LIVE & ALBUM REVIEWS MUSIC NEWS GIG LISTINGS ISSUE 8 26 JUNE - 2 JULY 2018
OUT OF TOWN
HALF YEAR REVIEW OUR TOP PICKS
BRAINCHILDFESTIVAL.CO.UK
ISSUE 8
CONTENTS HALF YEAR REVIEW Our writers look back at the first half of 2018 and pick their favourite albums and gigs we’ve reviewed so far, as well as those we missed
NEWS
BRINGING THE ARTISTS CLOSER TO YOU...
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Local releases and more news from the city’s music scene
Our recommended listings and previews of this week’s gigs
LISTINGS
CEO: Frank Sansom EDITOR: Daniel White PRODUCTION: Adam Kidd Jonski Mason SHAME COVER SHOT: Jamie MacMillan
4 6 ALBUMS LIVE REVIEWS Check out the latest album releases
Waxahatchee, Julie Byrne and Laura Veirs feature in this week’s reviews
press@brightonsfinest.com advertising@brightonsfinest.com
8 8 OUT OF TOWN
CONTRIBUTORS: Jeff Hemmings Iain Lauder Ben Noble Liam McMillen Ben Walker Christian Middleton Kelly Westlake Paul Hill Chloe Hashemi Dan Whitehouse Annie Roberts
Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.
NIGHTLIFE
Our favourite upcoming gigs outside of Brighton
Hitting the town? Check out our run-down of Brighton club nights this week
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brightonsfinest.com brightonsfinestpresents @brightonsfinest brightonsfinestuk @brightonsfinest
RADIO
NEWS
Jeff Hemmings Mon/Wed
Tuesday: Interviews with Yakul and Marina Blake, Director of Brainchild Festival
Gaz Coombes set for Brighton return
Ex-Supergrass and former Brighton resident Gaz Coombes has announced a short tour of the UK this autumn, including a date in Brighton, 18th October, at Concorde 2. Coombes recently released his third solo album, World’s Strongest Man, to great acclaim. The third track to be released, ‘Wounded Egos’, is online now. A video for the track has been made from footage shot on and around Gaz’s recent run of UK dates by a crack team of crew, mates, band members and managers. Australian indie star Courtney Barnett has announced a UK tour, including a date at Brighton Dome on 16th November. This follows the release of her second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, on her own Milk! Records. After the news that Villagers’ fourth studio album, The Art Of Pretending To Swim, will be released by Domino Records on 21st September, comes news of a UK tour, including a date in Brighton, 31st October, at The Old Market. Initially formed in Brighton, Soccer96 - featuring Dan Leaver and Max Hallett will be launching their new album, Rewind, in London on 7th July, with a limited vinyl release of 300 records, hand stamped and stencilled by the band. Brighton’s The RPMs have announced a series of shows in July that are being hosted by club night extraordinaire This Feeling, including a date at The Hope & Ruin on 7th July where they’ll be supported by various artists.
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SCHEDULE: 9 - 11PM
Kelly Westlake Tue/Thurs
Wednesday: Interviews with Daniel Spicer from Fort Process Festival and The Monophonics’ Kelly Finnigan Thursday: Interview with Portico Quartet and the Brightonsfinest Listener’s Chart Brightonsfinest.com/radio
TRACK OF THE WEEK Loa Loa – ‘I Couldn’t Tell You No’ Out: Friday 29th June
ALBUM OF THE WEEK Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth Out: 22nd June
DON’T MISS: PICK OF THE WEEK
Love Supreme Festival – Glynde Place, Lewes – Friday 29th June – Sunday 1st July 2018 Over the last five years Love Supreme Festival has established itself as one of the premier music events of the summer. This could be their best to date: legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, Elvis Costello and Mavis Staples rub shoulders with future stars such as Tom Misch, Songhoy Blues and Zara Mcfarlane. An essential date in the Sussex diary for any self-respecting music fan. For more information visit Brightonsfinest.com/listings
Superorganism
HALF YEAR REVIEW Every six months we ask our writing team to look back over the past half a year in order to pick out their highlights and to identify some great music that we’d somehow managed to let slip between our fingers. Every writer is asked to pick out the best album and best live show we’ve reviewed in the last six months, as well as an album that we didn’t manage to write-up. 2018 is shaping up to be a pretty solid year at Brightonsfinest HQ, so far reviewing over 160 new albums this year and over 120 live shows! So, as things finally start to chill-out for the summer, we’re casting our eye back over the last six months of new music. Read the full half year review at Brightonsfinest.com/2018
IAIN LAUDER
JAMIE MACMILLAN
ADAM KIDD
Favourite Gig: Patti Smith – Brighton Dome - 2nd June
Favourite Gig: Paul Draper – Electric Brixton, London – 8th March
Favourite Album: Shame – Songs of Praise
Favourite Album: Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer
Favourite Album Missed: Graham Coxon – The End Of The F*****g World
Favourite Album Missed: Poliça and s t a r g a z e – Night For The Long Emergency
LIAM MCMILLEN
BEN WALKER
Favourite Gig: Shame – The Haunt – 20th April
Favourite Gig: Superorganism – The Haunt – 9th March
Favourite Gig: Paloma Faith – Brighton Centre – 12th March
Favourite Album: Demob Happy – Holy Doom
Favourite Album: Leon Bridges – Good Thing
Favourite Album: Isaac Gracie – isaac gracie
Favourite Album Missed: Sam Evian – You, Forever
Favourite Album Missed: Pusha T – DAYTONA
Favourite Album Missed: City Calm Down – Echoes In Blue
CHRISTIAN MIDDLETON
BEN NOBLE
JEFF HEMMINGS
Favourite Gig: U.S. Girls – Scala, London – 16th May
Favourite Gig: Sons Of Kemet – Patterns (TGE) – 19th May
Favourite Gig: Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker – Komedia – 11th April
Favourite Album: Parquet Courts – Wide Awake!
Favourite Album: Ady Suleiman – Memories
Favourite Album: The Go! Team – SEMICIRCLE
Favourite Album Missed: Daniel Blumberg – Minus
Favourite Album Missed: The Last Poets – Understand What Black Is
Favourite Album Missed: Ryley Walker – Deafman Glance
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GIG LISTINGS Concorde 2 Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Saturday 7th July Tickets: £23.50 Lucky Chops Wednesday 11th July Tickets: £22.50 Presented by One Inch Badge
Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar Valeras Friday 29th June Tickets: £6 Presented by Hidden Herd Doyle (Misfits) Tuesday 3rd July Tickets: £16.50 MSRY Monday 9th July Tickets: TBC Presented by Piglet Gigs The Cosmic Dead Thursday 12th July Tickets: £8.80 Presented by Acid Box Vital Idles Friday 13th July Tickets: £6.60 Presented by Love Thy Neighbour
Brighton Dome Burt Bacharach Monday 9th July Tickets: £50 Presented by One Inch Badge Oh Sees Tuesday 10th July Tickets: £25 Presented by One Inch Badge
The Old Market The Jalapeno Bop Saturday 14th July Tickets: £17.50 Presented by Jalapeno Records
Brighton Rugby Club Music Mania Friday 6th - Sunday 8th July Tickets: £30
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PREVIEWS Green Door Store Bongzilla Tuesday 26th June Tickets: £16.50 Presented by Green Door Store Samana Wednesday 27th June Tickets: FREE Colour Me Wednesday Sunday 1st July Tickets: £6 Presented by Colour Me Wednesday Idle Crooks & Englishmen Tuesday 3rd July Tickets: £4 OTD Presented by Hashcroft Promotions
Folklore Volume 1 Release Show – The Prince Albert – 26th June 2018 Jacko Hooper’s highly lauded Folklore Sessions celebrate their first record label release with this launch party at The Prince Albert. The 7” vinyl EP features four tracks from a quartet of Brighton artists. Bess Atwell, George Ogilvie, Oktoba, and Hooper himself all contribute a song and each will be performing on the night.
H. Grimace Friday 6th July Tickets: FREE The Contortionist Tuesday 10th July Tickets: £13.75 Presented by Green Door Store Aren Drift Thursday 12th July Tickets: £5 OTD Presented by Paralytic Promotions The John Hackett Band Friday 13th July Tickets: £13.45 Almeida Saturday 14th July Tickets: £13.20 Presented by Cromstock
Orbital – Brighton Racecourse – Friday 29th June 2018 29 years and counting, Orbital are back with a huge audio/visual show at the Brighton Racecourse on Whitehawk Hill to celebrate the release of their ninth studio album Monsters Exist, to be released in September. With the added grandeur of Faithless (DJ Set), System 7, Gentleman’s Dub Club and Steve Mac as support, this will be an event of epic proportions.
The Haunt C.W. Stoneking Saturday 30th June Tickets: £16.88 Presented by One Inch Badge Bodega Thursday 5th July Tickets: £10 Presented by One Inch Badge Sons of Apollo Saturday 7th July Tickets: £22 Presented by Lout Promotions Preoccupations Saturday 14th July Tickets: £14 Presented by One Inch Badge
Skids – Concorde 2 – Friday 29th June 2018 Skids are one of the originals: a new wave/punk band formed in Dumfermline, Fife in 1977. Burning Cities, their first original material in 36 years, was released earlier this year and this show promises to be a high octance combination of the group’s raw punk energy, their penchant for hooky songwriting and some fresh material from the new line-up.
GIG LISTINGS The Hope & Ruin Fresh Wednesday 27th June Tickets: £5 OTD Presented by sugar-free Springhill Friday 29th June Tickets: £5.50 The Len Price 3 Saturday 30th June Tickets: £9.90 Presented by SBD Promotions Arch Echo & Schiermann Sunday 1st July Tickets: £10 OTD Presented by Anivian Promotions Stonefield Thursday 5th July Tickets: £8.80 Presented by Acid Box
PREVIEWS The Prince Albert Possessed by Paul James Friday 29th June Tickets: £13.50 Presented by We Love The Big Blue Shed Dead Elvis and His One Man Grave Saturday 30th June Tickets: £11 Presented by Stay Sick! Robb Johnson Friday 6th July Tickets: £7.70 Presented by The School Bus The Crippens Saturday 7th July Tickets: £8.80 Presented by Verbal Sludge Hans Chew Sunday 8th July Tickets: £13.50
The RPMs Saturday 7th July Tickets: £6.60 Presented by This Feeling
Caroline Rose Monday 9th July Tickets: £9.20 Presented by One Inch Badge
Thee MVP’s Thursday 12th July Tickets: £5.50
Chelsea Friday 13th July Tickets: £11 Presented by Femrock
Don’t Worry Monday 16th July Tickets: £5 Presented by sugar-free Homesteads Thursday 19th July Tickets: £6 Presented by Homesteads
Patterns Psychostick Saturday 30th June Tickets: £12 Penut Butter Wolf Thursday 19th July Tickets: £16.50
Rialto Theatre Mamas Gun Thursday 28th June Tickets: £13.75 Presented by Glasswerk
FemRock Fest – Green Door Store – Saturday 30th June 2018 FemRock is a movement encouraging and supporting girls in bands, both behind the scenes and at the front of crowds. Their latest event, FemRock Fest, will be hosted by Green Door Store on 30th June with a line-up including The Baby Seals, Sit Down, Militant Girlfriend, Bitch Theme, HUSSY, Suburban Death Twitch and Quim Smashers.
Reckless Intentions Sunday 15th July Tickets: £4.40 Presented by Indigo Music Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys Monday 16th July Tickets: £13.75
Kristin Hersh – Duke of York’s Cinema – Saturday 30th June 2018 Best known for co-fronting the 80s art punk band Throwing Muses, and 00s power three-piece 50FOOTWAVE, Kristin Hersh is a seminal US singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and author. This show at Brighton’s beautiful Duke of York’s cinema, is an excellent chance to catch this unique artist in a wonderful setting, at the height of her creative powers.
Fur Dixon & WTFUKISHIMA! Tuesday 17th July Tickets: £9.35 Presented by Stay Sick!
Komedia Lydia Evangeline Thursday 28th June Tickets: £6
Hove Cricket Ground Little Mix Friday 6th July Tickets: £60 Presented by Little Mix
Cordovas – The Prince Albert – Thursday 28th June Cordovas released their self-titled debut album back in 2011, but stick it on your record player and you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the start of the 70s and you’d stumbled upon some lost Americana gem. If you love well constructed songs, rich in harmony, you’d be a fool to miss their Brighton show, touring their second album, That Santa Fe Channel.
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LIVE REVIEWS
ALBUM REVIEWS Johhny Marr – Call The Comet Out: 15th June 2018
On a blustery Saturday night, it was refreshing to see indie-folk project Waxahatchee at Brighton’s The Haunt. Katie Crutchfield is often praised for her deeply personal and often revealing lyrics and listening to them performed live felt like looking through an open book of her life.
One of only three dates in the UK this year, Julie Byrne gently paces her way through a set at St. George’s Church she said she had been anticipating for quite some time.
Laura Veirs performed a perfect set of songs that cumulatively creep into your bones - the perfect end to a tour that has solidified her reputation as an artist of rare ability.
At opposites to her breezy Melody’s Echo Chamber debut album, Bon Voyage – Bon Voyage is a turbulent, emotional Out: 15th June 2018 and yet contemplative journey into the heart of Prochet’s soul. That it doesn’t always quite gel, nor make for easy listening, is part of the point. Its raw outpourings are enhanced by a vibrant, excitable musicality that speaks of being alive, animated, and (hopefully) well.
Read the full reviews at Brightonsfinest.com/live
Read the full reviews at Brightonsfinest.com/albums
NIGHTLIFE
OUT OF TOWN
Norman Jay (MBE) Friday 29th June Patterns 11pm - 4am
Spektre / Gary Burrows Friday 29th June Hideout 11pm - 4am
Charlotte Glasson Thursday 28th June Ropetackle Arts Centre 8pm
Liam Gallagher Friday 29 June Finsbury Park, London 1.30pm
Freak Bazaar Friday 29th June Volks 11pm - 7am
K15 / Sassy J Saturday 30th June Patterns 11pm - 4am
Let’s Eat Grandma Friday 29 June Rough Trade East, London, 7pm
SKiNNY MiLK Friday 29 June The Fighting Cocks, Kingston, 7.30pm
Sam Binga Saturday 30th June Hideout 11pm - 4am
25 Years Of Jungle Mania Saturday 30th June The Arch, 11pm - 5am
The Primitives Friday, 29th June The 100 Club, London 7pm
Rufus Wainwright Saturday 30th June De La Warr, Bexhill 7pm
Jungle Alliance Saturday 30th June Volks 11pm - 7am
Club Africa Saturday 30th June Komedia 11pm - 3am
The Correspondents Sunday 1st July Brixton Jamm, London 2pm
Eels Monday 2nd July O2 Academy Brixton 7pm
Full event listings at Brightonsfinest.com/listings
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The first three tracks from Call the Comet offer nothing more than run of the mill, old fashioned rock. It then does such a U-turn and feels like the guitar innovator we know and love, playing around with the ideas that made him famous. When it gets going it’s very much a modern world Johnny Marr, one that isn’t interested in a throwback.
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