Two years ago, one of the North East’s best-loved frontmen Martin Stephenson and his band The Daintees played Brighton, a gig SOURCE described as “like a family gathering” (reviewed here). He returns later this month with a line-up that’s still notably a family affair: longstanding members, brothers Gary and Anthony Dunn are joined by Charlie Smith, grandson of original Daintees drummer Paul, Gary’s son Adrian and Rupert Hughes, son of Taffy from fellow Kitchenware signing Hurrah!
The band’s music continually transcends genres from punk origins to rockabilly, folk-pop, reggae and beyond, all contributing to an energisingly varied live experience complete with laugh-out-loud and heart-spilling impromptu stories courtesy of Mr Stephenson. This year, fresh from playing festivals including Glastonbury, their UK-wide winter tour swings in at Komedia with a set-list celebrating classic favourites and showcasing tracks from their new album ‘You Belong To Blue’.
It’s their 11th release to date, the first being ‘Boat To Bolivia’ in 1986. An iconic album for a generation, songs such as ‘Crocodile Cryer’, ‘Little Red Bottle’ and ‘Rain’ are still firm live crowd-pleasers today, the latter being singled out by comedian Billy Connolly as one of his most-loved songs in a BBC documentary. Three more albums followed before the band split, including ‘Salutation Road’ which contains the anti-Thatcher song ‘Left Us To Burn’ with a video featuring Martin Stephenson’s band of brothers.
In 2000, The Daintees reformed and they have continued to record and tour ever since. The latest album encapsulates both the old and new band spirit, from the haunting new wave rift of ‘Better Get Sam’ (the first verse of which was penned way back in 1978), basking in Gary Dunn’s sunshine guitar licks on ‘Beautiful Day’, right through to the deliciously Hammond-smooth sensitivity of ‘Broken Nights And Faded Cities’, a standout song, inspired by the artist’s interactions with homeless people living on the streets in Newcastle.
No two Martin Stephenson shows are ever the same, but whatever is served up in Brighton will be a musical treat straight from the heart, a delightful family gathering indeed.
Komedia, Wednesday 25th October 2023
Tickets available here
For Martin Stephenson & The Daintees info click here
Photo by Anna Lavigne
