music
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Hands of the Heron at The Brunswick, Brighton
A quiet midweek gig and a scoping out of a venue for future plotting of things. That’s uncharacteristically vague, sorry, let me start again: I’m looking for somewhere to put on a regular Brighton folk club. Monthly first, preferably, and then once every couple of weeks if we find an audience for it. I’ve been Read more
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The Threechurches take Shoreham
A lovely gig at a friendly open mic in Shoreham. The Welly is a pub that quite clearly plays a crucial role in the town’s music ecosystem – here you find local teens (underage, but allowed to play), wizened singer-songwriter hobos, and a backbone of regulars who add percussion, piano, and even flute to anyone Read more
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This Machine Kills Wasps with Lachlan Werner, Charlie Vero-Martin, Leslie Bloom, JoJo Maberly, Queen Mab and The Highchurches
I struggle the day after shows. After the high, and the interacting with many wonderful people, comes the low, and the barely being able to get out of bed or leave the flat. I finally made it out just after seven pm yesterday evening, and something very lovely indeed happened. I walked straight into Queen Read more
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The Highchurches at The Court, Sweet @ The Yellow Book, Brighton
Our fifth gig as a four piece, and our third venturing beyond our spiritual and (kind of) actual home of The Folklore Rooms. The Court is a monthly celebration of folklore, produced by the marvellous Hattie Snooks and JD Henshaw. This was an imbolc special, for which we were treated to tales of the Celtic Read more
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This Machine Kills Wasps with MJ Hibbett, The Highchurches, Jo Burke, Shelf, Selena Mersey, and Mikey Bligh Smith
I arrive early, and the sound guy is already there. Conveniently, his name is Guy. Guy, the sound guy. Sound guy Guy. Guy Guy sound. He is friendly, and Australian. We have a nice chat, and as he sets up the stage, I learn his interest in experimental rock, music theory, and production. This is Read more
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‘I am basically Taylor Swift with Cheaper Trousers’: an interview with MJ Hibbett
Note: this interview first appeared in my newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. Indiepop legend and writer of some of the most life-affirming songs, well, EVER, Mark “MJ” Hibbett, is headlining my show This Machine Kills Wasps on Thursday 8th Feb at the lovely Folklore Rooms in Brighton. To celebrate this FACT I got Read more
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Jim Bob review: Chalk, Brighton 19th November 2023
Jim Bob, former Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine frontman and professional rabble rouser, is on stage in sunglasses and a particularly sparkly jacket. This is a rearranged gig from the summer, postponed when the hotel next to the venue burned down just before showtime. The singer addresses the walrus in the room. “We were gonna Read more
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The Ballad of Ms Doris Wu
I’ve written another demo. This one has actual lyrics and everything, which I shall post below to help me remember what they are. As always, I only really have one means of writing lyrics: utter stream of consciousness. Let it all hang out, I say. It’s been a while since I published an album of Read more
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Brighton Folk Choir at Oldland Windmill; walking back via Ditchling and the South Downs
Our second Bank Holiday gig in a row: this time at a 300 year old windmill, near Hassocks, a village that arrived 150 years later with the railway. The mill is in full working order, as I discovered when I saw flour from it for sale in the local Budgens nee the station. From here Read more
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