A dozen acts for just £12 has to be one of the bargains of the year, especially given the scramble and jettisoning of an arm and leg to see many bands in an age of liveflation.
In an all-wheat-no-chaff move the organisers, Brighton label Goo Records, had assembled 12 excellent indie and alternative act from the seaside city and further afield, across two floors at this central venue near to the railway station.
The day started with up-and-coming local psyche rock act Flavours. This four piece tore through a well worked set including their singles Ground Up and Still Heavy. An act to keep an eye on.
Flavours
Another early act to excel was Manchester duo All Girls Arson Club from Manchester. Dressed like Enid Blyton characters, the comparisons with George, Anne and co end there as they put in a decent indie pop set featuring tracks from their Dark Fruits mini album and Don’t Laugh (I Love You).
All Girls Arson Club
Among my favourites of the afternoon acts was Glasgow’s Homework, who quite simply are Teenage Fanclub and Pavement fans next new favourite band. Latest single Billy is among their tracks to check out.
Homework
The Mink were another new favourite band, this time for King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard aficionados. Full of 1960s pop and rock influences, complete with flautist and sumptuous red vox guitar, they were a quite simply a wonder.
Upstairs acts at the venue acts included Telecom, another to channel the `1960s and to sport a fine Vox. The ghost of Vox player Brian Jones must surely be smiling down on these acts.
Telecom
A real treat into the evening was a rare live set from Brighton singer songwriter Chris T-T, who at the age of 50 took in tracks from his more than 25 career an airing, including The Huntsman Comes A Marchin’ and Giraffes.
Gemma Rogers, who impressed at the Glastonbury Festival this year, was also on excellent form. Even with a guitarist and programmer rather than full band her punk pop tracks such as Molly_1989 show she has real star quality. Please do see her live, you won’t be disappointed. Lots of fun.
Gemma Rogers
New York four-piece Mary Shelley were a justified headliner. They describe themselves as a “punk band that sounds like The Clash went to a Devo dance party” and its hard to better that as a description. Costumes are part of their act and tonight’s fashion show was hospital gowns and uniforms. Throughout the set they swapped instruments and took turns on lead vocals, with guitarist/bassist Sam Pinson particularly impressing. Bourgeois de Ville and Bloodhounds are among singles to check out.
Mary Shelley
All this for the price of two pints, well perhaps not in Brighton, and there are other acts I missed too on the day. Just think of that next time you are stuck in an online queue for overpriced tickets for a heritage rock act.
Words and pictures Joe Lepper
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