VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘BRIGHTON PSYCH FEST’ – VARIOUS VENUES, BRIGHTON 29.8.25
After the roaring success of its debut in August 2024, the one-day Brighton Psych Fest is back this year for the second year running, and with a solid lineup of acts to boot! Brighton’s leading independent concert promoter and events organiser, JOY. Concerts, along with the team behind the UK’s renowned psychedelic music and arts festival, Manchester Psych Fest, are again the event organisers. This year witnessed 38 acts performing across 7 Brighton grassroots concert venues, these being the Concorde 2, The Hope & Ruin, Green Door Store, Komedia, The Prince Albert, Patterns, and Volks. The performers certainly were spread right across the psychedelic music spectrum and arguably well beyond, and as a result, there was something for everyone! As usual we endeavoured to catch as many bands as possible and so in performance order, here are our findings – Enjoy…
GONG – Komedia (15:15 – 16:15)
Our reviewer Mark Kelly is a fan of the work of Gong and he was really looking forward to covering the opening performance at this year’s Brighton Psych Fest, but sadly Thameslink and Southern trains had other ideas and due to delays he wasn’t able to get to this set in time. One of our photographers was thankfully in attendance as you can see from the photo. Should you wish to read Mark’s account of one of his previous encounters with Gong, then you can enjoy his extensive article on their appearance along with Steve Hillage at the Concorde 2 on 2nd April 2023, as well as The Utopia Strong which features Snooker legend Steve Davis – Read it HERE. There were 7 other acts appearing today that we were unable to review, but we have added photos from Brighton Psych Fest or earlier concerts for your enjoyment.
SLAG – Patterns (15:45 – 16:15)
Kicking things off at Patterns were Brighton based 5 piece band Slag. I was first in to make sure I secured a spot up front, it seemed incredibly dark inside compared to usual, but thankfully it was nice and cool after that humid heat outside. I’m glad I got in, as it was not long before the venue was at maximum capacity, which I think highlights the magnetic pull of this most excellent band. The band are made up by Amelie Gibson (vocals, Fender Jazzmaster guitar), Dan Phillips (Fender Stratocaster guitar), Seb Cooper (Yamaha CK61 keys), Luke Martin (drums), and Freya Eastcott (Fender Precession bass). The style of music is indie-pop, math-rock, so the songs often felt like they had irregular melodic structures and frequent time changes, but all so lovely to the ears. Whilst the band only formed up a couple of years ago in 2023, they have been pulling in big crowds and really are building momentum. Today we were treated to an 8 song set taking in ‘Private Gyno’, ‘Losing’, ‘Still Here’, ‘Dan’s Song’, their 2024 single ‘Ripped’, ‘Face Off’ and ‘Legs’. However, the band started the set with their awesome 2025 single ‘Heaven’ which starts with a wicked guitar riff, before building into a full on blast of all instruments.
They are known for wearing crazy outfits and today was no different with various members wearing sparkly outfits, shout out to Freya’s tall glittery boots. I loved how comfortable the band were on stage, having fun with each other. As the set ended with their next single ‘Legs’, the lights were flashing like crazy, Luke lent over his drums to bash Seb’s keys with his drumsticks and Amelie, thanked for everyone coming, then held her guitar aloft in the air with Slag emblazoned on the back, whilst screaming “We are SLAG”. Despite playing Brighton plenty, I’d not previously managed to catch them, a great shame as they were bloody excellent and I have now learned the error of my ways! The band had mentioned their merch and Slag T-shirts during the set, so I duly went to buy one, but there none left in my size which I have rectified via their Bandcamp page. The band are playing the Green Door Store on 20th September for the release of their new single and are also supporting Welly at Chalk in October.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
RABBITFOOT – Volks (16:15 – 16:45)
Once I had collected my wristband from Patterns, I made my way to Volks to see a couple of bands that have yet to release any material on any of the streaming services. The first of these were Rabbitfoot. They are a five-piece band formed in Suffolk and now relocated to London. They are River (vocals), Paolo (guitar), Laura (violin), Liv (synth) and Luke (drums). Since playing their first London gig at the Windmill in Brixton last year, their fanbase has built through word of mouth. They performed at Charles Street Tap during The Great Escape Festival back in May. Their sound is joyous and incorporates vibrant, boundary-pushing music that at times sounds jazzy. River expresses poetic lyrics that range from being softly spoken to a scream. For a vocal comparison, I would say Björk without the Icelandic accent. Laura’s violin playing is exquisite, and it’s no surprise to learn that she has performed with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre. The other band members all play their part in creating a sound that receives praise from the onlookers. Late in the set, River asks, “Are we friends yet, Brighton? I like playing music with my friends”. I can safely say that yes, those in attendance are friends of Rabbitfoot and look forward to you returning soon.
(Ian Holman)
FLIP TOP HEAD – The Hope & Ruin (16:30 – 17:00)
Kicking off proceedings at The Hope & Ruin were Brighton six-piece Flip Top Head, who are Bowie Bartlett, Bertie Beer, Marie Freiss, Harry Giles, Harrison Spooner and Ollie White. Flip Top Head delivered a varied and refreshing genre-defying set that fused avant-garde art rock with jazz-influenced post-punk. Their big sound retained a deeply intimate feel, while their wry lyrics swirled through soundscapes that were both melancholic and scintillating.
Opening with a gentle acoustic start on ‘Porcelain’, we soon heard Bowie’s remarkable voice. Her outstanding vocals across the set ranged from haunting ethereal to soaring choral through to spoken word. There were also great shared vocals with Bertie such as on ‘So Much For Mole Catching’. The multi-instrumental nature of the band added to the variety in the band’s sound across the set, without the instrument swapping disrupting their flow. They showcased several new unreleased songs, some so new they were written on the setlist as ‘New Piano’ and ‘New Guitar’. The former, as its name suggested, featured a great keyboard part from Bertie, while the latter was a rockier number with Bowie’s shouted vocals above a wall of sound. Their final number ‘Ladder’ was the fastest of their set and had a great alt-rock sound, which had a beautiful soft close. A quality finish to a very enjoyable set.
(Peter Greenfield)
TRIP WESTERNS – The Prince Albert (16:30 – 17:00)
Trip Westerns have been making a name for themselves in Brighton’s consciousness over the past 4 years and they are always a go to band for local festivals. This is on account of them always successfully delivering their nostalgic blend of psych, surf, sun-soaked 60s R&B and garage rock, while channelling the warm sounds of Ennio Morricone soundtracks and vintage aesthetics. Just in case we missed it, animated lead singer Harrison’s ever present Stetson also gave a clue to the band’s country and western influence, which is doubly confirmed mid-set as he digs out his harmonica for that gritty blues vibe whilst and giving his guitar a short respite during ‘Alive’. His four chums ably take care of drums with backing vocals, bass with backing vocals, another guitar with backing vocals, and finally alternating Roland keys with a third guitar. Even after the opener, ‘Free Mind’ the band have the capacity audience on side. A half dozen compositions follow including ‘Showdown Shadow’ and closing number ‘Blame Charlie’ which started with a great guitar psychedelic intro, which got progressively livelier. Fans of this quintet will be more than pleased to learn that the outfit will be releasing an album in October and they will be touring as a result.
(Nick Linazasoro)
CRYOGEYSER – Patterns (16:45 – 17:30)
Second on the bill for Patterns, we have Cryogeyser, a three piece hailing from Los Angeles, USA. They formed in 2018, but I don’t think have ever toured the UK before; however, of their few very limited UK appearances, one of those aside today was actually here in Brighton back in February, so fingers crossed this is a place they like coming too. The band is helmed by Shawn Marom on vocals and Fender Jazzmaster guitar, we then have Matias on Fender Precision bass and Gracie on drums. The band celebrates their second ‘self-titled’ album that came out this year after a 5 year wait since their debut album ‘Glitch’ in 2019. Their sound is a calming blend of dream pop, shoegaze, nothing fast or frantic here, just steady solid bass lines, very measured slow drumming from Gracie and gorgeous guitar from Shawn. I could not help but be reminded of Kim Deal and the Breeders with Shawn’s vocals and sound, something I very much love, so as you can imagine I really enjoyed this 9 song, 39 minute set.
One song ‘Leach’ saw Shawn use a loop pedal to build up and overlay her vocals, this sounded awesome and was a contender for one of my favourites of the set. I’m not too sure how long Matias and Gracie have been with Shawn, but I did spot they both kept a keen eye on Shawn’s lead and movements along with her prompts to occasionally slow down. If they are new to the band set up, they both did an excellent job as it all sounded dreamy to me. Another song from the set I really loved was ‘Angry’, it was beautiful and mellow, Shawn mentioned afterwards she had no singing voice referencing her perhaps slightly hoarse vocals as she’d “spent the whole journey talking and talking and smoking”, I guess when you compare it to her studio sound that is more light, but I think her vocals here today really suited the sound and certainly didn’t reduce the enjoyment at all. The set closed with ‘Sorry’, this one had a fuller guitar sound which reminded me of Lush. I was sorry the set ended here, I could listen to Cryogeyser all day, fingers crossed they come back and make a Brighton hat-trick of performances.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
JANE WEAVER – Concorde 2 (16:45 – 17:45)
Manchester native Jane Weaver’s afternoon performance at a well-attended Concorde 2 proved to be a mesmeric cosmic voyage that perfectly encapsulated the festival’s psychedelic ethos. With her signature blend of ethereal vocals set against hypnotic synth loops, and krautrock-infused rhythms, Weaver transported the crowd through tracks from her expansive catalogue with big hitters such as ‘Heartlow’, ‘I Wish’ and ‘Mission Desire’ closing out with the stunning ‘I Need A Connection’. Jane Weaver fuses synth-pop with psychedelic transcendence beautifully and despite the early slot, her performance along with her four-piece backing band possibly shaded it as the best of the day for me.
(Martin J. Fuller)
BLIND YEO – Green Door Store (17:00 – 17:45)
I decided to take a punt on a couple of bands who I’ve never heard of in order to broaden my music horizons. The first of these were Cornish import Blind Yeo who somehow have all migrated to the Falmouth area from other parts of the country. They are fronted by Will Greenham who I believe came from Deal in Kent. They are a quintet who utilize a Faith acoustic guitar and lead vocals; keys, low whistle and vocals; drums; bass; and tom tom and shaker. They released their debut 3-track EP, titled ‘Echoes’ in 2023 and that along with their ‘Anam Cara’ release, were combined and released as their debut album late last year.
As they take to the Green Door Store stage, most are wearing orange smocks with dark blue hoods and pumpkins spring to mind. Once they start playing, my mind conjures up images of Blind Yeo performing outside of Megalithic burial tombs hidden somewhere in deepest darkest Cornwall. The drums kicked them off, followed by a constant keys droning sound and I immediately get that late 1960’s early 1970’s trippy vibe. It seems as though they are outdoing Gong with their blend of psychedelic rock, folk, electronic and country. Their second track is a good instance of this with its off-kilter drum beat and echoey guitar, and even feels like Moon Duo. Will with his amplified acoustic guitar often shares vocal duties with his young counterpart on keys and this works rather well. Will is a very animated figure during the whole set and even comes off stage to surprise the punters with his antics. It seems that they haven’t played that many gigs outside Cornwall, but you know that Lewes has a totally different music vibe and punters to that of Brighton, well I reckon that Blind Yeo would be welcomed with open arms at the Lewes Psych Fest as they totally fit the bill. In all honesty, they were about a million times better than I initially thought they were going to be, and so I would give them another go without hesitation.
(Nick Linazasoro)
YIN YIN – Komedia (17:00 – 18:00)
As I arrive in the Brighton Komedia basement Yin Yin are soundchecking, and bassist Remy Scheren is wandering around clutching an ice pack to his head and looking a little dazed. Remy isn’t abnormally tall, but it turns out that he has managed to hit his head on the ceiling above the Komedia stage! How he has managed to do this I’m not sure, but apparently he’s fine to play. This is just as well as the band have travelled from their base in Maastricht to play this show. Opening tune ‘The Year Of The Rabbit’, a single in 2023, starts with a very clean Hank Marvin-like guitar riff which is answered by the keyboard. The guitar then goes through a flanger pedal which puts paid to any Shadows comparisons, at least for now! There are no vocals on this tune. It turns out that the bulk of the set (and the band’s material) is instrumental. This isn’t the case with ‘Pia Dance’ however. Towards the end of the song there is a falsetto vocal line, the lyrics of which are “Pia, you make me wanna dance”. Fair enough. The tune’s keyboard intro sounds almost like bells, and the song has a Latin inspired samba rhythm which reminds me of Santana. The musicianship of the whole band is unbelievably good. Guitarist Erik Bandt serves up some stonking guitar solos, none of which sound in the least bit like Hank Marvin. It was just that intro to the first song. Honest. Having said that, ‘Ping Pong’ also has a slight hint of The Shadows, but much funkier, and with a wah-wah flavoured guitar solo, and a synth solo. Erik elicits feedback from his amp and then shreds. His playing is quite frankly jaw droppingly good.
‘One Inch Punch’ is a single from 2019 and is also very funky. ‘Tokyo Disko’ features some very impressive bass from Remy Scheren. Drummer Kees Berkers plays a solo. I’ve never seen a drummer who can equal Neil Peart from Rush when it comes to solos, but Kees is getting there. ‘Yata Yata’ is a new song that features a bass solo followed by a synth solo and then a guitar solo. You spoil us ambassadors!!! Remy accidentally bumps the headstock of his bass on the ceiling. Better than bumping his head again I suppose. ‘Sano’ has a superb riff. The synth solo sounds a little like The Tornados. It runs into ‘Ocho’, which is probably the fastest song in the set. The band leave the stage whilst Kees plays another impressive drum solo, and when they return guitarist Erik plays slide using a beer can. ‘Takahashi Timing’, another single from 2023, is very discofied. Everyone except the drummer sing a line which the lyrics for which sound like “welcome to it”, but probably aren’t. There’s a gut-rumbling synth solo. It’s at the kind of frequency that My Bloody Valentine tend to employ. The guitar and bass riff together very effectively. The set closes with ‘Disko Disko’. The intro to this sounds a lot like Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’. There’s another incandescent guitar solo with a touch of shredding to finish. Yin Yin are a band of apparent virtuosi, and this set has been so incendiary that I’m surprised that the Komedia hasn’t been reduced to a black and smoking hole. They have been astonishingly good. They tour the USA and Canada in the autumn, and are back in Europe early next year. Hopefully they’ll be able to fit in some UK dates.
(Mark Kelly)
ATTIC‘O’MATIC – The Hope & Ruin (17:30 – 18:00)
Second up at The Hope & Ruin were Brighton’s Attic’O’matic, who are Kamran Kaur (vocals and keyboards), Lorcan Forder (vocals, guitar and synth), Marie Freiss (bass), Ollie White (guitar and synth) and Kai Raghunath (drums). Their mysterious, alternative lo-fi sound blends elements of electronica, post-punk, jazz and dream pop.
Opening with ‘The Bunker’, this was the first of many songs to feature the amazing back and forth vocals between Kamran and Lorcan. Sometimes they echoed each other and at others blended seamlessly. Their contrasting vocal styles, angelic vs. more direct, complemented each other perfectly and were fundamental to the band’s emotional depth. As each track unfolded, there was a subtleness to their fluid tempo shifts, with no jarring transitions. Their expressive dynamic soundscapes featuring swirling synths created mysterious moods with a sense of vulnerability. It was beautiful music to lose yourself in that worked so well live, Attic’O’matic closed a stunning set with ‘Wait’, an amazing multi-layered song, which featured bursts of noise around Kamran’s vocals. There was a darker side to her voice on that closing song, which worked well.
(Peter Greenfield)
GOODBYE – Volks (17:30 – 18:15)
The second band I saw at Volks was one I’ve seen on a number of occasions previously and with good reason. They are my favourite new local band. They are Goodbye. Although I missed their first-ever gig at The Rossi Bar on 14th September 2024, I did manage to see them for the first time the following month when they supported Ladylike at Alphabet. I was instantly hooked by that performance and have gone on to see them many times since, with this one being gig number thirteen. They are a local five-piece band consisting of Megan (vocals), Sarah (guitar, synth, vocals), Alfie (lead guitar, vocals), Jake (bass), and Elik (drums). By the time they take to the stage, the venue is close to being full, and today there is an added bonus as they get an extended slot time, which allows them to perform a nine-song set consisting of ’Togus Wartha’, ’Need It’, ‘Origami’, ‘Meat’, ‘13A’, ‘The Boy’, ‘Benji’s Collar’, ‘Take Time’, and ‘Feel It’. What is noticeable about watching Goodbye is they never appear to put in a bad performance, well, not that I’ve seen anyway. Megan’s angelic vocals are exquisite and are complemented by some great tight playing from the rest of the band throughout the set. There is plenty of variety with Alfie taking over lead vocals on ’The Boy’ and Sarah on ‘Take Time’. Then there is the newest song of the set, ‘Feel It’, for this one Megan creates a different style of singing that is reminiscent of Kate Bush. It’s great to see that Goodbye get along with each other so well, and there is always a bit of light-hearted banter between themselves and the audience. At one point during today’s set, Alfie got a bit carried away and threw an empty plastic bottle into the crowd and apologised by saying “Sorry, we’re not rock ’n’ roll enough to do that yet”.
(Ian Holman)
MOJO & THE KITCHEN BROTHERS – The Prince Albert (17:45 – 18:30)
The second band that I was taking a punt on who I had never heard of before were Mojo & The Kitchen Brothers who informed us that they are from Belgium, which for me is usually a good sign due to the fact that it’s a land that has produced the talent of Telex, Front 242, Plastic Bertrand, and Lords Of Acid. However this sadly wasn’t the case for me this time around. Mojo & The Kitchen Brothers are a quintet consisting of a trio of guitarists, one of whom also takes care of keys, and a bassist and drummer. With three guitarists there is copious amounts of wah-wah foot pedal action to be had. They have thus far dropped two albums: ‘Mojo’s Heavy Cream’ (2023) and ‘Into The Centre Of The Cat’s Eyes Nebula’ (2024). When they started playing it wasn’t actually clear if this was just a warm-up or an actual song, and there were no vocals. The lyrics did eventually arrive a few songs in via the drummer and then the central guitarist, after which they both sang the same lines together. One thing is certain and that’s these guys were born in the wrong era, and the charts were littered with wall of sound psychedelic rock numbers circa 1969-1971. Don’t get me wrong, these lads rocked and the punters were absorbing what was on offer, but in all honesty I took a hit for the team! Not my bag at all maaan!
(Nick Linazasoro)
FLOODLIGHTS – Patterns (18:00 – 18:45)
It was decision time for me, do I head over to the Concorde 2 for my planned schedule to see Getdown Services or do I stay at Patterns and see a band that is new to me, well I think I made the right choice and stayed put for Floodlights, after all they have travelled all the way from Melbourne, Australia and I’m pretty sure it’s their first time in Brighton, so it is only right for me to make the effort to stay and get myself up to speed. The band formed in 2018 and are made up by Louis Parsons (Fender Telecaster guitar & vocals), Ashlee Kehoe (Gibson SG Guitar, vocals, Harmonica), Joe Draffen (Fender Mustang Bass), and Archie Shannon (drums) Sarah Hellyer (Keys, Korg Synthesiser and Trumpet). I must confess I knew nothing about them before today, they are a post punk, rock band and 2025 saw the release of their third album ‘Underneath’.
Today’s 46 minute, 11 song set consisted mostly of songs from their last two albums, but also included a song recorded only two weeks ago called ‘Tricky’ which was a belter. The set started with ‘Moment Of Distraction’ and what an opener it was, powerful and full blooded, vocalist Louis really has stage presence and the most powerful voice, he was not one to stand still always moving and feeling his guitar. Joe’s calm and solid bass lines combined perfectly. Guitarist Ashlee I noticed had a box of 8 Harmonica’s in front of her that were used during various songs such as ‘Joy’ and really added something extra, Sarah’s Trumpet and Korg synth use really added to the whole sound too as was demonstrated in the set closer ‘Lessons Learnt’. This really was a solid tight set from the band, not much banter, they let the music do all the talking and me and the whole crowd were utterly captivated, let’s hope they come to Brighton again.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
ADORE – Green Door Store (18:30 – 19:15)
I whizzed across from The Prince Albert to the Green Door Store in order to see what Dublin outfit Adore had to offer, as I had heard great things about their Great Escape performance at The Hope & Ruin back in May that a colleague reviewed. According to their social media, they state that “Adore are a 3 piece garage punk band doing their best”. I can whole-heartedly state that this might just be the understatement of the year! Thus far they have released a half-dozen singles, and four of these will be appearing on next month’s debut 7-track EP release, which is titled ‘Biter’. They are led by Lara Minchin on lead vocals and guitar, who informs us that it’s bassist Callum’s first outing with the band. I’m seriously sceptical about this as they are such a tight outfit, but she may well be telling the truth. Cementing the lineup is a drummer who is sporting a Chalk (the Belfast band, not Brighton venue) t-shirt.
They commence with rapid fire drum action for ‘Fragile’, which is the opening tune on their EP and it’s the first of no less than 13 tracks performed for us today. It’s an energetic start, and they segue straight into ‘Stay Free Old Stranger’ and both tunes fall in the melodic punk category for me. There’s nothing psych about this lot, as they blitz through the unreleased ‘I Already Know’ and ‘Stamps’, followed by debut single ‘Postcards’. The hard, fast and fun tracks seriously come at us at a rate of knots and there wasn’t a single substandard offering amongst them. They had the punters onside as near the end of the set we were encouraged to all crouch down and handclap, whilst the drummer left the stage and joined us. Suffice to say that this band would do seriously well at the Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool next August. In the meantime you can catch them as they are returning to play a headline gig at Daltons in Brighton on 19th November – Tickets HERE. You gotta adore ‘Adore’ and so they were narrowly the band of the festival for me!
(Nick Linazasoro)
GETDOWN SERVICES – Concorde 2 (18:30 – 19:30)
Getdown Services delivered a riotously entertaining set, transforming Concorde 2 into a pulsating den of satirical post-punk mayhem. Opening their set by poking fun at the Brighton audiences, the Bristol-based duo Ben Sadler and Josh Low went on to offer up their signature blend of deadpan humour and infectious grooves, ripping through tracks ‘Eat Quiche Sleep Repeat’ and ‘Dog Dribble’ with a raw energy that had the crowd bouncing between laughter and full-on moshing. Their lyrics skewered modern British absurdities with sharp wit, backed by throbbing basslines and minimalist beats, while the onstage banter kept the vibe loose and unpredictable. Amid the festival’s psychedelic bent, Getdown Services stood out as a refreshingly grounded yet wildly fun act, proving they’re masters at turning everyday gripes into anthems—definitely a festival highlight.
(Martin J. Fuller)
BUBBLETEA & CIGARETTES – The Hope & Ruin (18:45 – 19:30)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from the set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
HONEYGLAZE – Komedia (18:45 – 19:45)
Whilst I was very much looking forward to seeing Honeyglaze today, I hadn’t realized how long it was since I’d last seen them: almost three years! I’d seen them six times in 2022, the first time being in January of that year when they were fourth on the bill to The Golden Dregs at the Lexington. I almost feel like apologising to them for having neglected them for so long!!! Since then they’ve managed to release two albums so they haven’t been hanging around. The band haven’t lost their sense of humour either as they walk on to the theme tune from ‘Fawlty Towers’. The first three songs are from their most recent album ‘The Real Deal’, which was released last year. The material from ‘The Real Deal’ seems to be heavier, both sonically and in terms of lyrical content. Also they seem to have become even more imaginative with regard to their sonic vocabulary. For example, during ‘I Feel It All’ bassist Tim Curtis bows his instrument. Singer Anouska Sokolow is far more chatty than almost three years ago. She clearly feels more at ease with fronting a band. Previously you got the impression that she wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Now she accuses the audience of being shy!!! She has gained the confidence that she always deserved to have.
‘Don’t’ from the current album has a gloriously abrasive post-punk riff and is extraordinarily aggressive. A fine example of the band’s new-found heaviness. ‘Burglar’ takes us back to more familiar territory. During ‘TMJ’ drummer Yuri Shibuichi’s crash cymbal falls off its stand. He puts it back in place when the song ends. I don’t think that anything can faze this band now. Before ‘Movies’ Anouska asks us what our favourite films are, and tells us that the song is about ‘Cars 2’! I suspect that she may be fibbing. Tim tells us that ‘Pretty Girls’ is “about you”. Anouska is unusually playing with a pick and crunching out some heavy chords. ‘What’s In?’ is a new song. Anouska plays synth for this, and the bass is almost supernaturally fuzzy. Oscar Brown joins on bass for ‘I Am Not Your Cushion’ and ‘Real Deal’. Anouska tells us that they “keep him in a cage in the back”! Bassist Tim plays a Telecaster with an e-bow. Final song ‘Turn Out Right’ was apparently released as a demo yesterday (28th). It starts off really quietly before building to a crescendo and then quietening again. This has been a fascinating hour with old songs, new songs and really new songs. It’s good to see that Honeyglaze are progressing at pace. Onwards and upwards.
(Mark Kelly)
CROCODILES – Volks (19:00 – 19:45)
I made my way down to Volks nice and early. I’ve been to the venue for club nights in the past, but have never seen a band with instruments play live there and was quite frankly wondering how there would be space. Thank goodness I did get in early, the place filled out rapidly to capacity and it was insanely hot and dark. 7pm came, but no band appeared, it transpired they were stuck in traffic having driven from last night’s gig in Newcastle. At 7:20pm salvation was here, the band arrived pushing their way through the crowd with their instruments, there was no time for big set up’s or sound checking, this was going to be plug in and play with the sound tech informing them. They can start but go no later than 8pm, so at 7:25pm Crocodiles brought the noise and then some for a sadly all too short 27 minute set. So who are Crocodiles, they are formed by core members, Brandon Welchez (Guitar & Vocals) & Charles Rowell (Guitar and Backing Vocals) in 2008 and are from San Diego, USA, the rest of the band are Atef (Bass Guitar) and Diego Dalbon (Drums). They have 8 albums under their belt and plenty of singles, they last played Brighton at The Hope & Ruin back in 2013 and again in 2019, so it’s been a while. Let’s hope the wait has been worth it.
The band all wearing their shades kicked off with ‘Love Beyond The Grave’, woah, this was a full on explosion of punk, the crowd loving every second of it. “What the f*ck, you guys want another song” shouted Charles as they moved straight into another. I’m not sure what the song was but it was fast and frantic, so much so it ended with Brandon shouting out “Does anyone have a spare guitar” as one of his strings was now hanging snapped, he carried on through the next song ‘De-Generation’ with 5 strings before swapping out with a borrowed guitar that was brought to the stage. But the guitar pain did not end there, as a song or so later Charles string on his guitar then snapped, so the band continued along the vibe of throwing it together as it goes, with Charles now taking Brandon’s replacement guitar, Brandon quipped “I suck at guitar, so f*ck it right”. Brandon now stuck solely to vocals for the rest of the set, and took us into a very lively cover of ‘Jet Boy, Jet Girl’. “F*ck yeah, you guys are sick, we should have come here earlier” shouted Charles before the band launched into ‘Dead Beat’ encouraging everyone to chant “Come on Come on”. Loads more cheers rang out and shouts for one more song, the band huddled with Brandon turning round to say “F*ck it, we’ll do another cover” and the final song of the set was a cover of The Stooges ‘1969’. What can I say? This set was a full on tour de force, hot, ferocious, Charles spitting at the ceiling, the drums, oh those glorious drums, megawatts of power and sound, the crowd baying and shouting in encouragement. A true punky rock and roll set, way more amped up than their studio output. Man I would love to see a full set with a big pit for moshing.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
GLASSHOUSE RED SPIDER MITE – The Prince Albert (19:15 – 20:00)
I arrived at my favourite grassroots Brighton venue, The Albert, in good time to see local band Glasshouse Red Spider Mite. A band I had not seen before. They are Ethan (lead guitar, vocals), Alex (bass, vocals), Benji (drums), and Cesca (guitar). Their music is slow core and post-rock. What is clearly noticeable is how Benji’s cymbal, that is highly used during the set, is at a strange angle as opposed to lying flat. Lead vocals are performed by Ethan for the opening and closing two songs from the six-song set, with Alex taking over for the middle two tunes. Although all songs are played at a slow and rhythmic pace, the opening song ‘Dude’ features plenty of loud crashing guitars and cymbals. For most of the set, Benji reverts to using brushes rather than drumsticks, and there are three between-song intervals of recorded material primarily talking about glasshouse red spider mites, insects. They finish their set with their latest single ‘Everyone Loves You’, which sort of reminds me of Radiohead’s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ but played at a slower pace. Their music is definitely an acquired taste; the musicians are talented, and I was impressed with what I saw.
(Ian Holman)
DOG RACE – Patterns (19:30 – 20:15)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from the set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
DEARY – The Hope & Ruin (20:00 – 20:45)
The Adore set at the Green Door Store set finished at 7:15pm and so there was just enough time to grab a Lebanese Halloumi Meshwi which is grilled halloumi with avocado and a mint, honey and basil dressing wrap from Alushi at 1 Trafalgar Arches opposite The Prince Albert. Batteries recharged, I headed along to The Hope & Ruin in order to catch London formed dreampoppers Deary, who released their debut ‘Fairground’ single in January 2023, and it was then remixed by Saint Etienne, and there lies a clue to their sound. Add in The Sundays to the mix and Deary give you tunes to dream to.
We are given 8 opportunities to dream as the studio duo of Ben Easton and Rebecca ‘Dottie’ Cockram have expanded into a live quartet of guitar and vocals, bass, drums, and left-handed guitar. They commence with ‘The Moth’ and then ‘Selene’ which were both singles from last year. It’s a wall of noise with echoey guitar and drums combination with Dottie’s sweet vocals atop. We are enveloped in their music and when ‘Dottie’ discards her guitar in favour of singing, I get the similarities of the frailty of the sound of Woodpecker Wooliams material. The unreleased ‘I Stay’ is up next and followed by ‘Want You’ from their debut self-titled EP, it’s very emotive stuff indeed, with the vocals being sweetly delivered with true feelings. We are told that they are currently writing their debut album which will be on Brighton’s Bella Union label, and that it’s inspiring to be by the sea where ‘Dottie’ has moved to, this meaning Brighton. On the seaside theme, I recall one of the tunes was about Lyme Regis. The other half of their set features ‘Dream Of Me’, ‘The Drift’, ‘Fairground’ and ‘Beauty In All Blue Satin’. I hear similarities to Sigur Rós and Slowdive in their sound as well. This has been a true quality performance. They are going to be playing at the Green Door Store next May for their album release show and I’m hoping to attend!
(Nick Linazasoro)
PYNCHER – Green Door Store (20:00 – 20:45)
Pyncher are a four-piece band from Manchester. I’m not sure that I would describe them as being psychedelic, but they certainly expend a lot of energy. At a push they could be described as freakbeat, which is kind of adjacent to psychedelia, but fast and furious opener ‘One Day’ is closer to punk. Vocalist Sam Blakeley ditches his Airline guitar after the first song. ‘Steely’ has a nice angular post-punk riff. Guitarist Harvey O’Toole has stage moves that are not dissimilar to Ian Curtis’s! ‘Shapeshifter’ has a ponderous Sabbath-like bass line courtesy of Britt Dewhurst. Harvey O’Toole clearly is skilled in axe abuse. His playing gets quite Zeppelin-esque towards the end of this song. The band are very well drilled, and very tight. ‘Get Along’ is faster: simple but effective. The middle section is very individual, with Britt singing like a brass band – specifically I think, a cornet. On ‘Bye Bye’ vocalist Sam plays bass whilst bassist Britt sings lead. Unfortunately her mic is at ‘backing vocals’ volume so her lead vocal is too low in the mix. Either she needs to use Sam’s mic for this song, or have her own mic turned up for one song. Sam sings harmony, which almost drowns out Britt’s lead vocal! ‘Dirty Feet’ is a fast closing tune. Sam swigs his pint while Harvey’s guitar feeds back. Rock ‘n’ roll man!!! Then they’re back into the song. Sam takes his shoe off and sings to it. That’s pretty psychedelic! Pyncher are one impressive band, with a lot of interesting things going on in their music. Their records sound more psychedelic than they do live. Maybe their energetic performance detracts from the songs’ psychedelic character. Whatever, they’re a great live band, and one that I’d recommend seeing. I believe that they’re back in Brighton in November, at The Bar Rossi.
(Mark Kelly)
DEADLETTER – Concorde 2 (20:15 – 21:15)
After seeing Honeyglaze at Komedia it was a brisk walk for me across the city to a busy Concorde 2 for Deadletter. Post-punk band Deadletter consists of Zac Lawrence (vocals), Will King, Samuel Jones (both guitars), Poppy Richler (saxophone), George Ulyott (bass) and Alfie Husband (drums). Originally formed in Yorkshire they relocated to London, where their sound evolved into sharp, socially charged post-punk energy and art-rock experimentation.
From the opening song ‘Credit’, Poppy’s saxophone gave Deadletter’s sound a distinctive edge from other contemporary post-punk bands, not dissimilar to Psychedelic Furs’ early work, but more to the fore. Their fast post-punk urgency combined with funky grooves soon got large parts of the excited Concorde 2 crowd dancing. Shirtless singer Zac gave them further encouragement from the edge of the stage. Not that it needed much help as it was one of the liveliest crowds I saw over the festival. It was a great lead performance by Zac both with his vocals and interaction with the audience, later singing on the barrier and then into the mosh pit. ‘More Heat!’ was a particular crowd favourite, amongst many in a lively energetic set by Deadletter.
(Peter Greenfield)
ANNA ERHARD – Volks (20:30 – 21:20)
After the madness of Crocodiles, I secured my front row spot at Volks for what was my must see artist of the day. I first heard Anna Erhard play at The Great Escape in 2023 and instantly fell in love with her music. Sadly I was away the only time she returned to Brighton when she played at The Rossi Bar on her 2024 tour, so today I am stoked she is back. Anna is Swiss born, but lives in Berlin, Germany, her first single release was in 2019 and she has 3 albums under her belt. Tonight Anna is backed by drummer Robert Kretzschmar and bass player Lasser (I think that was his name). We were treated to a magnificent 48 minute, 12 song set comprising of 6 songs a piece from her last 2 albums ‘Campsite’ and ‘Botanical Garden’. Starting off with the excellent ‘Guestroom’ the tone was set for the evening. ‘Campsite’ followed which prompted Anna to tell us “We didn’t have an awful time on the campsite here, but we definitely had a hard time on the campsite, there was lightning, rain, a wet tent and so on” she joked. “More problems will follow later, which I am more than happy to share with you”.
Next came ‘B.M.G. Academy’ a song about her dislike of the Blue Men Group. The Volks was absolutely baking hot inside and for some reason there was next to no lighting on the stage. Someone in the crowd shouted out for the fans above the stage to be turned on, whilst the band did try, nothing worked, leaving Anna to quip “You know these fans are out because someone wants you to suffer with us, we have had so much suffering today, our car broke down and so on and so on”. The beauty of Anna’s music is it’s not in your face, it’s not mega loud, it’s pure enjoyment, utterly brilliant witty and funny lyrics, yet personal, accompanied by music that blends folk and guitar riffs, along with cool beat backing tracks. The fact that the venue was at capacity says it all, even our photographer could not get in. On the flip side of the fun songs, Anna’s music also has a tender side. One such beautiful song we were given was ‘Three Tons Of Steel’, most definitely one to sway and sing along to. The final 3 songs of the set were back to the more lively and fun, ‘170’, the excellent ‘Botanical Garden’ which had everyone singing along and got a massive cheer at the end. Anna encouraged us to go and buy a t-shirt from her at the end to put on and be even hotter, and with that it was the final song of the set ‘Spa’, one with a heavier guitar riff and plenty of crazy sound effects, a unique song for a very unique artist, one I could happily listen to all day long.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
LSD & THE SEARCH FOR GOD – Komedia (20:30 – 21:30)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from the set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
ALPHABET – The Prince Albert (20:45 – 21:30)
I remained at The Albert to see Alphabet (who are not to be confused with the Brighton venue of the same name). They consist of four friends who met in Brighton and relocated to London. I’ve previously seen the alternative rock band perform once before. This was at one of the Hidden Herd shows at The Hope & Ruin back in February, and I was looking forward to seeing them again. Lead vocals are shared between bass player Lena and guitarist Milo, with backing vocals performed by lead guitarist Tom, and drums played by George. They’ve released four singles since they formed in 2023, and all were featured in today’s decent eight-song set. The vocals are punchy and atmospheric, while the shimmering guitar work is a key feature of their sound. The opening track ‘All The Words’ gets them off to a great start. Other songs performed were ‘Round & Round’, ‘Sense’, ‘Colour Fade’, ‘Pressure’, ‘Your Everything’, and ‘Motion Sickness’. Then the set ended with feedback and heavy drumming on ‘Artificial Light’ with a crescendo of sound late in the song, and the band’s playing coming to an abrupt halt. The set was impressive and they are definitely a band I would like to see again.
(Ian Holman)
DO NOTHING – Patterns (21:00 – 22:00)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from the set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
GOBLYNS – Green Door Store (21:30 – 22:15)
I find myself back at a very busy Green Door Store in order to see what Berlin trio Goblyns have to offer us during their 10 track set. They comprise Giovanni Raymer-Votano (guitar), Liam Broek (bass), and Francis Broek (drums and vocals). Their social media states that they offer “A musical tapestry that spans the spectrum from raw rock energy to the dreamy depths of psychedelia”, and who am I to disagree with that. We are informed that most of the songs are from their new album, which is titled ‘Three Sisters’ and it dropped in June. They open with ‘Christof Waltz’ from the album which is an instrumental tune with some pseduo-surf action guitar. The rockier ‘Family Man’ from the album follows, and then they play ‘The Gardner’ from last year’s ‘Hunki Bobo’ album which has a funkier vibe especially on the bass. It’s back to the latest album with ‘No Words’, and the slower ‘With You’ and we finally get some limited lyrics on these two. They inform us that it’s their first time in Britain and it’s clear that they are making new friends as they plough their way through ‘Sakura’, ‘Big Red’, ‘Auftauchen’, ‘The Move’ and ‘Three Sisters’. I truly felt that there was something missing from their performance, above the vocals, and it seemed as though I was listening to the same song over again, and none of which were sticking in my head.
(Nick Linazasoro)
MANDRAKE HANDSHAKE – The Hope & Ruin (21:30 – 22:15)
Arguably, with the possible exception of Gong, Mandrake Handshake are the most psychedelic band on the bill today. It’s not just the music, it’s the band’s all-round aura. I’ve just described them as a band, but in reality they’re more of a musical collective. They don’t all necessarily perform at every gig. For example, backing vocalist Rudy Mae Symonds isn’t here tonight. Saxophonist, flautist and keyboard player David Howard-Baker has been missing in action for some time. Will he ever return? Who knows? I have a sneaking suspicion that whilst musicians may leave Mandrake Handshake, I don’t believe Mandrake Handshake ever leaves them. Mandrake Handshake isn’t just a band, or a musical collective: it’s an idea, and ideas are indestructible.
They open with old favourite ‘Hypersonic Super-Asterid’. Vocalist Trinity Oksana has cables down her back. I’m not entirely sure why. They don’t seem to be attached to her mic. They’re obviously part of some kind of electronic magic of which I’m unaware. In many ways it doesn’t matter what Mandrake Handshake play, or what the song titles are, as the set is in reality one trip. They take you away to somewhere completely alien. The second tune (which I think may be ‘Time Goes Up’) starts as a samba and before going into 5/4 time, with Moogieman doing something incomprehensible with his various boxes of tricks. One of his instruments is a box with lots of inter-connected cables in it. It looks dangerous, and it probably is, in ways we can only imagine!!! This second tune ends with some awesome guitar arpeggios from Row Janjuah who shouts “Smoke weed!!!” into his dub effected mic. I’ve never smoked weeds before. I’m not convinced that they’re healthy. They play a song off their current album, ‘Earth-Sized Worlds’ called ‘The Change And The Changing’ which apparently was written in Edinburgh, and is introspective. It has a trippy keyboard intro courtesy of Moogieman, and percussionist Elvis Thirlwell is also on synth. The band all seem to be enjoying themselves tonight. Row sits onstage and solos with his guitar behind his head. The final song features a synth solo that sounds like bagpipes, although that may just be my ears. The key thing about Mandrake Handshake is every performance seems different and individual, as if they’re creating an experience especially for the audience on that particular night. I guess in reality that’s what they are doing. Find out for yourselves: they’re back in Brighton in November to play the Mutations Festival.
(Mark Kelly)
DU BLONDE – Volks (22:00 – 23:00)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from a previous set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
GRUFF RHYS – Concorde 2 (22:00 – 23:15)
Welsh songsmith and multi-hyphenate Gruff Rhys, of Super Furry Animals fame took us on a celestial trip through the sonic galaxies of Cool Cymru with his spellbinding set at the Concorde 2. His pitch-perfect band and boundary-blurring sonics created a truly elevating and immersive experience. The music had a rich, poetic, transformative quality that blossomed in the venue.
Gruff Rhys and his band entered the stage dressed in funky white boiler suits as he held placards with words like “applause”, “louder” “Tax the rich”, like a Welsh Bob Dylan. The Concorde 2’s new psychedelic lighting created the perfect canvas for Gruff Rhys’ expansive soundscapes, going from folk to baroque pop to electronica via melodically rich indie. The set was mostly in Welsh, with only three of his eighteen song set being in English, He managed to hook the crowd from the start, with tracks like ‘Pab Ddaw’r’ ‘Taro’, ‘Gwn Mi Wn’ and ‘Iolo’ together with the touchingly witty ‘Bad Friend’. The band scooped us up into their glistening sonic world, never comprising their authenticity for a second.
By song two the audience were singing ‘Pang’ as the uber-talented ninja drummer held up the words of the title track of his Gruff Rhys’ 2019 album. We were hooked as the song listed various reasons for pang; hunger, regret, Twitter, pain- in Welsh with Zulu rhythms and riffs (that held the fingerprints of the South African producer and electronic artist Muzi). The track was gloriously original, multi-faceted and enchanting and from that moment on we were spellbound – it was Gruff Rhys’ universe and we were all happy to be part of it.
Singing in your mother tongue and fearlessly bringing the audience along with you is a beautiful, uncompromising act of quiet rebellion and activism. Gruff Rhys said, “People say that Welsh is a mystical language, well this song is about a parking fine” as he sang the lush buoyant and mellifluous, ‘Saf Ar Dy Sedd’ based around Cymraeg activist Toni Schiavone who refused to pay a fine in 2024 unless it was translated from English with the chorus meaning “Stand on your seat” .We couldn’t help but jump along to that one- Music transcends language. The whole set was a 360 degree immersive experience that washed over us in psychedelic swirls and waves of indigo melancholic joy. Gruff Rhys’s set was one of the most magical boundary-pushing sets of the day; there was a place at this festival for both outwardly expressive and quiet reflective acts of rebellion and Gruff Rhys is the poetic king of the latter.
(Carmel Walsh)
OPUS KINK – Komedia (22:15 – 23:15)
Opus Kink are a band who’s name I have heard many times, I always remember hovering over their purchase button whilst shopping on Nice Swan records website wondering whether to make a purchase or not, considering they are band that originated here in Brighton in 2017, I should have heard their music or seen them, but alas that has not been the case. Tonight I am making amends and making sure I squeeze in what will be my final set of the evening and judging by the capacity crowd of young lively people I don’t think I am going to be disappointed. Opus Kink are a six piece band made up of Angus Rogers (lead Vocals, Guitar), Sam Abbo (Bass, Backing Vocals), Fin Abbo (Drums), Jack Banjo Courtney (trumpet), Jazz Pope (Keys, Synth, backing vocals), and Jed Morgans (Saxophone), their sound is post punk indie rock infused with some jazzy flavours. This was a true stomper of a set, a real baptism for me in terms of their music, a mega hour long set of 11 cracking songs that took in 2 songs a piece from their EPs ‘My Eyes Brother!’ and ‘Til The Stream Runs Dry’, and the remaining songs from what I imagine will be on their forthcoming debut album.
The set started with the explosive ‘The Sweet Goodbye’. Sadly during their third song ‘Dust’ Angus lost all noise from his guitar and ended up playing the bulk of the song sans guitar, considering I’d not seen or heard them before, the song still sound bloody excellent to my ears, it’s not like you are lacking sound what with the trumpet, sax and keys. A new jack lead was brought on stage and the guitar sound was revived for ‘I Wanna Live You’, a song about not having a girlfriend, we were told. The set continued as it meant to go on, a visual and audio spectacle treat, at times delivered in a dark and brooding way, such as ‘Malarkey’. Angus Rogers is a force to be reckoned with, you don’t want to take your eyes off him, he totally commands the stage and audience later asking the crowd “Are you well, yes?….well we had better do something about that”. Then you have Jazz Pope with his menacing stares seeking out audience members to penetrate with his eyes, his backing vocal screams into his microphone, towards the end he grabbed his tambourine and leapt atop of the punters and was crowd surfed around throughout the whole song whilst banging the tambourine, whilst Angus stood at forefront of the stage leaning out playing his guitar screaming his lyrics. Don’t forget the rest of the band, Sax, Trumpet, bass and drums, they were all full on at it, moving, jumping about. The final song of the evening was the brilliant ‘Crucify’ a massive finishing song for a crowd that were one of the liveliest I’ve seen in a long while, lots of moshing and jumping about, many a time I fell forward on to the stage, Opus Kink were more than deserving for tonight’s headline slot at the Komedia, I can’t wait for the debut album.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
TVOD – The Prince Albert (22:15 – 23:00)
When attending festivals, it’s always good to see bands from overseas as it could be your only opportunity to see them. Today, my overseas band of choice were TVOD, which is short for Television Overdose. They are a six-piece post-punk outfit hailing from Brooklyn in New York, who were formed by frontman and songwriter Tyler Wright in 2019. This is the second (or possibly third) time they’ve played in Brighton as they were part of this year’s Great Escape Festival when they played at Charles Street Tap, and they may have appeared at the Fiddler’s Elbow as an Alternative Escape event. Seeing the band set up prior to going on stage, it was very noticeable how calm they were despite having difficulties trying to locate a plug converter for synth player Jenna Mark. The other members of the six-piece are Serbe Zbritzher (guitar), Denim Casimir (guitar), Micki Piccirillo (bass), and Mel Pahl (drums). From being so calm beforehand, there was an immediate change once the set got underway. The band clearly put a lot of effort into their work; there’s a lot of high-energy movement among them, and they are here to party, and that’s exactly what they do throughout their 45-minute performance as they blast through a 12-song set largely made up of their most recent album, ‘Party Time’. They play driving, catchy synth-orientated songs. Tyler is full on as the frontman. Jumping into the crowd and moshing with a section of them. I’m not sure how many cans of beer he got through, but a lot of the content was either showered over himself or the onlookers down the front. During the last song of the set, the 2022 single ‘Alien’, Tyler was carried from the front of the stage aloft the crowd towards the sound desk and back again.
(Ian Holman)
LA SÉCURITÉ – The Hope & Ruin (23:00 – 23:45)
Lá Sécurité delivered an intoxicating late-night set at Brighton Psych Fest, blending their signature Montreal art-punk flair with pulsating rhythms that had the crowd at The Hope & Ruin swaying in hypnotic unison. Frontwoman Éliane Viens-Synnott’s commanding Anglo-French vocals cut through the off-kilter basslines and jittery synths, turning tracks from their debut ‘Stay Safe!’ into communal anthems of chaotic joy, while newer cuts like final track ‘Ketchup’ injected a raw, danceable edge that perfectly complemented the festival’s psychedelic vibe.
The band’s tight interplay and infectious energy left attendees buzzing long after the final discordant note faded. This was my second live encounter with La Sécurité after their appearance at The 2024 Great Escape after which they signed to local label Bella Union, I hope this will mean we get to see more frequent live performances in the UK.
(Martin J. Fuller)
O. – Volks (23:30 – 00:15)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from a previous set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
HEARTWORMS – Concorde 2 (00:00 – 01:00)
It was a late finish for me with Heartworms playing until 1 am, but well worth waiting for. Heartworms, aka Jojo Orme, delivered the most powerful performance I saw over this year’s Psych Fest. Her darkly magnetic sound was a potent mix of gothic intensity and post-punk energy all wrapped in a vibrant theatrical show.
Her guitarist and drummer entered the stage to a soundtrack that featured thunder claps, followed by Jojo, setting the mood of what was to follow. Heartworms’ strong vocals and sharp dramatic movements and poses added to the power and aura of the performance. Heartworms swapped guitar for theremin to start her second number, which added a sci-fi feel to that track. Throughout the set Heartworms portrayed a wider vocal range than many may have been expecting. Amongst the harsh shouted vocals were softer moments and spoken word poetry, but never letting up on the intensity and control. That intensity even carried over to the silence of an austere mimed interlude and the poem that followed. The harsh industrial sounds were expertly mixed with some very danceable techno beats, such as on ‘Warplane’. Heartworms special performance was exciting, intense, hypnotic and unnerving in equal measures, making it one of my festival highlights
(Peter Greenfield)
Y – The Hope & Ruin (00:15 – 01:00)
We were sadly unable to cover this performance, but here is a photo from the set taken by one of our photographers for your enjoyment.
ADULT DVD – Volks (00:45 – 01:30)
Closing out this year’s Brighton Psych Fest were Leeds based sextet Adult DVD, who will be returning to Brighton as one of the leading acts for this year’s Mutations Festival in November. There’s four lots of electronics and keys action with this lot, as well as drums, bass, two guitars and a tambourine and cowbell to boot. It’s a busy stage at Volks, in fact not all of them are able to fit so one of the guys is immediately in front of me as I lean on the crowd barrier in order to their thrilling set. They open with ‘Yacht Money’ which was a 2023 single and follow this with ‘7 Foot 1’ which was a single from last year. There are bleeps a plenty on these, but the set highlight follows in the form of ‘Dogs In The Sun’ with its earworm chorus: “Only mad dogs and Englishmen; Go out in the sun; The midday sun”. It’s a clear crowd favourite and there’s some mosh action taking place behind me. The track has a retro 80’s keyboard sound with a bouncy beat, in short it’s epic!
We are then informed that Adult DVD have played in “Brighton six times now and it’s always a full room, so thanks very much”. This I guess is no mean feat as it’s well past midnight already this evening! The fabulous electronic beats and acid house bleeps keep on flowing as the lads work their way through ‘Because I Like It’, ‘Elevenerife’, ‘Doomsday Prepper’, ‘Real Tree Lee’, ‘Do Something’ and ‘Bill Murray’. Back in the day, I reckon that Adult DVD would have been signed to Factory Records as they have that vibe of something like A Certain Ratio and Stockholm Monsters, which was followed on by Happy Mondays and now AK/DK. The shared talky vocals, funky synths and drumming led tunes of this set are a pleasure to behold. During ‘Bill Murray’ the guy in front of me comes into the crowd and is dutifully held aloft by the punters. It’s 1:25am and the band realise that they can squeeze in one more tune, which I think might have been called ‘Sad Man W*nking’ and at 1:31am they, and Brighton Psych Fest has come to an end. Terrific set!
(Nick Linazasoro)
Well we can certainly say that despite the usual clash of gigs where you are forced to choose between desired acts, and the rare occasion of not being able to gain entry due to the venue’s full capacity, that this year’s Brighton Psych Fest has been a resounding success! We very much look forward to seeing what the organisers will be offering us for next year’s event, but sadly this is a very long way off. The date in question will be Friday 4th September 2026 and tickets are on sale now from HERE.
