Another mammoth weekend that started on the beach, took us to an array of different venues and ended in an intense moshpit at a late-night pub. We saw some incredible local showcases along the way, ran into a certain Irish busker and caught up with many of our favourite bands of the year. Over the weekend the SOURCE team reviewed more than 30 acts including The Last Dinner Party, O, Sorry, Benefits, Snayx, Acid Klaus, The Scorpios, Personal Trainer, DITZ and TRAAMS.
WEDNESDAY
Noah And The Loners, Beach Stage
Freshly wrist-banded and press-passed, SOURCE dodges some mediocre R&B outside the library and takes the kids for possibly the worst timed dentist appointment ever. With an NHS-approved set of nashers we head down to beach for some old-school punk from London four-piece Noah And The Loners. They might be young enough to be the grand kids of the original punks, but they have attitude, something to say and the sass and energy to pull it off in a manner that is timeless. Trans man Noah has clearly found his voice in his experience and is totally engaging in the frontman role. Singles ‘Protest Anger’ and ‘Teenage Tragedy’ are both particularly strong in this great warm-up set. (NM)
Congratulations, Beach Stage
Local band Congratulations then take to the stage looking like extras in a Bucks Fizz video or escapees from the Wide Awake Club fresh from a game of Mallet’s Mallet. Luckily that’s where the bad 80s pop culture comparisons stop, for these folks are heavy and hard. The Digitech Whammy pedal can be a terrible sound under the wrong feet, but guitarist Jamie really racks up the Rage Against The Machine energy, looking like a cross between Phil Lynott and Prince with his tongue out prowling the front of the stage. Greg of Sit Down fame plays a driving bassline over the drums, while Leah Stanhope does a cracking job on vocals. This is already the band’s second show of the festival and it’s only Wednesday! They may have a song about kryptonite, but the green rock that brings Superman to his knees seems to get them jumping. (NM)
THURSDAY
Mestizo Collective, Jubilee Square
If we’re honest, a quick Spotify play of this lot hadn’t quite grabbed our ears. Indeed, we are primarily here to hook up with some mates from local band The Cider Dogs. However, the Mestizos start to soundcheck and ours ears prick up. That brass sounds good. Her voice is interesting. “Get a beer, let’s stick around.” This is a slick, joyous and heady brew of jazz, hip hop, brass and South American music. Is that dry ice or a suitably herbal haze? Born of collaboration between UK Caribbean sax player Ahanssé and Colombian label head Daniel Michel, this is an uber-cool collective. Columbian rapper N. Hardem and Londoner Shantéh provide an excellent contrast fronting the band, and the trumpet is just glorious. These folks are natural, relaxed performers, and will sound absolutely sick when the bookers catch on and they get to play high up the bill of the West Holts stage at Glastonbury. (NM)
Gurriers, Prince Albert
Cutting it dangerously fine, SOURCE hightails it to the Albert and manages to be the last to make it up the stairs and squeeze into a tightly packed gig room before a large queue forms. This five-piece are clearly drawing the right sort of attention and it’s not hard to see why. Gurriers are unquestionably a new contender in the current crop of the wild and inventive Irish punk and grunge scene. Dead Kennedys and Jane’s Addiction, as well as more lazy comparisons such as Fontaines DC and Enola Gay, all feature in the riotous mix. It’s underpinned by some excellent bass playing while Dan Hoff rolls his sleeves up and prowls the stage. New single ‘Sign Of The Times’ draws the set to an excellent and sweaty close. (NM)
Grian Chatten, Gloucester Road
Thinking about Fontaines DC thanks to Gurriers, SOURCE leaves the Albert and gets on the bike looking for new excitement. Wait. That voice. No. It can’t be. Really? It can’t be. It is The Great Escape though. Check it out. Holy ****! It is him. It actually is him. Grian Chatten, frontman of Fontaines DC, is casually standing at the end of Kensington Gardens with an acoustic guitar, playing to pretty much no one except an Irish girl, who works at the Aesop perfume shop. She is clearly a Fontaines DC fan and cannot believe that all her Christmases appear to have come at once with this private gig outside her workplace. SOURCE barely has time to take it all in. This is what makes the Great Escape magic. Grian is busking around town to promote new solo album ‘Chaos For The Fly.’ Offered the contents of the shop, he asks for “Something to make me look younger. Have you got that please?” (NM)
ARXX, Amazon New Music Stage
ARXX are a familiar name in Brighton and rightly so. SOURCE caught them at two of their sets across the weekend, one in the large airy Amazon Music tent and another in a packed-out Komedia Basement. The duo of Hanni on vocals and Guitar and Clara on drums is a match made in heaven for any pop-punk-loving fan. The clever songwriting and positive energy the pair emanate make for a tonic for even the most queue-tired fan. The music sounds great, and the chit-chat between them and the crowd makes everyone feel happy (their chat about ‘God Knows’ being their Dua Lipa song raises some warm chuckles) and it’s one of the best shows of the weekend. ARXX are the middle of their tour and fresh off the back of supporting YUNGBLUD. We’d say run, don’t walk to get tickets. (LS)
Lewis Fitzgerald, Three Wise Cats (Casablanca)
Last year’s hauntingly beautiful single, ‘Love Me’, made Lewis Fitzgerald’s set a must-see. Heavy set and tattooed, he cuts an imposing figure on stage, yet within moments his disarming affability has won over the crowd and, backed by keyboards, acoustic guitar and drum machine, he launches into a set of soulful R&B songs that deal with life, love and loss. ‘Short Ride’ is a highlight: “Cause I only wanna live fast; Die young, move on,” while ‘Number 74’ is introduced with a touching story of its genesis, when police broke into his flat following a neighbour’s suicide. The set ends with a sweet, sweet rendition of ‘Love Me’ itself. Anyone who likes Rag’n’Bone Man is going to love Lewis Fitzgerald. (PS)
Joyeria, Beach Stage
Joyeria, who caught our attention at last year’s Mutations Festival are second on the bill at the Speedy Wunderground showcase on the beach. Sadly the venue is marred by terrible sound, a recurring feature of sets on the beach venues, and they play to a reduced crowd, which had steadily emptied during the previous band’s set. This is not really fair as the Joyeria band experience, led by the demon possessed that is the Canadian artist Joyeria himself, has plenty to offer. The songs of the ‘FIM’ EP released last year are full of character, but the sound quality today lets them down, especially when compared to their late-night Hope & Ruin set last year. Tragically we nip to the toilet and miss the moment when Joyeria comes to the front of the stage and turns his beautiful Mustang into firewood in a fit of guitar-trashing insanity. (NM)
Frank Hopkins, St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s gothic splendour proves the perfect venue, both visually and acoustically, for Frank Hopkins’ set of leftfield electronica. Influences include Four Tet, Max Cooper and namesake Jon Hopkins, with Aphex Twin hovering somewhere in the background in the more experimental touches. Yet this music manages tread its own unique path. Drawing largely from this year’s superb album, ‘Aeternum’, the set builds from initial glitchy percussion sounds, to full-blown pounding beats as washes of melody sweep in, layer upon euphoric layer. The sounds soar up into the vaulted ceiling and ensure that no one remains emotionally unmoved – or physically, come to that, as an increasing number of people abandon the restrictions of the pews and start dancing in the aisles. (PS)
The Last Dinner Party, Chalk
Is this the fullest Chalk has ever been? Certainly seems that way. We fight our way to the front to catch a set by the new ‘it’ band of the moment, The Last Dinner Party. The all-girl band appear to have escaped down the drainpipe of Roedean Ladies College before hightailing it here, presumably hoping they won’t get in trouble with the headmistress. While this is not DIY, and major label investment is clear in the range of instruments, these women are clearly musical adventurers who know how to play their instruments. It is a precocious performance that mixes Sparks, Queen, Kate Bush and even a bit of Andrew Lloyd Webber in a complicated brew of musically theatrical reference points, with Abigail pirouetting across the stage throughout. “Right, it’s time for that song, and then I’m off to see Sorry,” she exclaims. ‘Nothing Matters’, with its guaranteed-to-be-banned-on-the-BBC chorus is a cracker and provides a rousing close to the set. (NM)
O, Beach Stage
A quick bike ride back to the beach and SOURCE dives into the screeching sound of O. They are clearly a band growing in confidence and capability. Last year at Mutations they were fun. Tonight, they soar and they really roar. Imagine a sound that compares with James Chance or Melt Yourself Down, yet only played by two people. The Stooges without the guitars or frontman antics. Driving filthy baritone saxophone over pummelling drums. Song names aren’t announced. The music does the talking and it really, really kicks. Music for the head and for the dancing muscles. An EP is coming on Speedy Wunderground and the band announces they will record their debut album later in the summer. (NM)
The Joy Hotel, Brighthelm Centre
The Joy Hotel offers so much more than just music. The seven-piece band filled the Brighthelm Centre stage and graced the crowd with a sound that must have developed quickly during the three years they’ve been together. There is an immediate familiarity with the tunes they play; the vintage sound and raspy vocals genuinely leaves us wanting more. Especially as the band has only released two tracks to date, both of which are superb. The upbeat, country/rock/pop sound of The Joy Hotel manages to create something entirely new and vibrant. With founding members and leading singers Morgan Woods and Luke Boyce delivering the lyrics, accompanied by a very full band, each bouncing off the other, it is not to be missed. Fingers crossed for more southern dates for this Glaswegian gem. (LS)
Heartworms, Beach Stage
Jojo Orme and gang have come a long way since last year’s early afternoon caravan set. They are now headlining a showcase and justifiably so. Their debut EP, ‘A Comforting Notion’, is single-handedly reinvigorating the classic goth sound for a new generation and they cement this with a cracking cover of ‘Dominion’ by The Sisters Of Mercy. Jojo, however, does it with humour and charm and a rather strange love of Spitfires. Indeed, she tells us she has just been for a flight in a Flying Fortress bomber. There is a missing keyboard player for tonight’s set, but Izzy’s bass thunders and drives the songs forward, towering over any sound issues. Interestingly, she is in the crowd for pretty much all the wildest punk shows we attend later. (NM)
Sorry, Amazon New Music Stage
On the other side of the beach compound Sorry take to the stage. SOURCE has grown to really love the band’s albums ‘925’ and ‘Anywhere But Here’ – both of which contain some charmingly messy examples of classic indie pop songs. Their instore at Resident which launched the latter was a delight. We are therefore excited for this show. The music, however, booms around the tent, losing some of the pop charm and leaving Asha looking a touch nervous. Despite the poor sound ‘Key To The City’ soars, and the keys and electronics player Marco Pini soon drives the track into a fully unexpected drum’n’bass rave remix. The crowd down the front is really dancing and having fun for ‘Let The Lights On’. Not quite the valedictory triumph of a set we had hoped for, but our love for Sorry remains strong. There is so much to love here in the rewarding music of this band. (NM)
FRIDAY
Benefits, MVT Stage
Having missed the rammed One Church show the night before, SOURCE is here early to avoid the unnecessary beach area queues and any chance of missing Benefits at this inexplicably low-key MVT Stage set. Their debut album ‘Nails’, despite being almost unlistenably abrasive, is a true triumph, and we’re excited to be here. Sure enough, the big names in current pit photography all show up wanting to catch a festival moment. We’re expecting intensity. What surprises us is the power of the drums. Cat is a beast, and we are almost knocked off our feet by the assault. ‘Marlboro Hundreds’ perfectly balances the righteous anger at our shit-show of an island with a sense of love and care for the audience. “You have a worth, you are unique,” says Kingsley Hall, making eye contact with individuals in the crowd. (NM)
Becky Sikasa, Patterns Upstairs
Under the banner, ‘Zeitgeist’, Germany showcases its newest musical talent at Patterns. For us, Becky Sikasa is the standout. She was raised in Germany, has a Kenyan father and now lives in Scotland, an international background that certainly informs her music, which is a sumptuous blend of soul meets R&B and, aided by three backing singers, hypnotic gospel. She captivates the audience with tracks from last year’s EP, ‘Twelve Wooden Boxes’, with ‘The Edge’ proving a show-stopper. She explains how, at a recent gig a woman approached her afterwards to offer her a hug. We soon understand why. “I’m a little broken and you’d pick up all my pieces if I asked you to; But I won’t ask you to…” (PS)
Pale Blue Eyes, Shipwright’s Yard
After failing to get into Personal Trainer at WaterBear we suddenly remember how close we are to the reliable Republic of Music party at Shipwright’s Yard. Sure enough, we enter the space to find a joyous crowd listening to a beautiful mix of krautrock repetition, Ride harmonies and pop. Meet Pale Blue Eyes, who are already on the line-up of July’s promising Seaview Festival. It turns out this is a band with pedigree – some of which links to this writer’s own Sheffield history – having been part of Kings Have Long Arms and Chanteuse and the Crippled Claw with tonight’s nearly headliner Acid Klaus. Ultimately it is fun, satisfying music played by good people in a small courtyard packed with good people. What’s not to like? Signed to Full Time Hobby and with a new album, ‘This House’, out in September, Pale Blue Eyes are a band we’re looking forward to hearing more of. (NM)
Snayx, Shipwright’s Yard
Next up on this small stage is a bit of delicious chaos from local trio Snayx, who have finally announced that the most excellent of drummers Lainey Loops is officially part of the band. Warming up for their Chalk gig later, they make quick work of this barnstorming set. They leap around in and out of the crowd, getting the packed yard jumping, while fan badges for the Belly Crawlerz Social Club are handed out to all and sundry. New single ‘Boys In Blue’ bristles with real anger while closer ‘Fayx’ gets better with every performance. A headline UK tour has now been announced, and it would seem this Brighton band is making friends in all the right places. (NM)
L’Eclair, Caravanserai
A pleasant walk in the sun across Brighton and we find ourselves in the stunning new Fringe venue, Caravanserai, for the closing act of the day’s Acid Box showcase. We’re here to see Swiss psychedelic funk band L’Eclair, who are signed to the ever-reliable Bongo Joe record label. Rumours abound of how good last night’s show at Komedia was. A happy man down the front shouts “Avez vous la funk?” at the band. “Oui. Nous avon la funk!” comes the reply. Thank goodness for GCSE French! Unquestionably though: they do have the funk, laced in plenty of wah and with horns, keys and percussion. With band members calling themselves Space Krum and Bootsy Cobra, could it be any other way? A young crowd of heads is getting quite loose in the festival spirit and enjoying this no-wristband-required party in style. A Bandcamp download of recent album ‘Cruise Control’ is quickly ordered online. (NM)
The Leaning, Black Lion
We race to St Nicholas’ Church to find The Leaning packing up, but not to worry, these hard working boys invite us to follow them to the Black Lion for the second of their four Alt Escape shows. This set focuses on newer songs, yet features nothing from the debut EP ‘The Long Lost Lagoon’. They would appear to be saving those tracks for a more drunken late-night romp. Still, as soon as the first note of ‘Stranger’ is sounded the back room of the pub becomes rammed. As ever, the band provides a captivating and entrancing spectacle. Both the songwriting and musicianship display a quiet confidence and we’re sure great things will happen for this thoroughly nice bunch. They play the track scheduled to be their next single, ‘Beyond The Second Door’, as well new classic ‘Angle Of The Moon’, before debuting new song ‘Suburban Heart’ and closing with live favourite ‘As The Ladies Dance’. The temptation to follow them onwards to Presuming Ed’s and the Folklore Rooms is strong! (NM)
Humour, Beach Stage
Humour are a Glasgow band that came about as a silver lining from strict Scottish lockdowns in tenement flats. The unique circumstance of their genesis is reflected in their sound, not quite placed in any one genre. They simply allowed things to come together organically and then kept pushing to keep things interesting. Part of what makes Humour so good are the unique vocals delivered by frontman Andreas Christodoulidis, who swings from improvised yelps and screams to precise spoken word pieces that set a variety of moods and tones. The emotion that comes through in Humour’s music is strangely addictive, especially combined with the throbbing drums and expansive guitar noise. The darkened tent of the Beach Stage seemed an ideal venue for Humour to make their Great Escape debut. The energy of the songs quickly filled the tent while the narrative layers transported the crowd for the duration of their set. Humour are ones to watch. (LS)
Acid Klaus, Chalk
Fresh from playing the Albert Hall in support of Róisín Murphy the night before, Acid Klaus cook up a storm in Chalk that cements their growing reputation. Those in the know (and anyone who caught their standout set at Lewes Psychedelic Festival) would of course expect something good from the maverick genius that has already spawned Kings Have Long Arms, The Eccentronic Research Council, Moonlandingz and most recently, International Teachers of Pop. Billy and Dimitris are clearly having a whale of a time on synths and percussion, both grinning from ear to ear, while Caitlin is growing ever-more confident in her position as touring frontwoman. Adrian meanwhile delivers his dry witticisms from his side of the stage, before ripping into ‘Bad Drugs Bad Club Bad People’. A particular treat tonight is guest singer Lieselot Elzinga, also of Bongo Joe act Baby’s Berserk, over from Amsterdam, who actually sang on the single ‘Nightclub Marilyn’. She takes to the stage looking like Daryl Hannah in Bladerunner and clearly relishes her moment in the limelight. (NM)
Civic, Fiddler’s Elbow
Aussie punk at 1am in the back room of a pub? Count us in. Dirty grinding chaos ensues. New friends are made. Beer is spilt. A lot of beer is spilt. Luckily Civic are playing a show the next day, which might just yield a more meaningful review. It is frankly impossible to take notes when you are having that much fun. (NM)
SATURDAY
Civic, Beach Stage
The Aussie Beach BBQ now seems to be a traditional feature of TGE’s Saturday afternoon, and has hosted some great sets in recent years from artists like Tropical Fuck Storm and Amyl And The Sniffers. Civic provide this year’s standout moment. Singer Jim is appropriately clad in double denim as his no-nonsense straight-up punk band dish out classic-sounding Stoogesy four-to-the-floor punk with lashings of piercing wah guitar. The set draws heavily from new album ‘Taken By Force’, but also includes tracks such as ‘New Vietnam’ from their 2018 debut EP. The afternoon show proves that last night’s storming performance in the Fiddler’s Elbow was no flash in the pan. This band have got both righteous anger and intensity. They will soon be playing Wide Awake Festival at Brockwell Park. SOURCE will be making a beeline for that stage. (NM)
Karma Sheen, Latest Music Bar
The small underground venue is rammed by the time the five-piece band – drums, guitar, bass and electric sitar, plus larger-than-life frontman Sameer Khan on lead guitar, wooden flute, box harmonium and lead vocals – hit the stage. A few plucked notes, a couple of drumbeats and, as the sitar drone adds to the mix, we’re off, soon discovering exactly what the band’s self-defined “classical raaga-infused music with a fragrance of psych rock” is all about. Basically, it’s a mash-up of punk, grunge and 70s rock, but taken to a whole new place with the additional Indian instrumentation and vocals. Tracks off EP ‘Alif’ showcase the band’s diverse talents, while the intoxicating east-meets-west climax of ‘Homecoming’, their final number, leaves us wanting more. (PS)
The Scorpios, Brighthelm Centre
The Scorpios play driving desert music that is reminiscent of Tinariwen, but originates from the Sudan rather than Mali. Now based in London, the group is truly international with the Japanese keyboard player often acting as the conductor. This show is part of the Continental Drifts programme, but things are slow to start and the capacity crowd is clearly frustrated. Band members leave the stage, and it takes a while to get them back. Some microphones, notably the one for the singing bongo player, never actually get turned on. Still, when the band get going their choppy Arabic blues starts to cook, and the trumpet solos in particular help the music lift our spirits, with ‘Mashena’ providing a high point in the set. (NM)
Frozemode, Volks
Sometimes at the Great Escape, when you arrive early at a venue for a later gig, you stumble across a real gem. Frozemode is one such gem! These three rising stars from London treat us to a banging hip hop set. Thoughtful lyrics, hard-hitting beats, infectious melodies – it’s all good, and staying still is not an option. A standout is ‘Simon Says’. “Sweat dripping off me, the cigarette smell will be sticking to me for a couple of weeks” one of them intones, before another jumps in with, “I just smoked a bag now my head up in the clouds; I just took a tab now I’m seeing all these sounds.” Then all together: “The energy is frightening!” It is funny, it is clever, and we’re all well impressed. (PS)
Personal Trainer, Hope & Ruin
Having failed to get into yesterday’s WaterBear show, SOURCE is extremely glad of the delegate queue and is one of the last to get into Personal Trainer’s downstairs show for Love Thy Neighbour at the Hope. The windows are open and there’s a huge crowd in the street. From our position near the door it looks like the band members are hanging off the wall. It’s hard to tell what is going on but fun is clearly being had. ‘Milk’ brings out the LCD Soundsystem side of the band and the crowd go wild for ‘Key Of Ego’. There is a reason their November show at Lewes Con Club is already sold out. This band are a true delight; a perfect mix of fun, good songs and great performances. They are clearly one of the hardest working bands of the year and they thoroughly deserve the buzz that is building around them. (NM)
Miss Tiny, Shortt’s Bar
Over to Shortt’s Bar on St James’s Street for the Heavenly Records showcase and to a pub packed with famous faces. Ben Romans-Hopcroft of Childhood and Warmduscher has formed a new band with the musical legend that is Dan Carey of Speedy Wunderground. As a lover of both their work, this show is compulsory viewing. That we’re so close we have to repeatedly dodge the headstock of Adele’s bass guitar is a real privilege. What starts as a country soul choogle with ‘River Hands’ ends in the monster that is debut single ‘The Sound’. In between they hit the spot with a sound that ranges from Hendrix to Zeppelin with a touch of the White Stripes. Ben’s vocal and drumming delivery is perfect, while unsurprisingly it turns out Mr Carey is a guitar demon. An EP will be recorded over the summer and released in the autumn. On the strength of this show it is likely to be fantastic and we hope the artists can give this project the attention it deserves in amongst their other work. (NM)
HANYA, Horatio’s
Fresh from announcing their signing to Fat Cat, Hanya opened the showcase down at Horatio’s and had the job of setting the tone for the evening. It’s safe to say they delivered. The band played a mixture of well-loved dream pop releases along with some unreleased tunes to a packed-out venue and an eagerly waiting queue, a good omen if ever there was one. Part of the joy of Hanya is the clear delight the band takes in playing these tunes together. Lead singer Heather brings an addictive energy to the set with her smooth vocals, accompanied by Ben, Kit, Jack, and Davie who match her levels and deliver their own variety of musical intensity. The music sounds so good, the spicy dream pop they are known for really gets a fiery delivery when played live. From easy swaying tunes like ‘Fortunes’ to the higher energy of ‘Vape lord’ and ‘Centaur Lovesong’, they seduced the busy crowd into the start of a cracking evening from Fat Cat’s lists. (LS)
Revival Season, Shortt’s Bar
Revival Season are quick to take to the stage. Their gear is ready, and the performers are eager. What follows is an energetic set of classic old-school hip hop, with live programming and beats. Lead rapper Brandon ‘Bez’ Evans barely stays still for even a nanosecond. Indeed, under the pub lights it’s impossible to get a photo of him that’s not blurred. Jonah Swilley, who is also part of Mattiel, is equally arresting. We have never cheered quite so loudly at a drum programme pad solo – fingers stab the machine with a ferocious intensity as the beats smash around us. Soon-to-be-released single ‘The Chop’ has a particularly rousing Cypress Hill-style bassline and stands out in this relentlessly fun set. (NM)
Holiday Ghosts, Horatio’s
Holiday Ghosts played to a packed-out Horatio’s on the pier as part of a Fat Cat Records showcase that included TRAAMS, Hanya, and Midnight Rodeo. The evening was a great presentation of Brighton’s talent and Fat Cat’s pedigree as a label (pardon the pun). The band is immediately recognisable by their strong guitar-based tracks that combine with offhand lyricism and a warm nostalgia that make for very easy, and enjoyable listening. Their live set did not disappoint, with bundling energy and cool stage presence. The band is settling into a familiar rhythm of live shows and has a tour set for September/October that will be filled with their latest releases and classics such as ‘Vulture’ and ‘Favourite Freak’. (LS)
DITZ, Fiddler’s Elbow
Although they are inexplicably not on the bill of the main event, DITZ are one of the star attractions of Love Thy Neighbour’s late-night show at the Fiddler’s Elbow. By the time they take to the stage, there is a queue outside the venue that probably stretches all the way to the pier. We’ve been following DITZ for a while now, but this show is something else. It is a rare thing to truly not know what to expect from a gig. By ‘Dead Wurst’, Cal has crowd-surfed across the tightly packed back room and is hanging from the ceiling. But as is often the case, it is drummer Sam that provides the true drama. Clearly frustrated that this set is going to be cut short he begins to pound on the drum during ‘No Thanks, I’m Full’. The beat becomes ever-more insistent. Then suddenly he is kicking the kit apart, swinging cymbal stands and balancing the drums into a pyramid – all the while continuing to hit the primal rhythm. The intensity builds. Are we really about to see a kit be beaten to death? No one knows. Not even the band. Suddenly it is the stick that explodes. The crowd goes wild. The kings of Brighton have spoken. SOURCE is left feeling that this experience was akin to being in the video to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. (NM)
TRAAMS, Fiddler’s Elbow
The not-so-secret final act are quick to take to the stage as the drum kit is reassembled. TRAAMS, who have already played a Fat Cat show on the pier, deliver a triumphant set that covers the full range of their career. Starting with ‘Dry’, the Bognor band whip up a driving krautrock maelstrom, clearly relishing the craziness that unfolds around them. The room is now one heaving mass of extreme mosh. Liza Webster is clearly fearing the worst is about to happen to her beautiful Moog synth and is probably wishing someone else had set up right at the front. She is, however, protected by the front row. Still, the slightly reconfigured line-up drives the whirling dervish on, with Padley now on guitar instead of bass and Daws from Padley’s other band Social Haul taking up the bass. ‘Greyhound’ into ‘Succulent’ into ‘Penguin’, before ‘House On Fire’ and ‘Klaus’ bring it home. As we come to at the end, it’s hard to tell how long the set has lasted, and it is hard to believe that the Fiddler’s Elbow is still standing. TRAAMS have provided an epic closing set to a truly Great Escape. (NM)
Words by Leo Sartain, Nick McAllister and Paul Stewart
Photos by Avis Cockbill, Leo Sartain, Lewis Rothwell, Leo Sartain, Lochandas Thakurdas, Mike Burnell and Nick McAllister