PLAYING ALICE + SECOND IDOL + LILITH LEFT THE GARDEN + BULLSHIT BOY + WREX – THE PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 6.9.26
The Prince Albert is a favourite venue of the team. Many of us have been visiting the venue since we first started going to see live music in our late teens. A few of us have also put on events or played on the stage. In short, it is dear to our collective hearts.
Easy to get to, and literally a stones throw from Brighton Railway Station, and easily accessible via bus, taxi or on foot, it also happens to have one of the best music bookers in Brighton.
Loud Women have been putting more women on more stages since 2015, creating opportunities for artists from around the world to tour, collaborate and build connections through grassroots music.
To that end, Loud Women have organised a special afternoon event here at The Prince Albert featuring five bands from far flung parts of the world including Aruba, Australia, the Netherlands, Hamburg, Sydney, Horsham and of course Brighton. We simply had to go along and check out the bands!
Right then, let’s get down to business and let you know what happened….
WREX (from 1:30pm)
Their name belies the professionalism of this act when seen live. They do not ‘wreck’ a stage in literal terms, though maybe sonically? Mae Seaton may be the lead on paper, and most of the tracks, but it is when paired with George Donoghue on joint vocals that the band really shine.
Not content to remain stage bound, both vocalists utilised the whole of the venue, taking to the dance floor at the earliest opportunity possible. It is increasingly common to see artists treat a venue as a complete stage, but this was a confident ownership of not only the venue space, but the audience within it. They not only rose to the occasion but also bonded entirely with the audience. If you like your alt-rock stadium ready, with an edge of electronica this is your band!
Stand out tracks were, ‘111’, from 2026’s ‘Sadworld’ EP, ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ and ‘Take A Walk’ from 2026’s ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ EP. To say their performance was ‘frenetic’ and ‘high energy’, would be a major understatement! You’re going to see them at a stadium near you very soon. In the meantime, make sure you see them live while you can still afford to.
Wrex:
Mae Seaton – vocals
George Donoghue – guitar, vocals
Tom Stevens – guitar, backing vocals
Greg Walton – drums
Wrex setlist:
‘S.A.D.’ (from 2026 ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ EP)
‘Consume’ (from 2026 ‘Sadworld’ EP)
‘111’ (from 2026 ‘Sadworld’ EP)
‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ (from 2026 ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ EP)
‘Heaven’s Gate’ (from 2026 ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ EP)
‘Take A Walk’ (from 2026 ‘This Hell Goes A Long Way Down’ EP)
‘Paradise’ (from 2022 ‘Paradise’ EP)
BULLSHIT BOY (from 2:15pm)
Should you imagine a punk trio from Hamburg Germany, you would conjure up Bullshit Boy in your frontal cortex. However, even then you may not get a close to the reality of the trio. Lead vocalist Sabine embodies exactly what you want from a punk-rock indie outfit front woman. A profusion of colour, personality and attitude packaged in Hamburg, alternating between smiling and snarling into the microphone delivered to us via a skin of the teeth flight, strutting, screaming and belting it out to us on the Albert’s stage. Perfectly in tune with her fellow bandmates with whom it was clear had been playing together for a long while.
Stopping halfway to attend to her aging guitar, Sabine apologised profusely explaining that it would lose its sound halfway through a set, as it had done on the afternoon at the Albert. Bassist Silvie took charge, addressing the audience directly, the segue was seamless. The set was classic Queer-punk rock. Courtney Love was name checked in the opening track ‘Love Bomb’. I mean what self-respecting indie-punk rock singer does not want to emulate her?! I know I do. This band knew who their audience was and they more than satisfied us.
From the opening bars of ‘Love Bomb’ to the closing bars of their amazing cover of the X-Ray Spex classic ‘Identity’ it was sheer unadulterated punk rock JOY. I cannot wait to see them again, and it might just be the excuse I have been looking for to head to Hamburg. I hope they come back to the UK VERY very soon!
Bullshit Boy:
Sabine – guitar, vocals
Silvie – bass
Carsten – drums
Bullshit Boy setlist:
‘Love Bomb’ (from 2021 ‘Bullshit Boy’ EP)
‘Just Don’t Want To Be’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘World Is On Fire’ (from 2021 ‘Bullshit Boy’ EP)
‘The Pressure Is On’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘You Suck’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘Run’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘Fun Girl’ (unreleased)
‘Langweilig’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘Bullshit Boy’ from 2021 ‘Bullshit Boy’ EP)
‘Too Much Ganja’ (from 2024 ‘Bullshit Boy II’ album)
‘Identity’ (X-Ray Spex cover)
LILITH LEFT THE GARDEN (from 3pm)
The band are based in The Hague, in the Netherlands, yes THAT Hague. Their lead vocalist Lily Clarisa originally comes from Aruba, where? It is an island constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea 29 kilometres north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and 80 kilometres north-west of Curaçao, since you asked.
Now you can picture geographically where Aruba is, or not, you will recognise why Lily had proudly hung their flag from the front of the stage. If that still means nothing to you, do not worry, the performance and music the band makes is damn fine. Bringing their own unique version of ‘Dance-punk’ Lily’s performing chops are formidable, she knows how to own a room, and her band’s support her every move. Then there are her vocals, this is no ordinary singer, she can belt it out better than most.
A showcase for their new 2026 album ‘Kindred Spirits’ the set opened with the eponymous track. From there on in it was clear we were seeing something special. Again, like all the bands on the bill this band were so tight you could not get a rizla between them. With flawless gang-vocals delivered by the rest of the band throughout the track it was clear this band is close knit.
Lily described her band mates as follows: “Our guitarist Conor Kelly backing vocals, my right-hand partner extraordinaire, we would have all gotten super lost without him.’ Stan Schram, our drummer, a ‘the sweetest drummer I’ve ever met’ and last but certainly not least, Koen van Leeuwen-bassist, ‘What CAN’T he play??!’ An absolute pleasure to deal with throughout writing this Lily Clarisa self describes as a ‘singer-songwriter loud front woman (award-winning poet, Master of the Arts, dudette of all trades.”
Standout tracks from a flawless set were, ‘Kindred Spirits’, ‘Cigarettes After Sex’ and ‘Bullet’.
Lilith Left The Garden:
Lily Clarisa – lead vocals
Conor Kelly – guitar, backing vocals
Stan Schrama – drums
Koen van Leeuwen – bass
Lilith Left The Garden setlist:
‘Kindred Spirits’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Twisted Feeling’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Sertralineness Summers’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Cigarettes After Sex’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Girl’s Pretty’ (from ‘LOUD WOMEN volume 7’ compilation album)
‘Grackle Grackle’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Bullet’ (unreleased)
‘Drop Dead’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
‘Drop Dead’ (from 2026 ‘Kindred Spirits’ album)
www.instagram.com/lilithleftthegarden
SECOND IDOL (from 3:45pm)
Second Idol are a rare thing, blending a feel of Placebo at their height with a smattering of early Radiohead and a sprinkling of N.I.N. The first track ‘White Noise’ (from 2021’s ‘Defence Mechanisms’ EP) had the feel of The Cult in the opening bars. Second tune ‘Silicone Maggot’ from 2025’s ‘Mongrel’ album, which made up the bulk of the middle section of their live set on the day, was dripping with Moloko’s influence in stance sound and vox delivery.
Much as I love early Placebo, the last time I saw them live the set was far too over produced and lacked the grit and dirt of the earlier years. So, to find that grit unexpectedly delivered to me by a band based in Sydney was a revelation. I have never wanted to return to Australia since I took a three-month visit there. The sheer power of Second Idol amongst other things was that they reawakened the desire to head back immediately and really dive into the music scene there. Standout tracks from the set were ‘Silicone Maggot’, ‘Postcolonial Blues’, and final track ‘Third Culture Kids’ which I cannot stop listening to.
The entire band were phenomenal to speak to and deal with on the day while writing this review. I spoke briefly to all the band members including Kate Farquharson who informed us that “We managed to head out for a wander in Brighton and are now back in London for a few days playing tourist before we head home. It’s been an incredible tour. We’re actually based out of Sydney! We have a great, passionate scene at home.”
Bassist Ruby Sutherland informed us that she was pleased to be in the UK and play at the Albert. Let’s then hope that they will all be heading back to these shores in the future, otherwise I might just be tempted to head on off to Oz at the earliest opportunity.
Second Idol:
Kate Farquharson – vocals, guitar
Afeef Iqbal – drums
Sunny Josan – guitar
Ruby Sutherland – bass
Second Idol setlist:
‘White Noise’ (from 2021 ‘Defence Mechanisms’ EP)
‘Silicone Maggot’ (from 2025 ‘Mongrel’ album)
‘Postcolonial Blues’ (from 2025 ‘Mongrel’ album)
‘Spineless Wonder’s (from 2025 ‘Mongrel’ album)
‘Dear X’ (a 2022 single)
‘Boxing Ring’ (from 2025 ‘Mongrel’ album)
‘Third Culture Kids’ (from 2025 ‘Mongrel’ album)
PLAYING ALICE (from 4:30pm)
Where to start with Rai Rai? She is quite simply a phenomenal talent, being everywhere and doing everything all at once. Not only was she fronting the headliner, but she was also organising the event. She also manages to front other bands as well! I honestly do not know anyone doing as much as she does at the same time who can remain as enthused and joyful about the whole shebang, apart from Cassie Fox the main organiser and instigator of Loud Women. Rai Rai is a delight to deal with.
I’ve seen and reviewed several of the outfits Rai Rai fronts as a singer at a variety of venues including Daltons and the Albert. Playing Alice’s main influences are the band ‘Gossip’ and their lead vocalist, Beth Ditto; the latter of which I have also seen many times, including at Brighton Pride. If Rai Rai and the rest of the band, Hazel (guitar), Kerry (bass) and Travis (drums) are aiming to emulate Gossip I will say here and now they have achieved it. Their cover of the ‘classic’ Gossip track ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ more than confirmed that they are certainly ready to move to the next level.
Rai Rai hurtles around the floor space like a grinning whirly-gig ‘belting out’ the entire set without over egging it. Since I first saw her perform live with Playing Alice and other outfits she has gone from strength to strength. Stand out tracks were ‘Boy’, ‘My Box’, their phenomenal cover of ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’, and ‘Monogamy’. Ms Ditto if you are reading by some fortuitous sequence of events, book Playing Alice as your next support act ASAP.
Bookending the afternoon with the moves from Wrex (stylized as WREX) which had kicked off the day, right through to now with Rai Rai of Playing Alice utilizing the whole of the venue, it certainly has been a thrilling event to have witnessed!
Playing Alice setlist:
Rai Rai – vocals
Hazel – guitar
Kerry – bass
Travis – drums
Playing Alice setlist:
‘Boy’
‘Washing Up’
‘Eve’
‘My Box’
‘Standing In The Way Of Control’ (a Gossip cover)
‘Two Words’
‘Monogamy’
