‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’, ‘HIDDEN HERD ALL-DAYER’ – GREEN DOOR STORE, BRIGHTON 9.3.24
So the day has finally arrived for the ‘Hidden Herd All-Dayer’ event at the Green Door Store in Brighton. This day-long sonic voyage of new music discovery is the first in an ongoing series throughout 2024, so get ready for even more exciting emerging artists, ones-to-watch and hidden gems next year. Today’s event features a stellar lineup including Febueder, Blood Wizard, Wych Elm, The Leaning, Human Interest, Maximilian, Car Boot Sale, Ideal Living and Everyday Saints.
So without further ado, let’s get straight into it….
EVERYDAY SAINTS
GREEN DOOR STORE 1:15pm – 1:45pm
The first band of the day were Everyday Saints, I’d not seen them before so had no idea what to expect musically. They are a Brighton based quartet described on their Bandcamp page as “dark synth-pop made in bedrooms during lockdown, inspired by ’80s synths, horror, late nights, and living your life online”. Well, what can I say; they totally blew me away, what a fine start to the day. Lead vocalist Pip Rainbird has the most beautiful haunting voice and fantastic stage presence, couple this with Jade Middo’s powerful backing vocals, magical synth work and Gary Holders strong base work and George bringing further second guitar energy, it really built up an atmosphere that never dipped once. They ripped through a short 23 minute set of seven songs consisting of ‘Salem’, ‘Guts And Glory’, ‘Soma’, ‘Rumspringa’, ‘She Said’, ‘Lake Of Fire’ and finally ‘Distress Yourself’.
I was really impressed that despite being first on so close to doors open and a relatively small crowd, the band put in plenty of energy and stage theatrics to their performance, not only that, Gary told me afterwards their drummer Dan today had only had one rehearsal with them before stepping in to the hot seat for today’s gig, you never would have known. Both Pip and Jade’s dresses and vocals reminded me a little of The Last Dinner Party and Gary’s base took me back to the base sound of early Gary Numan. I can’t wait to catch them play again soon, I even spotted Lime Garden were down early and in the crowd to watch them, I can’t imagine how tired they would have been from their own headline show the night before at Chalk, (Review HERE) which goes to show they really are not a band to be missed, so I urge you to get out and see them. Thankfully we won’t have to wait long to catch the band in Brighton, as they will be playing twice at The Hope & Ruin toward the end of April.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
IDEAL LIVING
GREEN DOOR STORE 2:15pm – 2:45pm
The second band of the day was another Brighton based band Ideal Living. I caught them a couple of weeks back for the first time when they supported Projector here at the Green Door Store. I am not quite sure how I’d describe their musical style. There is a little jazz infusion what with Jamie on trumpet and Freddy on saxophone, but that also hugely builds a moody atmosphere where you just don’t quite know what is going to happen. Billy Marsh is quite the front person, vocally at times quite intense, I became totally transfixed with watching him, some songs he will scream, but then a song such as the third in the set ‘OFD’, he will change it to far softer singing, and then break into almost spoken word delivered with real power and authority.
The band who were down one member today as he is currently away playing with Hutch, played a good solid 25 minute set of six songs ‘Come To Me’, “A new untitled song” , ‘OFD’, ‘March’, ‘Roam’, and finally another new untitled song only written earlier this week. ‘Roam’ is a fantastic song, Billy’s favourite he declared before it started. With each of the band joining in at different stages echoing lyrics ending the song sans instruments in an acapella style. The last untitled song was written just this week, it had no name but as we’re a nice crowd we were going to be treated to it. Billy spent some time retuning his guitar or rather un-tuning it as that was they style intended for the song, “that went alright” Billy said at the end, and I’d agree, you’d have not known it was less than a week old, a good solid number, a bit more upbeat compared to the rest of the songs in the set. Considering I’d seen the band play virtually the same set so recently, I have to admit it did not dampen my enthusiasm or make the intenseness of watching their power performance any less enjoyable for me, another fine band for the all dayer. I am sure we will be seeing them play in Brighton again soon; ‘The Great Escape’ is looking very likely, so keep your eyes peeled.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
CAR BOOT SALE
GREEN DOOR STORE 3:15pm – 3:45pm
The third band of the day was London based 5 piece ‘Car Boot Sale’. Now this was a band I was looking forward to seeing having witnessed them play here before as part of the ‘Find Joy’ all dayer back in August 2022, and they were one of my highlights back then. Proceedings started with the band playing whilst singer Jaques Fugee wearing his trademark sunglasses made his entrance from stage right, the band stopped dead and Jaques leapt straight in with his vocals for the opener song ‘Boomerang’. Car Boot Sale sure do bring the funk and energy, a nod to the 90s guitar soaked vibes could be felt during their second number ‘Miss It’. Jaques beckoned the crowd forward to warm up “as it was cold out” he wasn’t telling lies either, I don’t think I’ve felt so cold before at a gig as the temperature had dropped outside, I should have worn more layers.
A further 5 tracks were to follow during this 30 minute set, ‘Odoyewu’, ‘Lay Me Down’, ‘Girl Is A Gun’, ‘Shimmy’, and finally their debut single ‘Headhouse’. The band were clearly having fun up on stage, Jacques often interacting and prompting the crowd for responses to questions and replies, in particular during the crowd pleaser ‘Shimmy’, with the crowd chanting “Shimmy on down”. I was really impressed with one of the band’s founding members Jim Terril’s guitar work, some sublime noodling was going on. Speaking to him afterwards he said he can’t help getting carried away with a bit of noodling. I really enjoyed the set today, Jacques contrasting quiet banter between songs and then animated dancing and full on vocals during the songs just brings so much energy, the sort of energy that really should have the crowd bouncing around. We don’t see enough of Car Boot Sale in Brighton; I hope they come back soon.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
MAXIMILIAN
GREEN DOOR STORE 4:15pm – 4:45pm
Fourth on the bill we have Maximilian, Brighton resident and a regular and popular artist on the Brighton scene. Sometimes he plays solo other times with a band, today we have a three piece set up headed by singer and guitarist Maximilian Feighan accompanied by the band composed of a drummer and bass player. I almost missed the start of this set, as I thought the soundcheck was still going on, but it had actually morphed straight into the proper set as it were. Despite seeing Maximilian on various line ups over the past year or so, I’ve somehow not been able to catch him live as of yet, so this will be a whole new experience for me.
The pace of the day was taken down a notch as the music style here was far more stripped down acoustic indie-folk vibe. The first two songs, one of which was the recent single ‘Kill Time’, were both taken from Maximilian’s 10 track debut album coming out on the 28th March. One song in and Maximilian joked “if you see my head jerk back, it’s because my lips are getting electrocuted on this microphone. Now I’m going to play some new stuff that is not on the upcoming album, but it will be on the next one….which will be even better”. The two songs that followed were ‘Soft Song For A Worried Mind’ and ‘Rest Your Head’, both numbers were quite melancholic and dreamy, the drummer Jamie and Sammy the bass players timing could not have been more perfect throughout the set, Jamie’s backing vocals hugely added to the whole ambience. Another new unreleased song ‘I Know You’ came next, “This will be the only happy song in the set, so enjoy it” Maximilian joked. I would agree this one was definitely the most upbeat of the set. The final song was ‘Red Wine’ another from the upcoming debut album ‘Surrender’ and a great song to finish on, ending with some good frantic guitar. The album launch show will be at Fabrica church in Duke Street on the 4th April, well worth catching I would say.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
BLOOD WIZARD
GREEN DOOR STORE 5:15pm – 5:45pm
Half way through the day, and we have the fifth act of this stellar ‘Hidden Herd’ line up, and it comes in the guise of Cai Burns ‘Blood Wizard’, described in their bio on Bandcamp as “Blood Wizard sits between the worlds of art, punk and folk. Influenced by the likes of Cate Le Bon and Arthur Russel, Blood Wizard was born out of a fascination with folk-lore and a desire to challenge their creative limits as a writer.” Again they are another band I’ve heard about, seen in the listings, caught a bit of Bandcamp, but not yet managed to catch live. Today though, Blood Wizard will be a solo affair as the rest of the band couldn’t make it, Cai introduced himself informing us that he’d be doing an acoustic solo set and “I’ve bought an auto tune pedal for no reason, so we’ll see what happens”, and happened it did as of the second song during the 8 song set when it was used during the songs chorus, drastically altering the sound of his voice.
The set was different to what I had imagined it was going to be like or had heard on Bandcamp in advance, it was a very relaxed, chilled affair, the fourth song in the set was ‘Drew The Line’ had Cai soft whistling along parts of it, it totally transported me to a remote camp fire on a summers night as the stars come out in the sky, it really did have a beautiful calming effect. Next up was ‘Back To Bed’ and then a brand new song, sung live for the very first time, this one fully used the auto tune pedal, it’s quite the thing to watch, when the person right in front of you suddenly has a completely different voice at the touch of pedal, so much so Cai had to momentarily stop exclaiming “I’m not used to this at all, it’s harder to sing with auto tune on than it is without it”. We had time for two more final songs, Cai said he had 4 t-shirts and some records in his car, so come and talk to him afterwards as he was on his own. The final song was ‘Bob’s Big Arms’. It was a very unique set, very different from the other bands we’d heard so far. I loved Blood Wizards’ calm stage persona, sprinkled with humour, great lyrics, it all flowed so well. I am keen to hear the full incarnation of Blood Wizard when they next pass through, I think it will be a very different experience.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
HUMAN INTEREST
GREEN DOOR STORE 6:15pm – 6:45pm
Human interest, the four piece from from East London, showcased tracks from their 2023 EP ‘Empathy Lives In Outer Space’. Opening with the first track from the EP ‘Step On’, singers Cat Harrison and Tyler Damara Kelly alternated lead vocals and come together to harmonise in slick post punk garage meditations on friendship, sadness and confusion. Harrison took the lead on crowd interaction for most of their set. Before their second song, he informed the audience that Blood Wizard’s frontman, who was standing next to us, ‘Cai (Burns) is a great songwriter’. The second track ‘Cool Cats’ from their EP ‘Desired Paths’ is an upbeat celebration of those people we all know and sometimes aspire to be, the effortlessly ‘Cool Cats’.
Harrison spoke again, “The next song is from our EP, out recently it’s very special, its green and blue splatter vinyl, the song, ‘All My Friends’, is about, well, everyone in this room are all creative people I’m sure, who are more prone to depression they say…?” The third track on the EP is a slower and more downbeat track addressing the lows everyone faces sometimes and the effect it can have. Harrison let the audience know that there were two tracks left to play, thanked us for our time and told us to enjoy the rest of the day, and our lives, resulting in laughter from all. The next track was, ‘Shape Shifting’. Harrison informed the crowd, “It’s about annihilation, trauma, and the happiness somewhere in between, all the good stuff”. The gathered audience responded the most favourably to this song, the chorus repetition of the title. The last song was a departure from the previous more linear song format to something more unusual. Harrison asked the audience, “Who here likes jellyfish?”, to which he was greeted with cheers, (Brighton is a seaside town after all).
He continued, “…this song’s all about them, it is a slow burner, as the life of the jellyfish is a slow burner, you drift through your existence…”. It was an evocative of a life spent drifting in the ocean. Expect to hear more from Human Interest again soon.
(Jessica Kemp)
THE LEANING
GREEN DOOR STORE 7:15pm – 7:45pm
The Leaning, led by Brighton-based Sam Jordan, and Ez Stone, ’The Leaning’, are tonight accompanied by a further three musicians on keyboard, bass and drums who also add vocals. After a lengthy changeover and soundcheck, the audience was still talking when the band’s first song started as it was unclear if the soundcheck had finished. However, the command of lead vocalist Sam Jordan’s presence soon clarifies this as they launch into their first song. The band seamlessly mixes genres, including Psych-noise and Surf-pop. The soaring melodies from the five-piece fill the venue making the most of the space available and their equipment to envelop the audience in sound ensuring the space feels much larger than it is.
For the first part of the performance, Jordan plays an electric acoustic guitar. For the latter songs, he switches to vocal only. It’s here his delivery underscores training as a ballet dancer, moving his body as only a former dancer can. All the tracks feature lyrics referencing the sea, be it surf, tide beach and occasionally the moon. The last track ‘As The Ladies Dance’ was the song I enjoyed the most before watching them live and doesn’t disappoint here. For me, this song heavily evoked Roxy Music, with Jordan’s delivery, especially on the chorus eerily like Bryan Ferry. Tonight, Jordan finishes the song tambourine in hand as the crescendo builds, finishing their set on a high. The audience was very appreciative, calling for more, but the band left the stage as the changeover for the next band had already started.
(Jessica Kemp)
WYCH ELM
GREEN DOOR STORE 8:15pm – 8:45pm
Wych Elm, are a grungy three-piece from Bristol who infuse their musical composition with their musical influences. Caitlin Elliman (frontwoman) takes lyrical inspiration from books and zines on folklore, 70s folk horror films, the history of psychiatric medicine and Victorian aesthetics. At the start the audience was sparser than it had been for the previous acts, but the pleasantly rocking guitar, thumping bass and drums drew people away from the bar. Elliman thanked the venue and promoter for hosting them and informed the audience that their new vinyl had arrived the day before allowing them the opportunity to be amongst the first to purchase it before she introduced herself and the other band members, (Caitlin Elliman, vocals & bass, Jack Hitchins, guitar, Immy, drummer (formerly with Bristols Slug Puppy). The second track had a very Nirvana feel to the musical composition and delivery, with a definite tang of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ underscoring it, which is no band thing at all. Immy a hard-hitting drummer could keep up with Grohl. Elliman utilised switching rapidly between a capella and musical accompaniment effectively here.
The third song ‘Monkey Jaw’ evokes the Pixies playfully in composition with Elliman’s delivery tending towards Kim Deal on occasion. Elliman interjects to let us know that the next song is a new one and it’s only the second time she’s played it, and she hopes it comes across well. She then apologetically said “I’ve forgotten how to talk to crowds”. This track like the others uses Elliman’s bass line as the main anchor to great effect. She breaks from her usual deadpan delivery into a broad smile having executed the song with aplomb. As she starts to talk about the next track which is also from the EP, an audience member asks her what it’s about. She deadpans, “It’s about growing up as a peasant in 17th century France”, which is word-for-word the first line of the song to everyone’s amusement. There was a strength in the contrast Wych Elm offered to the rest of the acts of the night. Elliman’s singular vocal, matched with the band’s powerful delivery and stark lyrics stood out favourably. The next song ‘Susan Smith’ again drew amusement from the crowd asking what it was about when Elliman responded “What’s it about?” She continued “Oh well…”.
(Jessica Kemp)
FEBUEDER
GREEN DOOR STORE 9:15pm – c10:00pm
Febueder, before you ask the name of this band is a word without meaning, as yet pronounced (fe –byou -der), though I have a feeling it will gain many as time goes on. The three multi-instrumentalists confound expectations by delivering more of a sonic experience than a traditionally definable set. Originally a duo from Ascot the self-described avant-indie are vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kieran Godfrey and percussionist Samuel Keysell. With a progressive approach to rhythm and melody, they were joined by a third member on bass and additional instruments. Though it took a long while to set up the kit employed by the band, It instantly proved to be worth the wait. The first song started with Keysell with his back to the audience playing what appeared to be a cello set up behind his drum kit for the rest of their set.
All three musicians change instruments repeatedly, something which has always impressed me in a band. On occasion, it’s hard to keep up with or discern what the instruments are. This is a band whose music whisks you on a journey of discovery without asking you, making every minute enjoyable. It’s not until the fourth track that Godfrey interacts with the audience thanking them for their appreciation and saying it was nice to see some dancers tonight. It’s nearly impossible not to at least sway along with all of their music. The trio then move into a more upbeat song, and after another abrupt finish, Godfrey again thanks the audience. During the set Godfrey and Keysell employ a trumpet, cello, unknown reed instruments, percussion and a variety of samples building a sound that should ordinarily employ a far larger outfit. The layering of sound and seamless transition between styles underscores the trio’s talent. The last song ‘Shapeshifter’ from the 2017 EP swept the entire audience up. Starting with a repetitive use of the title the song moves into heavier instrumental, and later staccato drums and guitar almost duel with each other. The last track offered another abrupt finish. The band thanked the audience to rapturous applause.
(Jessica Kemp)
And there you have it! Roll on the next one! Over to you ‘Hidden Herd’……..
