It’s been a mundane Monday morning, but then things dramatically changed around lunchtime, when one of THE best acts around, namely Belfast trio Chalk who announced that they are heading out on tour this coming March and one of their selected date is a welcome return to Brighton. Their venue of choice this time around is the charismatic Green Door Store, located beneath Brighton’s main railway station. This Brighton concert will be taking place on Wednesday 27th March and has been organised by promoters JOY. Tour tickets will be going on sale on Wednesday 29th November.
Chalk is the three-piece project of Irish filmmakers and award-winning musicians Ross Cullen, Benedict Goddard, and Luke Niblock. The trio sprung out of the gates live, supporting London’s PVA in Dublin for their first ever show, before selling out shows in Belfast, Dublin, Manchester, London and more.
Chalk performed at this year’s Great Escape new music festival in Brighton back in May. Here is my account of their half hour showcase performance at the Chalk venue in Pool Valley on 12th May from 7:30pm to 8:00pm:
“I’m going to confess to you all that the artist I was most excited about TGE’23 was Chalk. When their name came up on the listings, I amused to myself “wouldn’t it be funny if Chalk were to play live in the Chalk venue”. It seems the Great Escape planners thought so too, as that’s exactly where the Irish three piece post-punk/electronic outfit Chalk are tonight.
I had witnessed the Belfast based band playing live yesterday in the Queens Hotel and was blown away. I had to have a second dose, in fact Chalk were the only act I saw twice during the festival. Ross Cullen, Ben Goddard and Luke Niblock met as film students back in 2019 and their debut release ‘Them’ dropped in March 2022 and won Steve Lamacq’s 6 Music Roundtable Record of the Week. Three singles and an EP later and the trio are most definitely up for entertaining the massive crowd in the packed (Chalk) venue.
The first thing I notice is that the white lighting and patches of dark act almost as spotlights hunting escapees over the Berlin Wall. This heightens the senses in those present that something special is going to occur. Throughout the half-hour set, there was much use of the Fender Stratocaster, Akai Professional pre-sets, drums with drum pads. The vocal delivery is similar to that of Cal from DITZ and the music is as though they are the new Prodigy! So it’s not surprising that the crowd around me at the front were very enthusiastic indeed…cue mosh! The set was loud, clear and consistent, and for the penultimate number vocalist Ross jumped off the stage to lean over the crowd barrier and deliver his message that way. Chalk had whetted appetites at the Queens Hotel, but tonight they had well and truly arrived. No wonder the venue was so full. Chalk…..a must see band for fans of VLURE, DITZ, The Prodigy and Working Mens Club!”.
But don’t just take my word for it, here’s what others have said:
“The love of the dance scene meets the love of raw darkly atmospheric noise” Steve Lamacq, BBC 6 Music
“A band full of TNT… a sucker punch of a blow to the chest. Such an exciting starting point” Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1
Tickets go on sale this Wednesday at 10am and are available from HERE as well as from the various promoters and venues. Brighton gig tickets will also be available HERE.
Chalk tour dates:
20th Mar / BIRMINGHAM @hareandhoundsbrum
21st Mar / LONDON @oslohackney
22nd Mar / MANCHESTER @soupmanchester
23rd Mar / BRISTOL @ritualunionbristol
25th Mar / CARDIFF @clwbiforbach
27th Mar / BRIGHTON @greendoorstore
28th Mar / LEEDS @hydeparkbookclub
29th Mar / GLASGOW @mcchuills_glasgow
12th Apr / BELFAST @limelight.belfast
