‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘MUTATIONS FESTIVAL’, VARIOUS VENUES, BRIGHTON 7-8.11.25
Brighton’s seminal ‘Mutations Festival’ has returned for its seventh edition and again is curated and produced by concert promoters FORM. It has certainly boasted an exciting mix of the most explosive, established, and brand-new international artists, who were showing punters exactly what they had on offer! The multi-venue festival took place on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th November across nine of our city’s most treasured Grassroots Music Venues. These being: Chalk, Patterns, Revenge, Dust, The Prince Albert, Green Door Store, The Hope and Ruin, The Folklore Rooms and Alphabet.
It goes without saying, but ‘Mutations’ is one of the most highly anticipated music events on the Brighton autumn music calendar and is renowned for consistently showcasing ‘the next big thing’, from CMAT, Yard Act, and Sprints in 2021, to The Last Dinner Party, Wunderhorse, and Fat Dog in 2022, English Teacher, Antony Szmierek, and Paris Paloma in 2023, and Kneecap, HotWax, Lime Garden, Grove, Warmduscher, She’s In Parties, and The Pill in 2024.
This year there were no less than 85 music acts to choose from, but as always the case with festivals, there are clashes of top quality artists that you ideally would love to catch in action. Such was the quality this year, that many acts who we would have truly normally covered, had to sadly forsaken for those fortunate acts that we did get to see. We tried our best and so without further ado, here’s what we did see in performance order……
FRIDAY 7th NOVEMBER:
SILVER GORE – Patterns (3:30pm – 4:00pm)
Mutations starts for me with Silver Gore, who are a London based duo comprising drummer and singer Ava Gore and Ethan P Flynn, who plays guitar and synth. For live work they are joined by a synth player and an additional singer. Their first song has so much going on it’s a bit difficult to take in! It starts with some absolute cacophony created on synth and bass. That suddenly stops and an acoustic sounding guitar comes in together with some really quite angelic vocals, before noise takes over again, and then the song almost becomes a bit funky to finish. It’s like a trip around the sonic globe in one song! If this makes Silver Gore sound musically schizophrenic, they’re really not. There are a lot of electro influences, with some post-rock too. They have some pop sensibilities as well – their second song is borderline catchy! I guess their music is best described as an interesting hybrid. However, towards the end of their set their electro influences come to the fore, with loud pumping electronic drums on their penultimate song. Their final song lulls us into a false sense of security with a hypnotic start, before exploding into an increasingly cacophonic finish with some sinus threatening synth. Silver Gore are not easy to classify, which in my opinion is a good thing. There’s a lot of interesting stuff going on here. I very much hope that they’re not tempted to become more ‘focused’.
(Mark Kelly)
MAKESHIFT ART BAR – Chalk (3:55pm – 4:35pm)
Kicking off Chalk’s and my Mutations, Belfast’s Makeshift Art Bar enters the stage, youthful in appearance but when they launch into their 2023 debut single ‘Inertia’ it all melts aside with their post-punk wailing guitars and cinematic gloomy basslines of a forgotten generation. The room is pretty packed with about 600 early door punters and are soon like putty in the band’s hands. ‘Bedwetter’ from their excellent EP ‘Lacklustre Writing….’ shows nightmarish hypnotic sonics which is mesmerising to watch. Never seen a lap steel guitar before, but during ‘Notice Me’ it’s in full effect as the last song of the set dissolves into a frenzied wall of sound, looping downwards to a climatic end.
(Stephen Willcox)
PARTY DOZEN – Patterns (4:25pm – 5:00pm)
Party Dozen are an experimental noise-rock duo from Sydney, Australia consisting of Kirsty Tickle on (saxophone & vocals) and Jonathan Boulet (percussion & sampler), and whoa mama did they bring some vibes and noise. They have four albums and plenty of singles already under their belt. They played in Brighton at The Great Escape in 2022, so it’s good to have them back in the city.
The set opened with the sinister and eerie sounding ‘Wake In Might’, this very much set the energy tone that never faltered for the full 30 minutes, as Kirsty bounced back and forth across the stage whilst playing her saxophone. Sadly I did not get the setlist for this one, but to name some of the songs I did note, our third song was a cover of ‘Ghost Rider’ by Suicide, this one had Kirsty deliver the lyrics into the end of her saxophone with oodles of reverb, it was a really cool effect and reminded me a little of the sound the band Yard use to deliver their vocals. At the end Kirsty punched the air with joy not realising the light was right above her, thankfully she didn’t injure her hand.
The next song was their brand new single ‘Mad Rooter’, one that has just got a vinyl release on their new European label. I really liked it and hope it does increase their exposure in the UK, they certainly deserve it. The set came to a close with ‘The Iron Boot’ which was on their 4th album ‘Crime In Australia’ now this was a true frenzy of joyous noise, what a set closer. Considering there are only two of them on stage, you really get a full ear blasting; a mix of quite simply some magnificent powerhouse drumming from Jonathan, a sample bank that is loaded with plenty of synth, guitar and generally sounds set to overload your senses. How they both have the energy to perform the way they do is beyond me. They are a really exciting band, excellent songs, they fuse so many elements into their sound. There is jazz, dance, industrial, punk, it can feel almost improvised, what a performance. I hope they had some energy left in the tank as they were being called upon to fill a space later that day at Chalk to an even bigger crowd.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
MY FIRST TIME – Revenge (4:30pm – 5:05pm)
My First Time are a four-piece (plus a guest synth player) from Bristol. Their music is danceable in a Madchester kinda way, but with lyrics that ooze social commentary and satire that would probably be a little bit beyond some of the stars of the Madchester scene. For example, the opening song ‘Picture Of Health’ contains the lyric “I’m spending wisely on disposable vapes”. The synth player disappears after the first song, and I can’t help noticing that bassist Naia Jones is wearing fingerless mittens. It really isn’t that cold. ‘Wind Up Merchant’ crashes through the chorus. It’s taut and powerful with ace drum fills from Jordanna Forsey. There’s some cool guitar licks from James Mellen too. Isaac Stroud-Allen is a cracking frontman, engaging with the audience from the get-go. This includes jumping into the audience a couple of times. I’m surprised at how low on the bill this band are. Indeed, they’re one of my discoveries of the festival. They play the George Tavern in London on 24th November, and are at the Lexington in Kings Cross on 16th January.
(Mark Kelly)
THE ORIELLES – Chalk (5:00pm – 5:40pm)
The Orielles are a Manchester-based trio, who blend indie pop, dance grooves, and experimental textures into something truly distinctive. Esmé Dee Hand-Halford’s basslines were rich and melodic, anchoring the set with finesse, while her vocals, which ranged from soft, seductive whispers to soaring harmonies, were utterly captivating. Sidonie B Hand-Halford’s drumming was tight and inventive, and Henry Carlyle Wade’s guitar work and atmospheric synth added shimmering layers and rhythmic bite. All of which came together in their unique fresh danceable, and instantly engaging sound that soon lit up Chalk. Their set showcased fresh material from their forthcoming fourth album ‘Only You Left’, due out 13th March 2026. These new tracks built on the sonic exploration of their 2022 ‘Tableau’ album, many songs from which were included on Friday. For me, The Orielles were a must-see of the festival, and they delivered one of their finest performances I’ve seen to date. The Orielles return to Brighton soon supporting English Teacher at The Dome, and after their showing at Mutations, that can’t come soon enough.
(Peter Greenfield)
TEETHE – Patterns (5:25pm – 6:00pm)
My first review for Mutations 2025 is for US band Teethe, who performed as the third act on the opening day at Patterns. Formed in 2019 after meeting at the University of North Texas in Denton, they are primarily associated with the slow core genre, although they incorporate elements of dream pop, shoegaze, and alternative rock. The five-piece band consists of four guitarists and a drummer, with three of the guitarists sharing vocal duties. The opening track of their set, ‘Holy Water’, commenced with feedback and heavy drumming. Bass player Madeline Dowd provided vocals on this track, although from my position close to the barrier separating the band from the audience, it was difficult to hear as the guitars and drums were overpowering. The second track of their nine-song set was ‘Iron Wine’. This one was primarily instrumental with a changing tempo. It commenced slowly with occasional interludes of faster, heavier guitar work and drumming. The third song, ‘Magic Of The Sale’, was a standout track featuring two guitarists sharing vocals. They then performed ‘Anywhere’, a slow-paced lo-fi track with further shared vocals. All of the first four songs are from the band’s second album ‘Magic Of The Sale’, released in August this year. The fifth song was the 2022 single ‘Lucky’, which featured harmonies and was the most pop-oriented song of the set. The final four songs are all from their self-titled 2020 debut album. ‘Upside Down’ is another slow-paced song, ‘On Everything’ is more upbeat with additional harmonies, and the set finished with ‘Off Top’ and ‘Giant Man’. The performance was good, although the soft vocals were mostly lost in the mix throughout the set, and there was little interaction between the band and the audience.
(Ian Holman)
MANDRAKE HANDSHAKE – Revenge (5:35pm – 6:15pm)
It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I think that Mandrake Handshake are utterly brilliant. However, as a critic I am duty bound to approach every gig with an open mind, which obviously tonight I have done. Bearing that in mind, I am delighted to tell you, dear readers, that I do not see or hear anything in tonight’s show to shake my faith in Mandrake Handshake’s excellence. Indeed, tonight’s show is somewhat special as it’s the first time I’ve seen them with saxophonist, flautist and synth player David Howard-Baker for quite a while. His jazz-flavoured contribution to their gumbo has been sorely missed. There are so many ingredients, each of which would be wonderful on their own: Row Janjuah’s fluid guitar lines, Trinity Oksana’s crystalline vocals, Elvis Thirlwell’s percussion and showmanship, not to mention Shan Sriharan’s synths. He’s known as ‘Moogieman’ for a reason. Put this (and more) all together and you have something that is completely out of this world! All bands progress however, and tonight they play a new song. It’s quite slow but nevertheless has an undeniable groove. Moogieman’s electronics sound a little overpowering, but that’s probably the onstage mix. It’s cool anyway. They finish with ‘Hyper Super-Asterid’, which as always is utterly stratospheric. If you’ve never seen Mandrake Handshake, what have you been doing with your time? They play Fabric in London on 26th November. If you can’t get to the gig, a good second best would be to give their album ‘Earth-Sized Worlds’ a listen. You won’t regret it.
(Mark Kelly)
DIVORCE – Chalk (6:05pm – 6:45pm)
Being cornered in the venue by our illustrious leader Nick to review Divorce, I was under the impression that I wouldn’t enjoy this Dolly Parton tribute band. But for once, I was blindsided by this epic alt-country indie band that hails from the city of Nottingham (the birthplace of Warhammer no less ). Launching with ‘Lord’ and its alt-country harmonies and indie inspired guitars are the perfect remedy for this evening’s start. With a full capacity crowd at Chalk they soon shift gears with belter ‘All My Freaks’, perfect for this city. ‘Parachuter’ has a total country vibe about it, sounding reminiscent of a Magic Numbers song, dealing with heartbreak and regret. 2022’s ‘Checking Out’ is halted due to a tech failure but soon restarted with a sigh of relief from the band. Ending on a fan favourite which now includes myself ‘Antartica’ is an upbeat number with joyful guitar melodies and duo vocal harmonies.
(Stephen Willcox)
HOTLINE TNT – Patterns (6:30pm – 7:10pm)
I seem to have spent today ricocheting between Patterns and Revenge, but now I’m making my last visit to Patterns for this festival to see Hotline TNT. The band are from New York and are the brainchild of singer and guitarist Will Anderson, who writes and records all of their music. The band are a four piece with a very definite ‘college rock’ sound. Indeed, the guy behind me says: “It’s like being back in the nineties”. You’re not wrong there mate! There’s some impressive dual lead guitar between Will and the other guitarist, the improbably named Lucky Hunter. During the fourth song Will’s guitar loses all sound and has to be DI’d (directly injected) into the PA. At one point Will starts making bird shapes with his hands. I’m not sure whether these have any relevance of any kind, but they seem to keep him happy. The bulk of the set is fast and punchy. Will asks the crowd to sing along with one of the songs. Nobody seems to know it, but we sing along anyway. Will is a nice guy and he deserves at least that much. Drummer Mick Ralston shines throughout, but the band are not as explosive as their name suggests. They’re somewhat unspectacular but entertaining nonetheless. There are no song titles unfortunately, as Will doesn’t tell us what any of them are called. Maybe it’s a secret between him and the set list.
(Mark Kelly)
PARTY DOZEN – Chalk (7:15pm – 8:05pm)
Stepping up at short notice after Mary & The Junkyard’s cancellation, Sydney duo Party Dozen turned a potential lull into one of the weekend’s most electrifying moments. Their second set at Chalk was a storm of sound — saxophone squalls and thunderous drums colliding in glorious disorder. Kirsty Tickle’s looping sax lines spiralled through Jonathan Boulet’s relentless percussion, creating a feverish momentum that built and broke with thrilling precision. What began as a stopgap performance quickly transformed into a standout — proof that the festival’s most unforgettable sets sometimes come from the unexpected.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
RATBOYS – Revenge (6:45pm – 7:25pm)
Julia Steiner (vocals, guitar), David Sagan (guitar, backing vocals), Sean Neumann (bass, vocals) and Marcus Nuccio (drums) are collectively Ratboys, who they inform us are out of Illinois. They are plying their wares at a busy Revenge this evening. A constant drumming and strumming announce their presence, no wonder the opening tune is listed as ‘Noise’ on their setlist. If American indie rock is your bag, and judging by how packed it is here this evening, then for those present it truly is, they certainly aren’t ‘Singin’ To An Empty Chair’ which just so happens to be the name of their forthcoming album which is due to drop on 6th February. We get some tasters from this release in the form of ‘Anywhere’ (which actually for me was the highlight of their set) and ‘Penny In The Lake’. Their songs make you want to tap your feet, wiggle your hips and bob your head. Unfortunately mid-set there were technical difficulties with David’s guitar and/or amp, but once fixed, he certainly vented any anger out during the following track ‘Light Night Mountains All That’. After which Julia informs us that the next track, ‘Go Outside’, “Is a bit of a booty shaker”. In all honesty, it wasn’t and I preferred the previous tune. If The Beths came from Illinois and got a tad gritty this would be them. The band were very well received and Julia said that they would come back in May/June next year and added “Mark my words!”. I’m guessing this might be for The Great Escape then?
(Nick Linazasoro)
WINTER – Dust (7:05pm – 7:40pm)
Amidst the usual festival clamour, Winter’s performance at Dust brought a welcome change of pace, wrapping the room in a hushed, dream-leaning atmosphere. Soft guitar tones and delicate, almost whispered vocals drifted through the intimate venue, creating a profound sense of calm that stood in stark contrast to the festival’s louder, high-energy moments. Rather than relying on sonic power or volume, Winter built the set’s atmosphere through subtle, patient layers and slow-building swells that actively encouraged the audience to lean in and listen closely. The music demanded immersion, rewarding those who gave it their full attention. By the closing track, the space felt quietly transformed. Dust was held in a gentle, immersive glow—a temporary, meditative sanctuary shaped entirely by Winter’s delicate, compelling presence. It was a true moment of beauty and introspection amidst the sonic whirlwind.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
THE BUG CLUB – Patterns (7:40pm – 8:25pm)
The Bug Club are a band that have been on my need to see list for quite some time. I was gutted when I missed them at this year’s Great Escape Festival and the Resident in-store gig last August which was in support of their album ‘On The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System’, so today’s set was a must for me. The band are from Caldicot, South Wales, formed of the duo of Sam Willmett (guitar) and Tilly Harris (bass) they are complemented by Gavin Jenkins (drums). In the words of their Bandcamp bio “The Bug Club are a tight-knit, collaborative effort focussed on telling tales of the everyday that we often take for granted, shot through with humour and riffs-a-plenty.” I couldn’t agree more.
We were treated to a blistering 45 minute, 13 song set which took in ‘Soundcheck’, ‘Twirling In The Middle’, ‘Beep Boop Computers’, ‘Marriage’, ‘A Bit Like James Bond’, ‘Jealous Boy’, ‘We Don’t Care About That’, ‘Lonsdale Slipons’, ‘Better Than Good’, ‘How To Be A Confidante’, ‘Best Looking Strangers In The Cemetery’, ‘Blame Me’ and ‘Quality Pints’. The bulk of songs were from their two most recent albums ‘On The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System’ and 2025’s ‘Very Human Features’. The set was energetic to say the least, they had a lot more punkier sound than I had expected, some hints of The B52’s in there too. I loved the way Sam and Tilly always were making eye contact and smiling at each other, both having loads of fun. The dreaded bass amp of Patterns failed again just before the 30 minute mark, but thankfully a fix was found and the party continued. I love that the band keep things simple and raw, I didn’t spot any guitar pedals anywhere. The set closer ‘Quality Pints’ was a full on tune to send us home, fast and frantic, loved it.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
UPCHUCK – Revenge (7:55pm – 8:40pm)
It’s back to Revenge for Upchuck, who are a five piece punk band from Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I arrive early enough to catch their soundcheck. They attack it in the same way as if they were playing their gig. It’s one of the best soundchecks that I‘ve ever seen. The band’s material consists of shouty punk played at varying speeds. There’s loads of energy and commitment, but in truth there’s not a great deal of difference between many of the songs. Singer KT (Kaila Thompson) wears a Killswitch Engage T-shirt, which explains a lot. ‘Sense Yourself’ is fast and powerful, whilst ‘Freaky’ is a lot slower. For ‘Crossfire’ KT is in the crowd in a circular mosh pit. Drummer Chris Salado takes over on vocals whilst one of the guitarists stands in on drums. No-one can say that this band isn’t versatile. At one point KT disappears. I worry that the crowd may have eaten her. It is about dinner time. Nobody’s thrown any bones onstage however, which is a good sign. KT returns, thank goodness. It’s good in more than one way because Chris Salado, God bless ‘im, is not really a frontman. Upchuck’s material may not be the most varied in the world, but they’re a bloody ace live band!
(Mark Kelly)
ADULT DVD – Dust (8:10pm – 8:55pm)
I last saw Leeds based sextet Adult DVD at the end of August at the Volks venue as part of Brighton Psych Fest and back then the punters were sandwiched in like sardines, so much was the buzz. Tonight is exactly the same at Dust well before the unit are set to play, clearly the word is out and when you get the chance to catch them live for yourselves you will see exactly why! Tonight is their seventh time in Brighton and there’s three lots of electronics and keys action with this lot, as well as drums, bass, guitar and a tambourine and cowbell to boot. We get 9 tunes in their 45 minute slot, these being the slow and funky ‘Yacht Money’, the faster and more immediate‘7 Foot 1’, epic crowd pleaser ‘Dogs In The Sun’, the gritty-funky ‘Because I Like It’, the keyboard riffage of ‘Elevenerife’, the Factory Records chugging funk sounding ‘Doomsday Prepper’, the fast drummed and bleepy dance corker ‘Real Tree Lee’, their blinding ‘Do Something’, and the metronomic drummed and bleep laden ‘Bill Murray’, which is where the Happy Mondays meet AK/DK. In short….they absolutely nailed it!
(Nick Linazasoro)
DRY CLEANING – Chalk (8:40pm – 10:00pm)
I escape the Patterns / Revenge wormhole and manage to make it to Chalk for Dry Cleaning. I first saw Dry Cleaning fairly early on in their career, and it seems strange to think that they’re on the cusp of releasing their third album, ‘Secret Love’, which comes out in January. Since I last saw them they’ve acquired a touring musician who multitasks on keyboards and guitar, with a bit of percussion thrown in. He’s later introduced to us as Ted. Makes him sound like some kind of pet. Maybe he is. The set commences on familiar ground with ‘Strong Feelings’ from the band’s debut album ‘New Long Leg’. However, tonight there is more of a deep dive into their back catalogue than many people may have expected. ‘Jam After School’ from 2019’s ‘Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks’ EP trumpets its arrival with mangled post-punk chords and an angular guitar solo completely divorced from the blues scale.
During ‘Hot Penny Day’ from ‘Stumpwork’, guitarist Tom Dowse mugs along to the lyrics and at the end of the song is apparently not entirely happy with the level of applause given. Most interestingly though there are new songs, which I wasn’t expecting. ‘Evil Evil Idiot’ has a drum intro which is at least slightly influenced by Led Zeppelin’s ‘When The Levee Breaks’. Ted heads backstage for ‘Viking Hair’, another rarity from the ‘Boundary Road Snacks And Drinks’ EP. However, he’s back for ‘Don’t Press Me’ from ‘Stumpwork’. Another newbie from ‘Secret Love’ is ‘Joy’. Its intro is undeniably Stonesy, there’s no denying it. The guitar riff carries on through the whole song. Prior to ‘Driver’s Story’ from ‘Stumpwork,’ vocalist Florence Shaw said something about Bob Dylan that I don’t quite catch. It must be pretty derogatory though as Tom Dowse retorts: “You’re dissing my favourite man”. Naughty Florence!
Surprisingly the venue isn’t full tonight. I really thought it would be. ‘Hit My Head All Day’ is the trailer single for ‘Secret Love’, and very good it is too. However, there is a slight technical problem as the song begins. Florence beats a pad at the front of the stage that triggers a rhythm chant sample. However, it inexplicably flips over so they have to start the song again. The pad behaves itself at the second time of asking. The set ends with ‘Magic Of Meghan’, another rarity, this time from the ‘Sweet Princess’ EP which came out in 2018. It has a supple groove which is delivered superbly. I’d forgotten what a tight, vibrant band Dry Cleaning are. The venue’s curfew is drawing near so the band don’t leave the stage before starting the encore of ‘No Decent Shoes For Rain’ from ‘Stumpwork’ . Tonight’s set has been both utterly triumphant and incredibly interesting. I can’t wait for the release of the new album ‘Secret Love’, and hopefully its accompanying tour.
(Mark Kelly)
DITZ – Revenge (9:10pm – 10:00pm)
DITZ’s set at Revenge was one of Mutations Festival 2025’s most ferocious highlights. The Brighton noise-rock outfit turned the packed venue into chaos, with vocalist Cal Francis repeatedly diving into the crowd as the band tore through ‘Never Exhale’ album tracks like ‘Taxi Man’ and ‘God On A Speed Dial.’ Their industrial edge and pounding rhythms filled the room with controlled disorder, the intensity magnified by Revenge’s close, sweat-drenched space. Within the wider festival, DITZ captured the essence of Mutations—loud, fearless, and communal. Their performance felt less like a gig and more like a shared release: pure catharsis delivered at full volume.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
IST IST – The Hope & Ruin (9:10pm – 10:00pm)
Joy Division influenced Manchester band IST IST, were formed in 2014 and slowly grew a hardcore fan base through word of mouth and were able to sell out local venues early on. This led to national radio airplay and a well-attended UK tour. After EP releases in 2018 and 2019, they dropped their debut album in 2020. Since then, they’ve gone on to release three further studio albums and a live album and are set to release studio album number five in February of next year. All released material has been on their own label, Kind Violence Records.
They performed tonight in the headline slot at The Hope & Ruin in front of a good-sized, appreciative audience. I myself am a bit late to the IST IST party, having only discovered them a couple of months ago when they released ‘I Am The Fear’ (the first single off their upcoming album ‘Daggers’). This is the first song from tonight’s thirteen-song setlist. The set is made up of five songs from the upcoming album, four from 2024’s ‘Light A Bigger Fire’ album, a couple from 2023’s ‘Protagonists’ album, and the set closer ‘You’re Mine’ from their debut album ‘Architecture’. After the second song, ‘Something Else’, lead vocalist and guitarist Adam Houghton shows his appreciation for those that have come to watch. He says he wasn’t expecting so many as there are some good headliners playing at the other venues. The third song, ‘Something Has To Give’, is a standout with its thumping drumbeat and Hooky-esque bassline complementing Adam’s distinctive vocals.
Another notable track is the seventh song, ‘The Kiss’, while Adam tells us that the new song, ‘The Echo’, is off their next album, claiming it to be the best album in the world. He delivers this assertion with genuine enthusiasm but without arrogance. Prior to the band starting their set, it was noticeable that each band member was given half a dozen cans of beer each by their roadie. Adam hands a couple of these out to audience members after playing ‘Makes No Difference’, a pounding track from the upcoming album. There’s more Peter Hook-style playing from bassist Andy on ‘Repercussions’, and prior to the final track of the night, Andy offers more appreciation to the crowd. Guitarist and keyboard player Mat Peters uses a 12-string guitar on a couple of songs during the set. This stands out on the last track, ‘You’re Mine’. An impressive performance, although I had anticipated a more electronic sound. IST IST are back in Brighton on Saturday, 25th April, when they headline new venue ‘Quarters’ with support from The Youth Play.
(Ian Holman)
ADWAITH – The Prince Albert (10:00pm – 10:45pm)
The end of day one is coming to a close, I opt to squeeze in one last band before my train home, it’s a hard choice with what is on offer during this time slot, but Adwaith take the win and I’m going with my welsh roots. Adwaith are a Welsh language indie rock group from Carmarthen, they formed in 2015 and consist of Hollie Singer (vocals, Fender Jazzmaster guitar), Gwenllian Anthony (Fender Precision bass) and Heledd Owen (drums). It was actually drummer Heledd that made me choose to be here today, as I’ve seen her play many times with Prima Queen and it was at their Brighton gig back in May they first referenced Adwaith bringing them to my attention, so here I am, the stage is set, a Welsh flag is hanging from the microphone stand and the band make their way to stage.
The 45 minute, 12 song set drew heavily on songs from their album ‘Solas’, 9 songs to be precise, and hey did I say, they are all sung in Welsh. The set opened with the rousing ‘Planed’ which garnered plenty of cheers. Next came ‘Mwy’ and wow that bassline that had, God I loved that bass. Gwenllian started what must be her trademark dancing during this, she sure feels that bass and bounced, weaved and bobbed throughout the whole set with it, always smiling. ‘Heddiw/Yfory’ which means “today/tomorrow” was next, Hollie was now back on her guitar for this one, another excellent number. ‘Wyt Ti Ar Y Lein’ and ‘Teimlo’ followed, before Hollie switched sides of the stage to the bass guitar and Gwenllian took to the microphone to sing ‘Pelydr-X’, she performed quite the dance whilst singing, prompting many whoops and yeah’s from the crowd. The band really had a happy positive vibe about them which was infectious, they loved a chap in the crowd who shouted “more”, “yeah”, “wooo” throughout the set with Gwenllian commenting “I want to bring you to every gig we ever do, to shout yeah, you’re setting the vibe”
It was at this point they pointed out they had a merch table at the back being manned by Tom Gray from Gomez and we should go shop at the end. The set continued with ‘Coeden Anniben’, ‘Purdan’, ‘Y Ddawns’, and ‘Miliwn’. The final two songs were ‘ETO’, a love song, I really loved this. Hollie has such a beautiful voice. The closer was ‘Lan y Môr’, a good full on song with plenty of raging guitar, fast drums from Heledd and lots of flashing lights. Wow, what an end of the day this was, okay I don’t know Welsh so don’t know any of the words, but the vibe, the instrumentation, the camaraderie between the band members, you can see those ten years together really have paid dividends, everyone left that room after the set with a smile on their face, I made sure I bought the CD before leaving and next time they play in Brighton I’ll be there in a heartbeat.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
VLURE – Dust (10:05pm – 10:55pm)
It’s fair to say that I would become a multi-millionaire if I could somehow bottle all of the charged energy at a VLURE concert! They are always electrifying and euphoric and have the punters eating out of their hands. This outfit are Scottish and proud and comprise Hamish Hutcheson (lead vocals), Conor Goldie (guitars, synths, vocals), Niall Goldie (bass), Carlo Kriekaard (drums and presets) and Alex Pearson (synths, keys, bv’s). The Dust venue is obviously rammed and the punters are rewarded with additional lavish chunks of soundchecking prior to their set proper, for which they arrive to the sound of Clouds ‘Come With Me (On A Trip)’ and indeed we do!
VLURE kick off with ‘I Want It Euphoric’ and indeed that’s exactly what they get! Tune two sees us punters crouched down and bounce up again. For track three, ‘Heartbeat’, Hamish is amongst us whilst the synths scream from the stage, after which they unleash the banger that is ‘Feels Like Heaven’, followed by another in the form of ‘Show Me How to Live Again’ and the electronic dance anthems kept on coming at a fast rate of knots. Dust is full of jumping, sweaty souls, as Hamish preaches to us, and adds “Coming to see us means the world” and they launched into ‘This Is Not The End’ and indeed it wasn’t. The catchy keys intro led the way into their ‘Shattered Faith’ mega-anthem, which was amazingly eclipsed by the Scooter-ish ‘Between Dreams’ which I must say is one of the best songs that I’ve heard all year!. Not only has this been THE best Mutations performance for me, but it’s sitting within my Top 5 sets of the year…at the moment!
(Nick Linazasoro)
GOLOMB – The Hope & Ruin (10:30pm – 11:10pm)
Golomb are a three-piece rock band from Columbus, Ohio, formed in 2019. They consist of married couple Mickey Shuman (guitar/vocals) and Xenia Shuman (bass/vocals), and Xenia’s brother, Hawken Holm (drums). They are known for their Midwest friction sound, creating an eclectic mix of sounds, fusing fuzz-drenched noise-pop, psych-rock, and power pop. They’ve released two albums to date: a self-titled debut in 2022 and a follow-up titled ‘The Beat Goes On’, released in July of this year. Tonight’s nine-song setlist includes five songs from the latest album but none from their debut. They managed to set up their equipment quickly and are eager to begin their performance. They consider whether to start early and play the first song again at the end of their set for those arriving late who miss it the first time. Ultimately, they decide against this. They tell us it’s their first time in the UK and they are pleased to be here.
They start off with ‘The Beat Goes On’, it’s the opening song off their new album, and for this, Hawken has placed a tambourine on top of one of his drums. It’s a great song with driving guitar, and it’s a shame we don’t get to hear it a second time. ‘Staring’ follows this with the mid-twenties guitar-playing couple both providing vocals. It ends with some screeching guitar and pedal effects, before transitioning into the opening track from their 2024 ‘Love’ EP, ‘Sixth Sense’. The song begins with some soft vocals, then builds with heavy use of the drum kit and lead guitar, then slows right down again with further softly spoken vocals from Mickey and Xenia. Hawken then mentions that they played in a small town called Ipswich yesterday and inquires if anyone is familiar with the town. He states that even some of the locals were unfamiliar with it. He then tells us that their Greek food is dodgy. Another song taken from the ‘Love’ EP is next. This is ‘Take My Life’. A quick-fire, heavy-sounding track with Sonic Youth-like vocals. Mickey tells us that they are staying in a swanky hotel. Someone towards the back of the crowd asks what it’s called. He reveals it’s The Langford. They say they feel like they should be doing bad stuff in the hotel room. ‘Play Music’ is very melodic, while the 2023 single ‘71’ is about Interstate 71, which runs through their home city. The final track of the set is again reminiscent of Sonic Youth. It’s ‘Real Power’ and is one of the standout tracks from their new long-player. An excellent set full of raw energy, and I’m really hoping they return to Brighton sometime in the future as I would like to see them again.
(Ian Holman)
THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE – The Hope & Ruin (11:40pm – 12:20am)
Having just witnessed THE set of Mutations in the form of VLURE, I was beginning to feel a tad sorry for the next act on my rota, this being London based post-punk quartet The Sick Man Of Europe, who I haven’t seen before, but they have come highly recommended. I need not have worried, as this new discovery was almost as fabulous! The male quartet are all clad in black this evening and successfully blended electronic and industrial sounds across their 40 minute set. We were served a mere handful of tracks: ‘Sanguine’, ‘Obsolete’, ‘Apathy’, ‘Profane Not Profound’ and ‘Transactional’. Four of these being found on their debut self-titled album which dropped in June.
Opener ‘Sanguine’ has a slow teasing intro with the vocal delivery slower than the beat. Ian Curtis springs to mind and musically it’s akin to Joy Division especially the drumming. The vocalist spends just as much time in the crowd as on stage, which adds to the excitement of the set. ‘Obsolete’ has a metronomic beat and it’s like a mashup of the sounds of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, DAF and Moon Duo. ‘Apathy’ is yet to be released hypnotic tune which benefits from the repeated “Don’t believe in anything” lyrics as well as deep bass synth notes. ‘Profane Not Profound’ has another wonderful electronic beat and the drummer utilizes stix with buds on the end for more atmosphere. They segue straight into the German krautrock ‘Transactional’, until the power on the laptop cuts out. But they still managed to sign off in a frenzy. They too absolutely nailed it! A must see band who will be returning this way in January as part of Lewes Psych Fest.
(Nick Linazasoro)
You can read the copy of this year’s Mutations programme HERE.
‘Mutations’ is set to return next year and the dates for your dairies are Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th October. Early bird tickets for ‘Mutations’ 2026 are on sale now and are available to purchase HERE.
READ OUR PART TWO REVIEWS HERE.
