SPLIT DOGS + FRENCH TOAST + LEIBNIZ – GREEN DOOR STORE, BRIGHTON 2.4.26
It’s been a while since Weston-Super-Mare’s finest played on these Sussex shores, but when they do venture this way, a big buzz is always generated. The last time I saw Split Dogs perform around these parts was at ‘Bright N Sleazy Festival’ at ‘Daltons‘ (on the seafront). I can safely report that they most definitely delivered the goods on that hot summer’s day. They also recently supported ‘Gogol Bordello’ on their most recent UK jaunt – Review HERE.
This particular ‘Boogie Till You Puke’ tour has been partly set up to promote the band’s upcoming new album, ‘Nice N Rough’ (out on September 25th). It was now time to assume our positions, at the dawn of this Bank Holiday weekend. It was time to get ourselves ready to rock at Brighton’s Green Door Store.
The opening band tonight was a new one to me. ‘Leibniz‘ are a self-described “grunge-core” band from Brighton, and the room was already busy by the time the band took to the stage. We hurried away from the bar and speedily placed ourselves towards the front of the stage in order to get a better look. It was soon evident that they were much more than their grunge tag would normally allow. Down-tuned heaviness was the order of the day, and the crowd were loving it. They even incorporated some post-punk/gothic guitar lines into some of the songs, which was really effective.
Leibniz are also commendably trans positive (their singer/guitarist is from the trans community), and it’s not often you see a crowd member cartwheel through a mosh pit. This band were really very good, and you would wonder how anyone could follow them, until…….
Leibniz:
Erin Munn – guitar, vocals
Elisha McKay – drums
Kris Floate – bass
Leibniz setlist:
‘Lifetime Patient’ (from 2025 ‘Promo’ cassette & 2024 ‘Lifetime Patient’ EP)
‘Self-Congratulatory’ (unreleased)
‘Defend, Deny, Depose’ (from 2025 ‘Promo’ cassette)
‘Sadomasochistic’ (unreleased)
‘Boys Club’ (from 2025 ‘Promo’ cassette)
‘Marijuana’ (from 2024 ‘Lifetime Patient’ EP)
‘Shut Up The World’ (from 2025 ‘Promo’ cassette & 2024 ‘Lifetime Patient’ EP)
The main support for tonight was London-based band, ‘French Toast‘ who are currently making waves on the live circuit, with their own brand of feminist indie-punk rock. They have at least two albums under their belts and I do believe they recently played the city’s ‘Prince Albert‘ venue a few months back, as part of a ‘Loud Women’ event, as well as playing at The Font on Union Street in The Laines on 15th May as part of last year’s ‘The Brighton Rock‘N’Roll Circus’ Unofficial Escape event – Review included in HERE.
Tonight they started their set very noisily, completed by a front person clad in a sequinned dress, who promptly jumped into the unsuspecting, but very welcoming crowd. By song two, the female singer got rather soulful in the vocal department, hitting some impossible notes in the process. Their song ‘Lonely’ lulled us into a false sense of security all of a sudden. The band then headed into a theatrical punk odyssey that was reminiscent of ‘Pussy Riot’ in its delivery. This stuff was political, and I was really energised by it.
Shortly afterward, the band joined the audience at the front, running through the mosh pit, all in the name of ‘love’. Words can’t fully describe the moment unless you were there, but ‘Epstein Island’ and ‘Bomb Pedos’ on the band’s placards, projected in volume the message they were putting across. The band had their own balaclava- clad dancers/performers with them, and before we knew it, the singer joined them in wearing nothing more than red gaffa tape on their particulars. It was all gloriously chaotically anarchic, and I’m now a fully paid-up member of the ‘French Toast’ club.
There seem to be a lot of great bands coming out of the LGBTQI+ and feminist alternative scene at the moment, and ‘French Toast’ are another one to add to that list. Their music and performance felt vital and exciting in its unpredictability, and I absolutely loved it. But, who the hell could follow this, I thought, until…
French Toast:
Lyly Riott – vocals
Lydia Lou Scott – keys
Falko Tillman – bass
Bryan Medina – guitar
Sam Higham – drums
Paddy Smith – performer/dancer
Ella Payne – performer/dancer
French Toast setlist:
‘Jelly On Toast’ (unreleased)
‘Lonely’ (unreleased)
‘Guns And violence’ (unreleased)
‘Bills’ (unreleased)
‘Die Crack’ (unreleased)
‘Heartbeat’ (unreleased)
‘Chaos’ (a 2026 single)
linktr.ee/french.toast.band.uk
The Bristol region has always produced quality punk rock, and now you can add ‘Split Dogs‘ to that roster. Fronted by the formidable Harry, and bolstered by a tight unit of guitar, bass and drums, this band make for an impressive rock ‘n’ rolling proposition. Tonight’s gig was sold out and ‘Split Dogs’ are surely destined for big things. Mind you, they have already had the fortune of supporting Iggy Pop on one occasion, so things are looking up. They are also a band that has a unique crossover appeal to many age groups and punk rock denominations.
The room was packed, and by the time the band took to the stage (and with a swift “Hello Brighton!” from the guitarist), the garage-punk onslaught commenced.
‘Tear Down The House’ is a catchy number from the band’s self-titled debut album, and it certainly got the room nodding. ‘Rock N Roll Business’ is a new single from the band’s upcoming album, and it’s a total rocker in the ‘Dr Feelgood’ sense of the word. If you have a spare five minutes, check out the promo video of this song. It’s got a gangland theme and it’s a total hoot. ‘Gutterball’ is another early tune that got an airing, which has got an old school punk rock sound and an infectious melody.
‘Precious Stones’ is from the band’s second album (‘Here To Destroy’) and by this point, the band were flying. This song has almost got a ‘Dead Kennedys’ type guitar line, and that’s okay with me. The crowd were packed up tight to the front of the stage as Harry rewarded them with her rendition of ‘Prison Bitch’. This song has a slower intro, but builds up to a satisfying and rabid climax. “C’mon prison bitch….Lick my tail!” indeed. ‘Born Too Loose’ was from the new up and coming album, ‘Nice N Rough’, which was followed by the classic ‘Monster Truck’, which is always sure to get the party started.
‘Leave It Alone’ was another new song, proving the band has still got the chops. Tonight’s set was sadly coming to an end, but not before they played ‘Lafayette’, which is the best punk rock song you are ever going to hear about Northern Soul. A great song, and one of my favourites. They finished their set with some good ‘ole dirty rock ‘n’ roll in the form of ‘And What’, which left the happy crowd dripping in almost as much sweat as the band were emitting. We were treated to a two-song encore in the form of ‘All In’ and ‘Punch Drunk’, which is how we all felt after experiencing this highly energised punk rock gig.
‘Split Dogs’ are on fire at the moment, and Harry’s energetic performance is something else. She literally doesn’t sit still for a second, as she uses every inch of that stage (and dancefloor, come to that).
Harry and the gang dished out a heavy rock ‘n’ rolling set of songs, of almost smackdown proportions. Those quickfire songs had us all in a headlock and refused to let go. All I can say is, roll on next time, punk rock grapple fans!
Split Dogs:
Harry Atkins – vocals
Mil Martinez – guitar
Suez Boyle – bass
Chris Hugall – drums
Split Dogs setlist:
‘Meg’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Tear Down The House’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
‘Big Fred’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Business’ (a 2026 single)
‘Feeder’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
‘Stay Tuned’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Gutterball’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
‘Precious Stones’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Prison Bitch’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
‘Born 2 Loose’ (from forthcoming 2026 ‘Nice N Rough’ album)
‘Monster Truck’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Leave It Alone’ (from forthcoming 2026 ‘Nice N Rough’ album)
‘Be A Sport’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Be Somebody’ (from forthcoming 2026 ‘Nice N Rough’ album)
‘Lafayette’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘And What’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘All In’ (from 2025 ‘Here To Destroy’ album)
‘Punch Drunk’ (from 2023 ‘Split Dogs’ album)
