THE BLACK LIPS + MAKESHIFT ART BAR + JEANIE AND THE WHITE BOYS – 100 CLUB, LONDON 22.9.25
At our last review for Black Honey at Chalk in Brighton (Review HERE) we were expecting Jeanie And The White Boys as the support act. We were expecting what photographer Sara-Louise Bowery had told us would be an electric and unmissable performance. Sara had seen the band at this year’s Glastonbury and was herself looking forward to photographing them again.
Then the news came that the support act had changed at the last minute, the disappointment was palpable. I had to put my research to one side for another date.
I contacted the band and heard from Jeanie herself that the next show would be at the 100 Club in London. Now, we personally do not usually review outside of Sussex venues for a variety of reasons, but I had a gut feeling I had to see this band perform live and if possible, bring them down to Brighton.
I confess I have a soft spot for the 100 Club. I have seen several bands there and been going on and off since I was in my teens. I was born in London so I will always have a deep affection for the venues there, like The Roundhouse (Camden), The Royal Festival Hall (South Bank), Brixton 02 etc. The proximity to ‘Old’ Soho and the venue’s history combine to make the venue something special. The staff are always lovely. Service is always great, and the bands are always happy to play there. It is the reverence which the audience holds for the venue that is the icing on the cake, unobstructed views from either side of the stage, but if you or the band really want to go for it, you are more than welcome.
It is in short, other than The Prince Albert (Brighton) and Duke of Wellington (Shoreham-by-Sea), the long-gone Factory and Flappers (both in Worthing) and the dearly departed Free Butt and Richmond Rooms (both Brighton) among others were some the many venues that I cut my teeth watching, learning, reviewing and eventually playing music.
Jeanie And The White Boys are gathering quite the buzz. They have released only two singles to date. These are the current single ‘Queen Bee’ and the earlier 2024 track ‘Big Udder Blues’ and the collaboration/ remix ‘Rescue Me’ featuring Self Esteem on Tom Rasmussen’s ‘High Wire – Reimagined and remastered.’ Released in 2025.
Also playing on the night were Makeshift Art Bar, with the mighty Black Lips headlining.
The Black Lips have proven popular with both the Brighton and London alt media crowd for a long time now, indeed Stuart Lee and Toby Amies could be found in the audience when they took the stage towards the end of the night. However, it was the relative newcomers Makeshift Art Bar. I had been told to look out for. I trust my sources and my gut, and on both points, I was more than proven right. This is how we found ourselves in London’s 100 Club on a Monday night waiting for Jeanie And The White Boys to take the stage before the other acts.
Jeanie herself was hard to miss on the night. Outlined by a biblical halo of limelight in a white combo in the perennial darkness of the 100 Club. As the band took the stage the ‘White Boys’ filed in one-by-one before Jeanie joined them and blew-the-roof -off already rammed venue. There are few artists that you can genuinely refer to as ‘an absolute force of nature’ but Jeanie is the first I have paid witness to for a while; one that is not going anywhere in a hurry. Think a ‘Punk’ Barbara Windsor circa 1960s ‘Too Hot To Handle’ with the late great Jayne Mansfield. If ever there were a thoroughly modern 2025 version of the late British National treasure to fit the bill Jeanie would be top of the coveted list.
Between songs Jeanie’s rough and ready tongue in cheek patter won everyone in the room over. Frequently poking fun at herself and her chosen lyrical subject matter of ex-boyfriends, bar one, which was a girl “because I am a feminist…” only to follow up with, “…but it’s about how we don’t talk anymore because she’s a bitch.”[sic] Now, this might sound anything but feminist, however when delivered with a trademark husky chuckle and a broad grin you can’t help but immediately think of the first women you fell out with under similar circumstances (we ALL have one!) and sympathise entirely.
Songs of heartbreak, revenge and empowerment were delivered with such ferocity and such frenetic movement that on more than one occasion it was easy to think that perhaps we were in a time lapse of 1976 height of punk watching the first few performances from the likes of Jordan, Siouxsie and Toyah at their most raw and hungry. The ‘White Boys’ are themselves as youthful in appearance as their lead, but do not let the youth of the band throw you, these are practiced, though still pleasingly raw musicians who are deadly serious. This is no game, this is a play for the prize.
Other than the two singles which are currently available on you chosen format of choice, ‘Big Udder Blues’, and the current and prescient single ‘Queen Bee’ (accompanied by a video featuring Jeanie riding a suited man wearing a King Charles mask), stand out tracks included ‘Why Do You Want Me To Be A Bitch’, ‘BooHoo Girls’ and ‘Psycho Killer’. If you are a wise and discerning music connoisseur you should be amongst the few to make sure, they see Jeanie And The White Boys before it becomes impossible to do so. (If you keep an eye on announcements with us here at Brighton & Hove News you may see a set at a Brighton gig coming up VERY soon!).
Jeanie And The White Boys:
Jeanie Crystal – vocals
Charlie – drums
Aidan – guitar
George – guitar
Jeanie And The White Boys setlist:
‘12XU’ (unreleased)
‘Psycho Killer’ (unreleased)
‘Don’t Look Now’ (unreleased)
‘I’m A Man’ (unreleased)
‘Why Do You Want To Be Me Bitch?’ (unreleased)
‘Boo Hoo Girls’ (unreleased)
‘Queen Bee’ (a 2025 single )
jeanieandthewhiteboys.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/jeanieandthewhiteboys
The original plan was to come up to London, see the first act and head home at a reasonable hour. However, only a few seconds into taking the stage the next support act Makeshift Art Bar put pay to all that. Absolutely mesmerising from the second the first note was played, the four-piece who have built a buzz at festivals including Mutations and So Young Live are again a band who have started and kept an underground music press going.
Occasionally I miss acts or make a point at following my nose rather than the crowd, luckily my colleagues here and Brighton and Hove News have their fingers more squarely on the pulse and the collective years of experience among us all ensure that we have at least one good ear in the room at all times. Makeshift Art Bar have been high on the list of bands to see for some time now. As usual I tend to drag my feet when it comes to catching the ‘Next BIG thing’, it is often just PR hype that disparates faster than a flat tyre on a tour bus. But I will concede I am sometimes wrong. This is one of those occasions.
So Young is one of my favoured sources of music information other than my colleagues. I tend to favour seeing a band live for myself, tastes differ. This was one of those occasions. Sometimes bands need time to grow into themselves, but you can more or less catch the scent of something new developing even before it has come to fruition. Such was my interest that I almost bought their t-shirt prior to listening to them play. However, I have learned the hard way with this and decided that rather than an impulse purchase of a great T-shirt I should listen to what I would be wearing first.
I am pleased to say that my instincts proved to be correct. They blew me away in a way that I was unprepared for. While I had researched the first band prior, apart from some recommendations I came to Makeshift Art Bar cold. To date this has often been the best way to find a band. Arriving with no preconception you take the music and performance at face value, then go away and listen to the produced version several times while writing the review, at least that is how I do it. The beauty of reviewing is that we all work differently and have differing tastes, which occasionally crossover.
Back to the performance. The band’s stage presence is electric. Think, Joy Division, meets The Horrors, with a dash of NIN (my gig partner did not agree on the last reference point). The four band members appear youthful (to the point that one of their parents was running the merch desk), but here again to judge by appearance is to judge only by the cover. Just when I thought I could not be any more impressed by them, one member produced a slide guitar?! At least, I think that is what it was. I am happy to be corrected if wrong. To be fair, they sat with their back to me at this point.
The Belfast self-styled grunge ‘Noise-Rock’ quartet, take their influences from ‘80s ‘post- punk’. Of one of my favourite tracks on the nights ‘Birthday Party’ the band have been quoted as saying, “The instrumentation on Birthday Party makes it our most light-hearted song, although it’s contrasted lyrically, about being lost in a false sense of euphoria. At shows, it was the song everyone was the most captivated by, so we thought it deserved a full release. It’s actually the first song we ever played together as a band.” On the night it was the track that I finally realised that I had been dancing along for a while as had my gig partner for the night. Now for me, If I do not already know and like the band this is extremely rare. Other stand out tracks on the night included ‘Notice Me’, ‘Bedwetter’, and ‘Inertia’.
Having been thoroughly converted to the band I went back to buy that T-shirt. Keep an eye out for the band’s next Brighton show, which we will announce as soon as it’s confirmed.
Makeshift Art Bar:
Joseph Sweeney – lead vocals + guitar
Alleyah Boulaich – drums
Callum McGuigan – bass
Callum Sweeney – guitar
Makeshirt Art Bar setlist:
‘Inertia’ (a 2023 single)
‘Chocolate’ (unreleased)
‘Birthday Party’ (from 2025 ‘Lacklustre Writing Makes Fundamental Reading’ EP)
‘Discipline’ (unreleased)
‘Crow’ (unreleased)
‘TBC’ (unreleased)
‘Sonic Shelf’ (from 2025 ‘Lacklustre Writing Makes Fundamental Reading’ EP)
‘Bedwetter’ (from 2025 ‘Lacklustre Writing Makes Fundamental Reading’ EP)
‘Notice Me’ (from 2025 ‘Lacklustre Writing Makes Fundamental Reading’ EP)
Again we were aiming to head off, only to be waylaid again. First to stop us just after returning from the merch desk. Brighton ‘Face’ and documentary maker Toby Amis followed shortly afterwards by a trying to be incognito Stuart Lee ‘Funny Man’.
Nope, no way we were leaving now. I checked my train back; it was cutting it fine, but having seen the band group into the audience I suddenly realised that for what seemed like an age I had been trying to see them and falling dismally.
The arrival of the band themselves and such luminous taste makers ensured we stayed to catch the headliners. The Black Lips have been on the underground music scene for what seems like the longest time. To know their music is to say that you are one of those who has been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and or know the right people. Not only that, they are one of the most enjoyable live acts going.
Visually arresting and musically a mix of all that is best in alternative and underground music, the band somehow deftly pull a variety of possible dissonant instruments and genres together melding them into a sound that is at once retro and nostalgic and yet also modern.
The audience was bristling with more ‘haircuts’ than I had witnessed anywhere since the early ‘90s. Mod, Rockabilly, Goth, Punk, New Wave, Post Punk, Indie, you name it every musical genre was somehow covered in one room, and not in any way predictable, but immediately recognisable. For the first time since watching Electric Cowboy Club at the Green Door Store, I could hand on heart say that all genres were represented, and happily pogoing side-by-side with what could only be described as a look of sheer glee on their faces.
We were certainly happy to let loose and dance with everyone else in the audience grinning like a couple of old fools suddenly feeling young again. It is really all you want from a night out, to have fun with friends listening to music which has the power to transport you back to youth and happier, less stressful times. If ever there was a night which achieved it, it was this one.
Standout tracks from the main act included the opener ‘Slime’, ‘Hooker Jon’ and ‘Family Tree’. Catch the band and the new album ‘Season Of The Peach’, at your preferred venue ASAP.
The Black Lips:
Cole Alexander – vocals + guitar
Jared Swilley – bass +vocals
Jeff Clarke – vocals + guitar
Zumi Rosow – saxophone
Oakley Munson – drums
The Black Lips setlist:
‘Slime’ (from 2025 ‘Season Of The Peach’ album)
‘Modern Art’ (from 2011 ‘Arable Mountain’ album)
‘Family Tree’ (from 2011 ‘Arable Mountain’ album)
‘Holding Me Holding You’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
‘Angola Rodeo’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
‘Kassandra’ (from 2025 ‘Season Of The Peach’ album)
‘Tongue Tied’ (from 2011 ‘Arable Mountain’ album)
‘Hooker Jon’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
‘Dirty Hands’ (from 2005 ‘Let It Bloom’ album)
‘Stranger’ (from 2007 ‘Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo’ album)
‘Zulu Suits’ (from 2025 ‘Season Of The Peach’ album)
‘Get It On Time’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
‘Cold Hands’ (from ‘Good Bad Not Evil’ album)
‘Locust’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
‘Gentleman’ (from 2020 ‘Singing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ album)
Nice review , never been to the 100 club before but the people, staff , history and atmosphere , just amazing.
Thanks for your interest Mark.