LEMONSUCKR + BARBADOS99 – ALPHABET, BRIGHTON 24.6.26
Lemonsuckr’s decision to relocate to Brighton around 18 months ago is starting to pay off. They’ve certainly come a long way in that short space of time. They’ve worked tirelessly to get their sound right, they’ve played support to a number of bands/acts across the city at a number of different venues, released two EPs, and their fanbase is on the rise.
Lemonsuckr are Guy Ferris (vocals), Ollie Thomas (guitar), Oscar Post (guitar), Matt Saunders (drums), and Jake Andrews (bass). They play music that makes you want to move around, sing along, dance, and on occasions mosh too. Their sound is quite unique and frequently incorporates Middle Eastern-influenced riffs, achieving synth-like guitar tones by using specialised guitar pedals.
Having already released their first single ‘Rarity Jacket’ under their previous band name Rugrat back in October 2024, it wasn’t until July of last year that their second single ‘Dead Disco’ was released. ‘Instant Kinks’ followed a month later, then came the release of their first EP ‘H.E.A.T.’ in October. Last month they performed four times during The Great Escape Festival. This included a headline performance for BBC Introducing at Concorde 2. This was just a week on from the release of ‘Stain’, their first single from their second EP.
Tonight’s show at Alphabet (stylized as A L P H A B E T and formally Rialto Theatre) in Dyke Road is their first Brighton show since TGE, and it’s being held to launch the band’s new EP ‘Life Is A Heist’, which has been available to stream since 12th June. Vinyl and CD versions of the EP can be pre-ordered from Alter Music (store.altermusic.com) or from Resident Music (resident-music.com). With the rising fanbase, it comes as no surprise that tickets for tonight’s show sold out within an hour.
With temperatures in the area soaring around the low to mid-thirties, Lemonsuckr were about to bring even more heat to ALPHABET. Pre-show social media posts from the band stated “THERE WILL BE AIR CON!”. As the splendidly looking venue filled during the evening, it was clear the air con wasn’t going to cope, and once the band took to the stage, it wasn’t long before the room turned into a sweat box. Tonight they are set to play an extended set. Normally, you get an eight-song set that lasts just under the 30-minute mark, but for tonight’s headline show (and their longest yet), it’s an eleven-song set that lasts 42 minutes. There is also an additional band member on stage for the opening and closing songs. It’s recording and mixing engineer and Welly guitarist Matt Gleeson. Matt becomes Welly band member number three to perform on stage with Lemonsuckr. Jacob Whitear (who is in the crowd tonight) has previously played bass on a few occasions while “Welly” himself played drums during their 2025 Great Escape performance at Three Wise Cats. I’m wondering how long it will be before Hanna Witkamp and Joe Holden-Brown make an appearance.
Lemonsuckr take to the stage as a six-piece, with Matt Gleeson on synths. There’s a quick “Hello” from Oscar to get the crowd’s attention. Cheers ring out, Guy says “How we doing?” and they go straight into the opening song of the set, ‘Life Is A Heist’, the final track from the self-titled new EP. It’s the first time they’ve performed the song at a gig. I had a feeling this would be used as the set opener. It’s structured in a similar way to ‘Sedated’ and I was instantly hooked on it when I first heard the EP. It certainly wouldn’t look out of place on a heist movie soundtrack.
This segues straight into the backing track for ‘Instant Kinks’. Guy says “You know the drill by now”, grabs his mic, mic stand, tambourine and cowbell, comes down off the front of the stage to perform among the fans, while Matt Gleeson also departs the stage off the front and the band continue as their normal five-piece. The audience are already bouncing. Back on stage there’s a quick “How we doing?” from Guy, then it’s straight into the third song ‘House On Fire’, the second song of the night from the new EP. The audience sing and dance along as the room gets hotter by the minute. Great applause and cheering follow, then it’s onto the first of three unreleased songs from the set. This one is ‘Werk’, which has been a regular song on the setlist throughout the year. It’s frantic, it’s fast-paced and it takes over your mind. Oscar is off the stage and into the crowd with guitar in hand for this one.
It’s been a great start and we are only four songs in. Guy says “We are Lemonsuckr”, there’s more cheers “Thank you for being here”. Someone in the audience responds with “And, you’re f***ing amazing, man”, there’s plenty of laughter from both the fans and band members. To this comment Guy responds with “Thank you. This is our EP launch, so thank you to everyone who’s listened already. If you haven’t already, give it a listen”. After a moment, Guy continues “This was the first single that dropped from the EP, it’s called ’Stain’”. During this one, Guy is off the stage again and back in amongst the crowd, and at one point drops his mic. Following this, Guy, now back on stage again, says “Thank you very much”, there’s more applause and whistles. By now, not only are the band members drenched in sweat, but the audience members are too. Guy continues “This one’s unreleased” and appears on the setlist as ‘Croc Tears’. It’s another being performed for the first time. It’s a danceable mid-paced song with a great beat that receives generous applause.
It’s time for a quick breather as there’s a slow build-up to the excellent ‘Sedated’, which for the past couple of months has been used as their set opener. It’s not long before the audience are dancing and bouncing again. There’s a “Come on Brighton” from Guy at one point, and Oscar is back in the crowd along with his guitar for part of this one. New crowd favourite ‘Grandaddy’ is next; it’s another from the new EP, it’s fast-paced and has the crowd in a frenzy. There’s plenty more applause. Guy says “Thank you”. Then it’s the return of ‘Boudica’, the third and final unreleased song of the set. It’s one that has not been performed recently but was a main feature among their set earlier in the year.
The penultimate song of the night is ‘H.E.A.T.’ Another live favourite with its snake charmer-like opening and catchy lyrics. Guy is back in amongst the crowd, and mid-song he gets a good portion of the audience to crouch down on their knees, then getting them all to rise as one. Oscar decides to spray water over the heated crowd, to which drummer Matt finds quite amusing. With Guy now back on the stage, he says “Thank you very f***ing much for coming. This is our last tune.” There’s plenty of “noooo’s” from the fans, and Guy says “Up the ante, right?”. It’s ‘Rugrat’; Ollie with a cowbell in hand heads off the front of the stage and to the back of the room, walking along the bar. Matt Gleeson is back, frantically hitting a Jam Block with a drumstick. Guy has his shirt off and finishes the song with a stage dive into the audience. That was some gig and probably the sweatiest one I’ve ever been too, Lemonsuckr just get better and better. Roll on the next one!
Lemonsuckr:
Guy Ferris – lead vocals, tambourine, cowbell
Ollie Thomas – guitar, backing vocals, cowbell
Oscar Post – guitar, backing vocals
Matt Saunders – drums
Jake Andrews – bass
Matt Gleeson – synth, jam block
Lemonsuckr setlist:
‘Life Is A Heist’ (from 2026 ‘Life Is A Heist’ EP)
‘Instant Kinks’ (from 2025 ‘H.E.A.T.’ EP)
‘House On Fire’ (from 2026 ‘Life Is A Heist’ EP)
‘Werk’ (unreleased)
‘Stain’ (from 2026 ‘Life Is A Heist’ EP)
‘Croc Tears’ (unreleased)
‘Sedated’ (from 2025 ‘H.E.A.T.’ EP)
‘Grandaddy’ (from 2026 ‘Life Is A Heist’ EP)
‘Boudica’ (unreleased)
‘H.E.A.T.’ (from 2025 ‘H.E.A.T.’ EP)
‘Rugrat’ (from 2026 ‘Life Is A Heist’ EP)
www.instagram.com/lemonsuckr.wav
Tonight’s support are Barbados99, a new side project from Opus Kink brothers Fin and Sam Abbo. The duo made their debut just six weeks ago when they supported Gemma Rogers at Shacklewell Arms in East London. They followed this up with another support slot for Gemma Rogers at Soho Bar, below Stone Nest, and then supported Skinner at The Prince Albert in Brighton a week later. Tonight’s performance is their fourth gig, and they follow it up by supporting Dog Race at Paper Dress Vintage in East London on Saturday.
Barbados99 provide harmonic and melodic vocals, mixing beach club beats with garage rock guitars. Their 30 minute set opens with ‘Figure It Out’ and has Fin and Sam both playing guitar and performing vocal duties. The second ‘Rough Sketchy’, like the majority of the set, sees Fin switch to percussion, with a setup of a tambourine, two jam blocks and two drumsticks. The backing track is prominent in the mix, with the vocals coming through lighter than the opening song. Before ‘Let Go Of These Hands’, there is a short musical interlude backing track that sounds like 70s lift music. There are more beats on the third song ‘Let Go Of These Hands’. It sounds like a cross between Getdown Services and Big Long Sun.
Fin says “We are Barbados99”, there is warm applause and Fin continues “Thank you to Lemonsuckr. This next one is a love song.” They perform ‘Love Letter’. A further short lift music interval follows, then it’s on to the final four songs of the set that all segue into each other. These are ’The Dirt’, the faster-paced ‘Chilli Burger’, ‘Angel Of Montgomery’ and ‘Jam’. Sam performs some impressive guitar work during these songs. As the set concludes, there is further applause and Fin says “Thank you. Enjoy Lemonsuckr”.
Barbados99:
Fin Abbo – lead vocals, guitar, percussion
Sam Abbo – vocals, guitar
Barbados99 setlist:
‘Figure It Out’ (unreleased)
‘Rough Sketchy’ (unreleased)
‘Let Go Of These Hands’ (unreleased)
‘Love Letter’ (unreleased)
‘The Dirt’ (unreleased)
‘Chilli Burger’ (unreleased)
‘Angel Of Montgomery’ (unreleased)
‘Jam’ (unreleased)
