger that is Disko Disko, the track which turned these ears onto them. (NM)

Getdown Services – Concorde 2
“I’ve got Chocky in my Pocket” echos around the Concorde as ‘Crisps’ is getting what is unquestionably the largest crowd of the festival going with its loose groove. “From the back: can we have a big fuck off from the back. Tell us we’re shit”, they shout. It might be sweary but it’s good natured cheesy fun with strange tales of stuffed crust pizza on busses in Bristol that end with band members doing a striptease. They have us eating those crisps out of the palm of their hand. The solo guitar singalong of ‘I Wish It Didn’t Bother Me’, is a true delight. Head Down For the Conversation’ gets everyone waving their hands in the air as the evening sun shines through the stained glass windows. They bring out the big guns for the finale and the mosh pit goes off. (NM)

Crocodiles – Volks
Punk rock alert! Punk rock alert! Crashing the stage 20 minutes late but literally no one cares as firm fan favourites Crocodiles go in Garage-hard. The shades are on, the shapes are pulled and the full tilt punk rock show pushes the boundaries defining what one might term “psychedelic”. No one cares about that either. In fact, not caring is what Crocodiles are all about. Apart from maybe that all the Ramones are dead. But when we’ve got Crocodiles, who cares about that. (JW)

Deadletter – Concorder 2
We love how hard it is to pigeonhole this band. A genre surfing fusion mash-up that pushes reviewers into all manner of gymnastic band referencing. Today though it’s all about singer Zac Lawrence, a genuine star for the ages. The huge crowd become part of the show as a glowering Lawrence clambers off the stage to commune with the front row whilst his band create a supersonic ska punk explosion behind him. Deadletter play the hits and elevate their career to that elite singalong level. The Concorde roars its knowing approval and so do we. (JW)

Do Nothing – Patterns
Tech issues seem to draw the sting a little but we love the theatrical sass and bonafide singalong choruses. Do Nothing have a cerebral, mid-tempo pop sensibility that is hard to resist and singer Chris Bailey has an easy charm that your Mum would like. Perfect early-evening-at-the-festival vibes then. (JW)

Goblyn – Green Door Store
It’s time to journey across an ocean of psych in search of Valhalla! OK, we accept that could be the IPA talking, but that’s what we hear (and see) as we enter the deep dark dungeon that is GDS. Berlin based Goblyn are already deep into an extended instrumental jam with the pedals set firmly to “reverberated psych”. It’s what we came for and all that’s missing is a few bandanas. (JW)

Opus Kink – Komedia
Opus kink jump straight in with a new waltz, that is ‘The Sweet Goodbye’. Angus cries out “What’s up Brighton?” before the nasty driving riff of ‘I love You Baby’ kicks off like a freight train. The clanking chains of ‘Dust’ ring in the tail of death before the funeral jazz brass takes us to New Orleans. The brass section is on fire tonight. ‘Malarkey’ is a dark slice of dance with particularly fine trumpet flourishes. ‘Will it Come For You’ is a Clashy herald of the soon to be released debut album, complete with a whispering wailing breakdown, that leads into a building fury that sees most of the front row shoved onto the stage by the mosh ensuing behind us. ‘448c’ is another dirty new track equally well received. The finale of ‘Crucify’ is a stunning slow burner of an ending, that shows the quality of the songwriting. (NM)

TVOD – The Prince Albert
YES! If we thought we could get away with a one word review, that would be it and, perhaps, TVOD steal the festival show. A thrilling performance of intense mayhem from a cadre of musicians absolutely at the top of their game. This Brooklyn based band have been blazing a trail across 2025 and Team SOURCE are fully on board. Hard rock, heavy dub, synthy squeakles and a lot of sweat-soaked shouting. Everything we love. Next time they’re in town, you HAVE to see them. We stagger out musing that there’s a reason their debut LP is called “Party Time”. (JW)

La Securite – The Hope and Ruin
The Montreal 5 piece deliver a restlessly fizzy lo-fi set that at times veers towards the psychedelic in the most welcome way. We love the dirt and we love the dirge and we love Èliane Viens-Synott, a singer with a lot to say and a superbly shabby-chic way of saying it. We’re duty bound to briefly comment on the gender balance of the festival lineup – heavily skewed to the Y chromosome – and we are left wondering whether team La Securité are in the minority today. (JW)

Adult DVD – Volks
People swarm in at the last second as the hardcore heads hit the Volks in search of a some late night naughtiness, which is lucky, given that the ravey fun time sounds of Adult DVD are bound to deliver the goods in spades. We do however notices that something is changing. We had a riot when we first saw them headline a Hidden Heard all-dayer, but now everyone knows the melodies and they are singing the tunes back at the band, while they pogo as one. ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ is pure party. Harry likes it. So do Team Source, and so it would seem do an increasing number of people. (NM)

Brighton Psych Fest – 29th August 2025
Various Venues

Words: Nick McAllister and Jason Warner
Photos: Jason Warner and Stan O’Shea