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John McLean

John Mclean was born in Croydon, grew up in Hailsham and studied drama at Kingston University. John was writing for a website reviewing albums and gigs in Brighton for a short time before he began contributing to the SOURCE. Since then he has covered many gigs for us in various genres of music. John also reviews gigs and interviews bands for JackDaw Promotions and Reason 23 Music Promotions.
Neville Staple | Brighton Source

The former Special headlined the evening's entertainment at the 7th Brighton Tattoo Convention.

Feb 24, 2014
Honky | Brighton Source

Ex-Butthole Surfer and Melvins dude brings beardy blues rock to Brighton's Prince Albert.

Dec 21, 2013
Mindless Self Indulgence | Brighton Source

Jimmy Urine and his hedonistic electro rock troupe gave us a dosing at the Concorde last month.

Dec 21, 2013
Jake Bugg | Brighton Centre

The singer songwriter delivered the goods to a varied crowd of students, couples and mums and dads at the Brighton Centre.

Nov 6, 2013
Howard Marks | Brighton Source

We had a rather nice evening in the company of the former drug smuggler, author and all round stoner dude.

Oct 24, 2013
Levellers | Brighton Dome | Brighton Source

A homecoming show at the Dome for the legendary local folk rockers was only ever going to go one way.

Aug 2, 2013

Is it metal? Is it punk? Either way it's a bloody glorious racket, writes John Mclean.

May 3, 2013

The Selecter came to the Concorde last month to deliver a perfect package of feelgood ska.

Apr 8, 2013

This year the annual rumble at the Concorde saw The Doel Brothers entertain the rockabilly faithful.

Feb 26, 2013

LA punk rockers bring their visceral hardcore noise to bear on an up-for-it Concorde crowd.

Feb 21, 2013
Bad Manners - Concorde2, Brighton (16/12/12)

Another year, another ska-driven sweaty romp with the massive man-baby.

Dec 29, 2012

Tales of prison life, gang rape and political conspiracies - it's all in a night's work for the hard-hitting US rapper.

Nov 6, 2012
Toots & The Maytals - Mike Tudor Photogrpahy

When the reggae legends came to the Concorde2 we sent our resident skank addict, John McLean, to investigate.

Aug 31, 2012

We probably would've loved it no matter what, but Public Image Limited were on top form for their two dates at the Concorde2.

Aug 23, 2012

1960s ska legends work the Concorde2 into a joyous throng with the classic sound of Jamaican rocksteady.

Jun 12, 2012

Turisas and their legion of fans gather in Brighton in celebration of their new album. John McLean survived the battle in Concorde 2 and lives to tell the tale. Photos by Rachael Emily.

Nov 3, 2011

Terrorvision entertain a horde of fans whose age differences stretch as long as their own careers. John McLean was there getting involved in a performance that has yet to lose its energy.

Oct 20, 2011

Toots & the Maytals have been making music together since the 1960s. They are described as 'one of the true architects of Reggae' and are often accredited with creating the term in their 1968 single 'Do The Reggay'.

Sep 23, 2011

From the type of people standing outside the entrance of the Hydrant, it is not difficult to determine the genre of music tonight. These long-haired metal-faced folk with black tops gather upstairs awaiting their healthy fix of brutal thrash metal.

Sep 12, 2011

The stage is set for Brighton's annual Rumble. An event generally populated by rockabillys with quiffs alongside stunning chicks with tattooed breasts, but tonight they are joined by a lot of flat-tops and Mohicans. This reflects the incorporation of psychobilly into the line-up. Rock'n'roll mixed with punk rock is on the agenda and what could be better on this warm bank holiday evening?

Sep 12, 2011

Concorde 2 is packed out tonight and it's good to see many twenteenagers get things moving early on during support acts. These are the people that listened to bands like Blink 182, Alkaline Trio, and Goldfinger at school or college and supported pop punk when it was a fad at the start of the noughties.

Sep 7, 2011

Ginger arrives on stage with his acoustic comrades Chris Catalyst and 'Random' Jon Poole. He asks, "Is anybody else cold?" and we all laugh since upstairs of the Hydrant is literally cooking us alive. The show opens with 'Love Shit' from first album 'Earth vs The Wildhearts' and the crowd immediately become involved with the music.

Sep 7, 2011

The upper floor of the Komedia is transformed into a suave, segregated, intimate space and around one hundred people gather for some swinging in the lanes.

Aug 22, 2011

Brighton puts on its blue suede shoes once again as we prepare for more rock'n'roll and psychobilly at the Concorde 2. The Peacocks from Switzerland will be headlining this annual Rumble alongside The Caravans. The evening will also include The Devil Wrays, Bad Bad Whiskey and a great line-up of rockabilly and psychobilly DJs. All you Brighton cats comb your hair and strut down to the Concorde Sunday 28 August. There's a Rumble in Brighton tonight.

Aug 15, 2011

Rockabillies rolled into town for the annual Brighton Rumble at Concorde 2.

Apr 28, 2011

"I've got something to put in you," says Dick Valentine. A love of tongue-in-cheek rock music, perhaps? Oleg Pulemjotov and John Mclean headed down to Concorde 2 to check out Electric Six.

Jan 31, 2011
John McLean - Contributor at Brighton Source