VARIOUS ARTISTS – ‘HOMEGROWN FESTIVAL’, VARIOUS VENUES, BRIGHTON 12.4.25
After the tremendous success of Brighton’s ‘Homegrown Festival’ last year, which featured 51 acts across a half dozen Brighton grassroots venues (Review HERE), if was inevitable that the one day festival organised by Music Venues Alliance Brighton and celebrating our homegrown talent would be returning this year. Such was the success that this year’s event, which took place on Saturday 12th April, featured an impressive 68 acts, which is 17 more artists than the 2024 festival. The participating venues also grew from 6 to 8, these being Green Door Store (7 sets), The Prince Albert (9 sets), The Hope & Ruin (11 sets), The Rossi Bar (11 sets), The Folklore Rooms (9 sets), The Pipeline (8 sets), Revenge (5 sets) and Daltons (8 sets).
The acts were announced in three waves in order to increase fan excitement and there were also two secret sets which were only revealed a few hours before the ‘Homegrown Festival’ was due to start. The line-up showcased the wealth of talent and eclectic mix of genres our city has to offer. Ranging from established touring artists to brand new artists making an impact in the music community, the festival literally had something for everyone. We endeavoured to cover as many of the ‘Homegrown Festival’ acts as humanly possible, and so without further ado here are our accounts of those that we saw, which are shown in performance order with estimated set lengths:
The Rossi Bar 2:45pm – 3:15pm
The first act on stage at this year’s ‘Homegrown Festival’ are three-piece Brighton outfit Rizzas, who are playing in the basement room of The Rossi Bar on Queens Road. They comprise Arthur Coates (guitar/vocals), Kacie Smeeth (bass/vocals) and Elliot Johnston (drums). It’s quite a busy day for this raw DIY trio as later on they will be heading off to Chalk and will be performing as openers for the Lambrini Girls (Review HERE). Rizzas have been together for a couple of years and have been gigging around Brighton during the past year. Thus far they have released three singles ‘Dirty Dennis’, ‘Bank Account Blues’/’Prince Harming’ and ‘Nitrous’ which dropped on 10th April. They have also finished recording their debut EP which they are aiming to release in the summer and fans will be keen to learn that they are currently writing and recording new music. This afternoon the punters are rewarded with an 11 song set which commences with their ‘Bank Account Blues’ and ‘Prince Harming’ single. It’s authentic garage punk all the way with this trio and they aren’t frightened to give some pure classics a go either. They ably deliver Vince Taylor and his Playboys ‘Brand New Cadillac’ which most will know from the terrific ‘London Calling’ album by The Clash, and they close their set with The Trashmen’s ‘Surfin Bird’, which arguably was the best regular live favourite of the Ramones. Keeping the surfin’ theme going, Rizzas even have a go at The Beach Boys ‘Surfin USA’. It’s fair to say that Rizza’s set was littered with speedy tempos, shouting vocals, and gritty, distorted guitar riffs.
(Nick Linazasoro)
THE DANIEL WAKEFORD EXPERIENCE (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
Green Door Store 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Kicking off this afternoon’s live action at the Green Door Store are The Daniel Wakeford Experience fronted by lead singer Daniel Wakeford (of course) who might be better known to many as a frequent star of Channel 4’s series ‘The Undateables’. Daniel, who is learning disabled with autism, has been performing for nearly ten years now with his live band consisting of guitar, bass, drums and keys. Opener ‘It’s A Wonderful City’ lays down a marker, being an infectious ode to our great city of Brighton & Hove. Next up is the catchily titled ‘DVDs Are Not Very Full Yet At Home (Part 1)’ which highlights Daniel’s songwriting strengths, drawing on his passions in an enthusiastic and light-hearted manner. The epitome of this can be found in ‘Rollercoasters On Theme Parks’ which sees Daniel raising his arms aloft as if riding a rollercoaster while he reels off a list of his favourite theme parks. Don’t be fooled into seeing this as some kind of novelty act however, songs like ‘The Black Of Lonely’ give Daniel the opportunity to really stretch his vocals, whilst ‘New York City’ is full of energy and shows that Daniel can really command an audience. The eight-song set is probably best summed up by ‘I’m A Rock Popstar’ which is exactly what he is – a hugely entertaining and inspiring performer who starts the festival off with some seriously good vibes.
(Phil Newton)
The Folklore Rooms 3:30pm – 4:00pm
Homegrown Festival starts for me with Magda at The Folklore Rooms. I have an idea of what to expect from them as I’ve been able to listen to them on Spotify. Apart from that they seem to have zero internet presence. Still, I liked what I heard and that’s why I’m here. There are a lot of influences at work within their music which makes them really interesting. Their music is inventive post-punk with a touch of added psychedelia and a bit of goth thrown in. Vocals are spoke-sung, and occasionally shouted, but in a restrained kind of way. A couple of times the bassist / singer sounds as if he has inhaled helium (he hasn’t). I’m not sure whether this is intentional, but it suits the songs! They do a couple of new songs – so new that they haven’t got titles yet. The singer seems to have a fixation with numbers. At one point he tells us that we’re 3/7ths of the way through the set. Could this possibly be math rock??? It isn’t. They play their first song, ‘Sick With It’. It sounds impressively mature for a first song. Their final song is introduced as “the last bit”. It has a pretty and delicate intro, which in no way represents what the rest of the song is like. I like that!! There’s a mid-song tempo change with some nice fast guitar soloing, then it slows down again. There are some definite elements of prog here, and the song is a mini epic, if such a thing is possible. Magda have provided a most intriguing start to my day. I’d like to hear more.
www.instagram.com/magda_rockband
(Mark Kelly)
REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Prince Albert 3:30pm – 4:00pm
Really Big Really Clever were the first performance of the day at The Prince Albert and my first of the festival. This was the first time I had seen them perform. They were formed in 2022 by Jared Tomkins and Jordan Lilford following the split of their previous band Gender Roles. Sam Perkins (drums) and Chris Childs (bass) make up the four-piece line-up. They didn’t take long before releasing their self-titled debut album in December 2023, which contains ten tracks and lasts just 19 minutes. Knowing this before the band took to the stage, I was prepared for some frantic rock action, so I wondered if I was watching the right band when the opening two tracks lasted almost ten minutes. They then raced through another seven songs to fill their half-hour slot. Before they launched into the first song, lead vocalist Jared welcomed the packed audience with “How’s it going? It’s Homegrown! It’s Saturday!” to cheers from the onlookers. As the set went on, it was clear to me that grunge played a significant influence on what was being performed, with hints of punk thrown in as well. There was plenty of head-banging going on down the front, with the fifth song of the set, ‘Answer Me’, being a particular crowd favourite. Before the set finished, Jared remarked “It’s a bloody good festival” and showed appreciation to those involved in setting it up and running it. The set consisted of a mix of songs from their debut album and ones that are due to feature on the second album, which is expected to be released later in the year.
(Ian Holman)
Green Door Store 4:00pm – 4:30pm
I’ve been championing Coco and The Lost to anyone who will listen for the last couple of years, for me they’re one of the most exciting bands currently on the local scene. This afternoon Coco (vocals) backed by Dean (guitar) and Connor (drums) are playing to a packed room at their favourite venue, the Green Door Store. Kicking off with ‘Communicator’ the title track from last year’s EP release. The band quickly have the audience under their spell with their mix of indie-pop sounds and Coco’s vocals which at times remind me of Louise Wener from Sleeper. Coco is a natural performer who owns the stage, constantly engaging with the crowd and encouraging them to sing along, particularly on tracks like ‘FIGJAM’ with its “F*ck I’m great, just ask me” chorus and perennial favourite ‘I’ve Got Nothing John’ which closes the set. Aside from Coco’s stage presence and her tight band, they’ve also crucially got the songs to back it up – there’s some real songwriting skill on display here. Coco has an innate talent for crafting memorable hooks, whether it’s the propulsive pop of ‘Everything Is Fine’ or the anthemic ‘Oh What A Curse It Is (To Be In Love).’ New track ‘Um And Ah’ is a little more angular and quirky, with a bit of a Wet Leg vibe about it, which bodes well for the new material that Coco teases is coming soon. Packing in eight songs to their 30 minute set this is a band hitting their stride, confidently showcase why they’re one of Brighton’s best-kept secrets. Having recently supported The Ting Tings at their Bush Hall shows in London, hopefully more great opportunities lie ahead for Coco and The Lost and this year will see the band’s rising trajectory extend from Sussex to the whole of the UK and beyond.
(Phil Newton)
HAD SANDY (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Prince Albert 4:30pm – 5:00pm
Until a couple of days ago I’d actually never heard of Had Sandy, but having listened to their recent EP ‘Desire Paths’ I thought that I really ought to check them out live. Their first tune has a suitably noisy intro, and the song itself is loud but tuneful. There’s a definite grunge influence with a dash of emo thrown in. They do the loud/quiet thing but it doesn’t sound in the least bit dated. They use these influences without sounding as if they’re trapped in the early 1990s. In a nutshell, they sound fresh. The keyboard player’s vocals are way too low in the mix, but eventually the sound guy turns her up. The bassist throws chocolates into the crowd. We like him. The drummer loses a stick but doesn’t miss a beat as he picks up another one. Actually, I’d have to say that the drumming is pretty awesome. Towards the end of the set they play ‘Same Skin’ which is a highlight of their EP, and also of today’s set. A band to watch out for!
(Mark Kelly)
Revenge 5:00pm – 5:30pm
Regulars of the Brighton music scene, talented quintet AtticOmatic have been gracing local stages since 2023. Tight musicianship between the band members with between one and four of them featuring on vocals at any one time and a unique blend of brooding yet uplifting soundscapes, driven by swirling synths, hypnotic harmonies, and introspective lyrics, create a dreamy and occasionally danceable vibe. Pick of their half dozen tracks were ‘Tended Ground’ a 2024 single featuring spoken word and progressive shifts of tempo, along with current single ‘Wait’ the driving guitar kicking in at just the right time to elevate the song to intoxicating intensity. A debut EP is on the way next month, well worth checking out.
(Martin J. Fuller)
PROM (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
Green Door Store 5:00pm – 5:30pm
Prom comprises Alessandro Cogolo (vocals, guitars), Jack Smith (vocals, bass) and Sam Allen (drums) and last year they dropped a trio of releases: ‘This House Is All I’ve Got’ EP (February), a ‘Split’ single with Wimp in June, and a ten tune album titled ‘From The Wayside’ in November. Today the riffs are blistering and the energy levels down in the pit are up several notches more than you’d expect from a 5pm set. With high-octane vocals soaring above the more shouty parts, this all feels a bit like sitting in on an early Slipknot session before Corey and Co went all masks and theatrics. With both frontmen sporting Wimp t-shirts this is a gig that fiercely underlines how ‘Homegrown’ is a festival that thrives on the concept of Brighton bands supporting Brighton bands.
(John Bownas)
The Pipeline 5:15pm – 5:45pm
The Pipeline is packed to the rafters, and it’s hotter than a sumo’s armpit but that only adds to the chaos that is CHUB. The band thrives in the sweat and noise, with frontman Ben, a towering presence, kicking things off in full throttle. What follows is a whirlwind 30-minute set of punk-infused metal that’s all about fun, energy, and total crowd engagement. A mid-set beer-bong challenge for their aptly titled ‘Beer Bong Song’ gets everyone involved, and by the time they launch into the infectious ‘Microwave Dave’—freshly landed on the Kerrang! Rock Chart—the room is bouncing. It’s raucous, messy, and totally unapologetic, and sometimes, that’s exactly what a festival show should be.
(Cris Watkins)
OUR GIRL (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Hope & Ruin 5:15pm – 5:45pm
Homegrown typically shines the spotlight on up-and-coming local artists, but one band who’ve been playing together longer than most are Our Girl, as singer/guitarist Soph Nathan confirms midway through the band’s set – they actually played their very first gig here at The Hope & Ruin some eleven years ago! Fresh off the back of the release of their second album ‘The Good Kind’ late last year, their live set up expands the core line up of Soph, Josh and Lauren to a five-piece, including Soph’s Big Moon cohort Fern Ford on keys & percussion. We get a mix of tracks from the band’s two albums across their seven-song set. Of the newer songs ‘Something Exciting’ really captures the band’s skill of slowly building up to wall of sound, whilst first single ‘Something About Me Being A Woman’ is an easy highlight with its explosive chorus, showcasing Soph’s more personal lyrics about her experience as a queer woman. It’s nice to hear a couple of cuts from the band’s first album ‘Stranger Today’ too, including crowd favourite ‘In My Head’ and we’re treated to a surprise guest for ‘Level’ as their friend Marika Hackman joins them on stage to provide additional vocals and guitar. This is the second time I’ve seen Our Girl live this year and I just love the way they construct their songs with long instrumental sections that suck you in as they get louder and faster. You can really tell that they’ve been playing together for those eleven years now, they appear so relaxed and in tune with one another. Whilst their closing song is ‘Relief’ it’s certainly no relief when their set comes to end, with the rapturous packed crowd hollering for more.
(Phil Newton)
The Prince Albert 5:30pm – 6:00pm
Flavours are a new band on me, but my pre-Homegrown listening homework put them on my must see hit-list, so I managed to squeeze in to The Prince Albert at the close of Had Sandy’s set to make sure I could get ringside for the audio action. Firstly I noticed a couple of familiar faces, the singer Jude Allenby from Had Sandy, stayed on stage switching from his lead guitar and transforming into the bass player for Flavours, not only did I recognise him, but also drummer George Weller, I have seen in Kitchen Lover, things were already shaping up well. The band are completed with Sam Turner on lead vocals guitar and Ben Archibald also on guitar. Flavours have been on the Brighton scene for almost 2 years now and their sound is most definitely in the flavour of Psychedelic prog rock, think back to that 60s/70s sound and here you will find it, but beautifully current and fresh. The seven song set took in all three of their singles, ‘Coloured Image’, ‘Still Heavy’ and ‘Ground Up’, the first of which very much reminded me of Queens of the Stone Age, the track has some full meaty drumming from George and those guitars are just so exquisite. Whilst Sam was lead on vocals for the bulk of the set, Ben sang lead vocal on ‘Fills My Mind’ and had some great guitar solos, the backing vocals on it from Jude and Sam took me back to my youth with my parents playing Yes records on their stereo. The last number ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ was a full on heavy hitter of song, a fine way to end, it was so heavy going that Jude broke the top string on his bass guitar with his final stroke. Sadly the room was not a packed as it could be, I’d partly blame Jude for ordering the crowd to all run and see PROM over at the Green Door Store at the end of his Had Sandy set, he should have told everyone to stay, because they all missed out on an utter blinder of a set, a true master class in guitar excellence. An album is expected in Autumn this year, I very much look forward to that and rather hope they play Brighton again soon.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
GAFFA TAPE SANDY (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
Green Door Store 6:00pm – 6:30pm
I was in two minds as to whether to see Gaffa Tape Sandy at the Green Door, or Marika Hackman playing her secret show at The Hope & Ruin. However, I bumped into singer / guitarist Kim Jarvis from Gaffa Tape Sandy in the street, and promised that I would review his band. One has to keep one’s promises. I’d last seen Gaffa Tape Sandy at an Alcopops Records festival at Tufnell Park Dome back in 2019, so it was about time that I caught up with them again. The band are originally from Bury St Edmunds, but have been Brighton based for the last few years. They are a classic three piece, in days of yore known as a ‘power trio’. They open with ‘Me And My Friends’, “entirely for you Brighton”. Gee – thanks! Lead vocal honours are shared, as bassist Catherine Neilson sings the second song which may be entitled ‘Too Drunk To Dance’. They play a new one about waiting to go out. It’s the first time that they’ve played it live – it’s gone well!!! One song is introduced as “a dancey one”. Well, to be honest they’re all danceable. If you can’t dance to Gaffa Tape Sandy, then you ought to see a doctor because you may have died and not noticed. Anyway, the “dancey one” is a brilliant showcase for their musicianship, featuring some ace drum rolls and a sweet descending guitar line in the middle eight. Gaffa Tape Sandy have a broad musical palette. It’s not just rock, there are elements of reggae and ska too. It’s been a pretty exhilarating half an hour. I won’t be leaving it six years until I see them again!
(Mark Kelly)
Revenge 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Slag are a relatively new Brighton based quintet, who blend indie-pop, math-rock, and post-punk. Slag are Amelie (vocals and guitar), Dan (guitar), Seb (keys), Luke (drums) and Freya (bass). A striking feature of their sound is Amelie’s powerful vocals, which were evident even from the band’s soundcheck. Across their outstanding set, Slag provided good variety from the almost jazzy intro to their opening number to the hints of prog rock on their closing one, and funkier moments in between. Added to that were clever tempo changes within songs, such as on ‘Ripped’. Amilie matched these changes perfectly from snarling vocals to a tender solo at the start of ‘Monday Morning’. As well as quality vocals, there were some impressive instrumental breaks, especially on the closing song, on which the musical crescendo was matched by Amelie’s holding those long notes. From that performance and the huge cheers at the close of their set, it’s clear that Slag are going to be one to watch on the Brighton music scene.
(Peter Greenfield)
MARIKA HACKMAN (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Hope & Ruin 6:15pm – 6:45pm
Today saw Marika Hackman be revealed as one of the artists of the two secret sets of the Homegrown Festival and so she takes to the stage as a special guest at the infamous ‘Hope & Ruin’ in Brighton for an early evening slot with the sun still shining outside. It is her first live appearance in Brighton since she played The Great Escape back in 2023. Marika Hackman latest album ‘Big Sigh’ which was released back in 2024, and is where she explores the metaphors about post break ups and doomed romances and carries forward with her dark intriguing songwriting in comparison to her last album outing. With some fine tweaking to her mic she greets her fans in the full up to the brim upstairs gig space with the words, “These songs will make you feel miserable”. Her songwriting is delicate and intriguing and much darker now as compared to her early musical career which had a more shoegaze feel to it. Tonight’s short set saw a touching and engaging moment as Marika duetted with Soph from Our Girl who had just played their set beforehand! Marika Hackman has collaborated in the past with various musicians including the band The Big Moon who provided backing vocals to ‘I’m Not Your Man’.
(Michael Hundertmark)
The Folklore Rooms 6:30pm – 7:00pm
There’s something otherworldly about Nina Kohout, and her set at The Folklore Rooms for Brighton’s Homegrown Festival confirmed it: she’s not just an artist to watch—she’s an artist to experience. Hailing from Slovakia, the composer, singer, and producer brought a set that was as haunting as it was hypnotic, weaving dark electronica with fragments of ancient folklore into something wholly her own. Kohout’s presence on stage is understated yet utterly captivating. She performs solo, surrounded by keys and a laptop, but there’s nothing stripped back about her sound. From gentle piano lines and eerie vocal loops to sudden surges of distorted, almost brutal beats, her set was a dynamic emotional journey—one moment fragile and spectral, the next thunderous and commanding. Her voice, atmospheric and deeply textured, moves like a spell through the room, carrying both the intimacy of whispered secrets and the power of raw lament. The Folklore Rooms, with its low lighting and close quarters, proved to be the perfect setting for Kohout’s genre-defying music. There’s a deep-rooted theatricality to her performance—never showy, always intentional. She seems to channel something ancient and mythic through modern machines, creating a sonic space that feels both familiar and alien, past and future. Nina Kohout isn’t following in anyone’s footsteps; she’s carving a path of her own. Her set was a mesmerizing reminder of the emotional weight music can carry when it’s born from true artistry and fearlessness. A breath of fresh air? Absolutely—but one that chills, stirs, and leaves its mark long after it’s gone.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
ARCADIA RESIDENTIAL (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Rossi Bar 6:45pm – 7:15pm
Arcadia Residential were the first of three performances I saw at The Rossi Bar in Queens Road. A band I had seen on one occasion previously when they opened for Big Long Sun at The Prince Albert back in February. I was impressed with their sound and in-between songs banter back then and was again from this evening’s showing. They started their seven-song set with a rock track about weddings, ‘RSVP’, and followed it with the slower ‘Untitled’, which culminated with some decent vocal harmony from twins Oscar and Riley Oliver. ‘Bedroom Window’ was next. One of my favourites from the set, with Riley taking over on lead vocals. Following this, they played ‘Industrial Estate’, which they debuted at the Green Door Store recently when they opened for Ellis-D. This song had a great sing-along feel to it and something fans of Welly would love. Track five was the melodic ‘About You’, a song that starts off slow and builds up the longer it goes on. Before the next song, ‘All The Stress’, friend of the band, Dexter Clarke, joins them on stage to play tambourine. The crowd go wild for this one, as they do for set closer ‘Tandum’ (a song about someone they hate, the TV licence man). Overall, a decent set and a band worth checking out if you’ve not seen them before.
linktr.ee/Arcadia.Residential.Band
(Ian Homan)
Green Door Store 7:00pm – 7:30pm
I must confess that when it comes to ĠENN I’m a bit biased. I’ve seen them twice before and they’ve been jaw-droppingly good. I quite honestly believe that they’re one of the most interesting and inventive bands around just now. They’re a melting pot of influences, the result of which is a sound which is unlike anybody else. Their set starts with ‘Rohmeresse’, which is also the opening track from their album, ‘Unum’. There’s a North African flavoured guitar intro and then the whole thing spectacularly explodes. There is a little bit of tapping from guitarist Janelle during the intro for ‘Days And Nights’. Vocalist Leona’s martial arts moves are still in place, and the vocals and guitar mesh wonderfully. For the intro to ‘Wild West’ Janelle plays her guitar with a screwdriver, and she also employs a violin bow during ‘The Merchant Of’, whilst managing not to sound in the least bit like Jimmy Page. Whilst the band don’t sound like Led Zeppelin, there are definite parallels, in the way that the musicians play together. There is a musical communion going on here. ĠENN are far greater than the sum of their parts. How they are not better known is a mystery to me. Find out for yourself: they support And So I Watch You From Afar at Brighton Arch on the 26th April.
(Mark Kelly)
HARPY (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
Revenge 7:00pm – 7:30pm
Replete in visually striking fetish-wear, Brighton Goth-Rock 4-piece Harpy were making their debut in their home city and treated the crowd to a powerful amalgam of darkwave, metal, punk and grunge contrasted with more than a touch of theatrical flair and feminine rage, which was both expressive and immersive. Their raw energy, heavy riffs, and unapologetic lyrics made for an intense experience. A small mosh pit formed during the performance orchestrated from the stage by the dominant Harpy, where the energy emanated from the stage to the participants and dissipated throughout the audience. Tracks of note included ‘Not My God Anymore’ and 2024 single ‘Born To Destroy’. An explosive and heavy-hitting set that went down well with the home crowd.
(Martin J. Fuller)
Daltons 7:30pm – 8:00pm
There were many great and different vocal styles across the day at Homegrown. Standing out amongst all of them was the most remarkable sweet voice of Heights (sylised as HEIGHTS). She sings over dreamy emotive alt-pop, which blends new wave synth, dream pop and indie. Heights’s amazing vocals were confident and assured across her set and always sung with a smile. The happiness in her performance soon spread to the audience at Daltons. There were beautiful vocal acrobatics on the opening number. ‘Swinging As I Go’ had an upbeat feel, while ‘I’ve Been Dreaming Of You’ had an ethereal atmosphere. As her band of a drummer and bassist increased the volume on some tracks, her vocals matched it perfectly never losing that sweet quality. Two new songs ‘Multiply’ and ‘Belong’ had a darker heavier almost haunting quality, showing another side and development in Heights’s sound, which I thought worked perfectly. As ever it was a real pleasure to lose yourself listening to Heights and her wonderful voice.
(Peter Greenfield)
REA (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Folklore Rooms 7:30pm – 8:00pm
If you’re looking for the perfect pairing of venue and artist then look no further than The Folklore Rooms where REA (stylised all in caps) is next on the bill. This young Brighton-based alt-folk singer is particularly inspired by nature and recorded her upcoming 4-track ‘Garden Shed’ EP outdoors on the South Downs, therefore her music makes a natural fit to the room’s décor with its moon-and-stars and foliage backdrop. REA plays acoustic guitar and is joined by Sam on electric guitar for her succinct six-song set. The first two tracks, ‘Dark’ and ‘Home’ are gentle, melancholic offerings evoking the quieter songs of Lucy Rose. “If I had any angry songs it would be this one,” announces the singer as she launches into ‘Benny’ which is a more uptempo number that I’m sure would sound even better if performed with a full band behind her. For the next two songs REA passes her guitar to Sam and focuses solely on her vocals, starting off with a cover of Adrianne Lenker’s ‘Anything’ and then continuing with ‘Henfield’ a song written in a cottage in the Sussex village of the same name. With the sound of birdsong echoing across the stage, final song ‘Talk’ brings REA’s set to a fitting close, showcasing her beautiful mournful vocals which remind me of fellow Brighton singer Bess Atwell. It’s an accomplished performance and a much needed palette cleanser in between the noisier, punkier bands I’ve seen today.
(Phil Newton)
The Rossi Bar 7:45pm – 8:15pm
The second performance I witnessed at The Rossi Bar was a set from singer-songwriter Gina Larner, who offered up a mix of country and lighthearted pop. Gina sometimes performs with her band, but tonight she played solo with her acoustic guitar. She starts with the hardest song to play from her repertoire. A 2024 single release, ‘Sin’, which has a country feel to it. The latest single, ‘In Love’, is next. This one has more of a pop sound. We then hear ‘Liar’, which is an unreleased song that was first performed live only the day before at a show in Witney, Oxfordshire. Next, we have a further two single releases from 2024. The first of these is ‘One Way Or Another’. This is another country track and doesn’t resemble the Blondie track of the same name. The other song is ‘Cocktail Menu’. The final two songs from the set are both from Gina’s 2023 debut album, ‘Something Good’ and they are ‘Heavy Heart’ and ‘I Think I Love You’. Both good songs. ‘Heavy Heart’ was my favourite of the set. ‘I Think I Love You’ starts off slow and builds when the chorus kicks in. There was good interaction between Gina and the audience between songs. Gina has a couple of tour dates later this month in Bristol and London supporting Morganway.
(Ian Homan)
Revenge 8:00pm – 8:30pm
Although formed back in 2017, Brighton duo Arxx had passed me by until I first encountered them on the Greenpeace stage at Glastonbury last year where they played a sensational set on the Thursday afternoon to several thousand early-arrivers, so I was delighted to see them added to the bill for Homegrown. Arxx are best pals Hanni Pidduck and Clara Townsend, who generate a sound way more dynamic than one would expect from two people. Palpable chemistry between the pair and a touch of humour was a constant of their performance this evening for which were served up ten scintillating compositions showcasing their eclectic style that has evolved from alt garage rock to encompass a much more expansive range of sounds including synths. Think crunchy guitar riffs, punchy drumming, and even pop sensibilities on tracks like ‘Swim’ and ‘God Knows’ yet with a raw, emotional edge. ‘Good Boy’ the title track of their sophomore album saw three inflatable dogs arrive on stage before being dispatched into the crowd to be punted aloft until the end of the song. The best tune of the set for me was undoubtedly the dance banger ‘All Night’, a real departure from their early material featuring driving electronic beats and just the right amount of vocal autotune – it could be one of my songs of this summer. Their performance closed out with their anthemic ‘Ride Or Die’, a tumultuous celebration of queer love and unwavering commitment to their band. Joyous!
www.arxxband.com (SEE ADDITIONAL PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
(Martin J. Fuller)
Green Door Store 8:00pm – 8:30pm
Projector are a band whose existence I was completely unaware of until I started researching for this festival. Honestly, where have I been?!! Still, I’m aware of them now, and I strongly believe that this awareness is going to enrich my life. Their music is angular post-punk with more than a hint of Gang Of Four at times. ‘Dubious Goals Committee’ in particular has a gloriously spiky guitar riff that Andy Gill would have been pleased with. The vocals are mostly shared between guitarist Edward Ensbury and bassist Lucy Sheehan, who comes up with some wonderfully meaty bass lines incidentally. ‘Breeding Ground’ features a screaming lead vocal from Lucy. She looks quite uncompromising when she sings. I wouldn’t argue with her anyway. ‘Moth’ has a dash of Wedding Present influence, which I approve of, and the crowd get quite bouncy during ‘Tastes Like Sarah’. Edward takes lead vocals for ‘Sucking On My Own D*ck’, which I must confess is one of the more unusually titled songs that I’ve heard. The bulk of the set comes from Projector’s album ‘Now When We Talk It’s Violence’, which sounds like it’s a most splendid work. I think I shall have to invest.
(Mark Kelly)
JED (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Hope & Ruin 8:15pm – 8:45pm
Despite me wearing a Projector T-shirt, I decided I wanted to bunk off and go and find an artist I was not familiar with and had never seen before, so I left the Green Door Store and took pot luck with The Hope & Ruin, I purchased a can of the special Abyss Homegrown Pale Ale and took position at the front to hear something new. Boy o boy did I hit the jackpot with this set from JED. JED is described as a local poetic champ, so what was I in for? The band set up their instruments and soundchecked, the vibe sounded like it could be jazzy. The room quickly filled up just before the start and the set was go, go, go. JED is a Hip Hop / Rap MC, but this really was with a difference, brilliant crafted lyrics and rhymes backed by the smoothest of bands in a very jazzy laid back style. I am unsure of JEDs previous live work, if it was solo or with a band, but this set up just works so well. It reminded me a little of the way Rob Birch of Stereo MCs raps, but here whilst the delivery style is similar, extraordinarily continuous with seemingly no break for breath, but backed with the jazzy instrumentals rather than heavy beats. JED told us how he’d once worked in an office job and was brought in by the boss and told he’d not done anything, to which he said he wanted to reply “I’ve written a song”, thank god he did, that song was ‘Heavy Eyelids’ and tonight was the first time it was been sung live. The backing vocals of Poppy on songs such as ‘Heavy Eyelids’ and ‘Losing My Patience’ really added to the vibe. Everything about this set to me was just perfect, all songs were introduced with some background and often funny stories. The whole band were name checked, not once, but twice, JED has a great stage presence, very personable, you could feel the warmth and happiness towards the band in the room as he engaged with the crowd. The band gelled incredibly well, very tight indeed, Sam on guitar, Poppy on backing vocals, Olly on drums with his precision timing, Felix on the keys and Alex on the bass, each as superb as each other. JED mentioned they all also have their own separate projects which would be worth checking out. The set ended with a slower “number” called ‘I’ll Be There’ which was another slice of pure quality. The crowd including myself did not want it to end, with chants of one more song, sadly that was the end though. For me I can’t wait to see what comes next from JED, they were the highlight of the day for me. It goes to show you should go out and hear something new, you never know it might just blow your socks off. JED play the Green Door Store on the 23rd April.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
The Pipeline 8:15pm – 8:45pm
Self-described as “post-punk goth sludge”, Triple Drain brought their powerful riffs and hypnotic hooks to The Pipeline for Homegrown. Triple Drain are Eva (vocals and bass), Bella (guitar) and Rachel (drums). Vocalist Eva delivered some great dark grungy bass lines from her 5-string bass. Eva switched her vocal style well between songs from gothic to grungy with occasional banshee like screaming. At times her dark-moody vocals had a wonderful mysterious haunting quality. To those grungy bass lines, Bella’s guitar added more of a heavy rock sound. A driving force in the band’s sound was Rachel’s impressive drumming. Triple Drain’s final number was a departure from their usual sound being a fresh take on new wave. On this Eva’s softer vocals worked well juxtaposed to Rachel’s thumping drums. Newcomers Triple Drain showed again why they are an exciting addition to the local alt-rock scene.
(Peter Greenfield)
DIVORCE ATTORNEY (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Rossi Bar 8:45pm – 9:15pm
The final performance I saw at The Rossi Bar was the five-piece experimental art rock band Divorce Attorney. Another act I was seeing for the first time. The band members are Nathan Key (vocals/guitar), Owen Flood (drums), David Swenson (guitar/sax), Harvey Allen (bass), and Alex Lemonidis (keytarist). They played a seven-song set starting off with unreleased songs ‘Blind Eye’ and ‘Align Me’. There’s a lot going on with this band, which included some frantic drumming from Owen on ‘Align Me’. The third song of the set was the 2024 single release ‘Blessing’, a downbeat track with haunting vocals from Nathan that reminded me of some of Radiohead’s experimental work. During the second half of this song, David switches from guitar to saxophone. A couple more unreleased songs follow. These are ‘Duality’ and ‘Ok, Now What’, then it’s the turn of their only other single release so far, 2023’s ‘Mothballs’. This is a track that once again features saxophone and, to me, was a set highlight. The last song of the set was ‘Eulogy’, this one features Owen using his hands instead of drumsticks midway through the song. According to a social media post by the band posted last month, this was to be the last time they would be playing as the original line-up.
www.instagram.com/divorceattorney
(Ian Holman)
Green Door Store 9:15pm – 10:00pm
So the first thing you need to know about seeing HotWax live is that you really need to get yourself as close to the stage as possible, because this band are best experienced in your face, surrounded by like-minded fans. The Hastings/Shoreham trio of Tallulah (vocals/guitar), Lola (bass) and Alfie (drums) have come a long way over the past couple of years, and this show marks the final date of their current headline tour in support of debut album ‘Hot Shock.’ They kick off their compact twelve-song set with the first three tracks off said album, opener ‘She’s Got A Problem’ proving to be an early highlight. In between songs Lola says she’s feeling nervous because they know so many people here, then encourages the younger audience members to come to the front. As the band launch into a couple of tracks from earlier EP ‘Invite Me, Kindly’ there’s a real energy in the room with Tallulah bawling out her vocals while Lola prowls the stage. We shouldn’t forget Alfie too who is an extremely gifted drummer and gives the band an anchor as the chaos erupts around them. Penultimate song ‘One More Reason’ sees a mini-stage invasion as Lola invites some young fans to come up and join them – it’s pandemonium up there but over on stage right Tallulah is completely unphased by it all. They bring their 45 minute set to a fitting close with ‘Rip It Out,’ its soft and sedate verses switching to a frenetic shouty chorus that has the whole audience jumping around. Exiting in a squall of feedback HotWax leave the stage having given a clear demonstration as to why they were chosen to be one of the festival’s headline acts. Absolutely brilliant stuff!
(Phil Newton)
KLSR (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Hope & Ruin 9:15pm – 9:45pm
Next up at The Hope & Ruin was KLSR, another new one and a mystery choice for me in a bid to find and try something new. And new and different this was, the stage was cleared of most instruments and just two stands were put up, one with a laptop and the other with an AKAI APC mini and another piece of tech I couldn’t quite make out in the dark. Dark I hear you say, that’s right KLSR’s artistry is not just about sound, it’s also about vision, so for this set, the stage lights were all out, with nothing but the light from the spinning disco ball and the lush imagery projected onto a big screen now at the back of the stage. The set itself was breathtaking, I am unsure if the whole thing was organic in terms of creation or songs on the fly as such, but the set was filled with gorgeous tones, beats and deep booms, it really was atmospheric and quite the breath of fresh air from all the lively sets I’d seen throughout the day. The visuals on the screen were created and matched the beats and music, some of it reminded me of the old Vectrex console with its vector images drawn from a central dot, of course this was far more modern and advanced and interesting. KLSR cut a cool figure, he didn’t really speak much and came across as a modest chap who was content in letting the sound and vision do the talking for him, whilst he constantly was tweaking and twisting knobs, pressing buttons, creating the magic for us all to enjoy.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
The Pipeline 9:15pm – 9:45pm
It again proved to be a lively, noisy affair from Pussyliquor. You wouldn’t expect anything less from this punk/riot grrrl band, would you. Ari Black (vocals), Victoria Lewis Piper (drums), Hannah Villanueva (guitar) and Tallulah Turner-Fray (bass) and rhythm guitarist Oshen Dee. The softer “Meow Meow” at the start of their opening song ‘Kitty’, soon gave way to a punk explosion, which never relented, until the closing number. Vocalist Ari led with real drive and energy from the front, whether that was front of the stage, on the floor, in amongst the packed Pipeline crowd and even standing on the drum kit by their third number. Musically Pussyliquour were intense, fast and very tight, especially the interaction between Victoria on drums and Tallulah on bass, allowing Ari to go walkabout without losing a beat on stage. Typifying Pussyliquour’s uncompromising style, after ‘Buy More Shit’ bassist Hannah admitted “We’ve not got our own merch. You’ll have to buy other people’s shit.” Victoria introduced most of the songs, and she did have to clarify that the audience participation she mentioned before the song ‘Ladyw*nk’ was singing. Ari screamed out the lyrics to that particular song laying on her back. Pussyliquor managed to combine feminist anger with a sense of fun in their lively memorable performance at Pipeline.
(Peter Greenfield)
BLACK GROOVE (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
Daltons 9:30pm – 10:00pm
Undoubtedly, Black Groove is the heaviest band I’ve come across at this year’s Homegrown Festival. Twin guitarists Jake Packham and Jyff Aguilar Felix made their intent clear from the first note—bare-chested and delivering down-tuned, Sabbath-esque riffs with real weight. The low-end thunder from the rhythm section only adds to their sound’s sheer force, the vibration felt through the entire venue and probably shaking the ground underneath the late-night drinkers on the beach! This may not be the busiest gig I’ve seen today, but the energy in the room was intense, and the crowd locked into every groove. A doom-laden slugfest with hypnotic momentum that pulled everyone in. Doom Metal isn’t usually my go-to, but Black Groove’s presence and sound are absolutely undeniable.
(Cris Watkins)
The Prince Albert 9:30pm – 10:00pm
Having encountered Jopy on a couple of occasions last year, this was the first entry on my Homegrown ‘hitlist’ and as if any reminder was needed as to why, this stellar performance reinforced my view that they are a ‘must see’. Jopy are a Brighton based glam-punk trio and delivered a thrilling half hour of camp-horror energy. Singer-songwriter Jo Parnell’s punchy vocals and guitar riffs, paired with Clown Baby’s pouty basslines and Louis Relf’s intense and sublime drums, create an intoxicating mix which had The Prince Albert crowd bopping along. Signed to Goo Records, their ‘Planet Zombie’ EP was released in September 2024 and featured the pick of their tracks tonight, ‘Head Hunters Pub And Grub’ and ‘Graveyard Romance’. To my knowledge, nobody is making retro inspired music in this genre which makes Jopy a standout. They’re raw, fun and infectious. The Albert has played host to such artists as Fontaines D.C. and IDLES early in their careers, surely it’s only a matter of time before Jopy are another band to have performed at this iconic local venue who go on to grace much bigger stages, they certainly deserve to.
(Martin J. Fuller)
THE ROEBUCKS (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Folklore Rooms 9:30pm – 10:00pm
The Roebucks are a four-piece Americana/Country/Folk band that have been around since 2022 and have gained popularity over the past year since Sophie Moloney took over on drums. Lola Gordon and Tom Cotter both play guitar, with Henry Brown on bass. Late last year, they signed up with local label Goo Records. Lead vocal duties are shared between Lola, Tom, and Sophie for their excellent eight-song set tonight. The first six songs featured unreleased material. Sophie starts things off with the set opener ‘Gone Gone Away’, a song about love. Tom plays lead for ‘Mona’, then Lola takes over for ‘Flowing River’. The fourth track, ‘He’s My Man’, sees Sophie back on lead vocal duties – another love song, this one’s about Bruce Springsteen. Lola then asks the jam-packed audience “Who is the best band you’ve seen today?” The crowd stay mute apart from someone saying “The Roebucks”, which is not surprising going by what has been performed so far. Sophie continues on lead for ‘I’m A Fool For You’, then Lola takes over on ‘Return To The Sea’. All six of these songs have great harmonies and twanging guitar work. Track seven is the only release so far from their new label, ‘The Great British Pig’. The set closes with a blues number – a cover of John Lee Hooker’s 1956 release ‘Dimples’, which goes down a storm with Tom on lead vocals. I’ve seen The Roebucks twice previously. Both were good performances but this one felt the best yet as they played a tight set. The venue suited them well, as it enhanced the warmth and clarity of their sound.
(Ian Holman)
The Hope & Ruin 10:15pm – 10:45pm
The end of the evening was drawing closer for me, but I was determined to catch four piece Bleach Lab as a friend had seen them recently play in Bristol and had given them rave reviews. It was only just before I left home this morning, that I’d realised I’d actually bought their early 7” ‘Old Ways’ a few weeks back and had exhaustively listened to their back catalogue on Bandcamp, which meant this evening they were a must for me. Lead vocalist Jenna Kyle’s soft beautiful vocals are melded with the dream pop, shoegaze style guitar and solid bass tones. Their Bandcamp bio describes the sound as taking inspiration from Mazzy Star and The Smiths, I’d agree you certainly get those tones coming through, but their style is very unique to them. My body swayed and my head nodded throughout their strong eight song, 30 minute set, which included a mix of songs from their album ‘Lost In A Rush Of Emptiness’ and early numbers. We were also treated to two new songs ‘Feel Something’ and ‘Burning Room’, both were full on soaring songs, really taking you places and it makes me excited for their future releases. The set tonight had that late night feel to it, those deep bass lines make you feel you are driving about in the early hours when there is no-one around, a secret world all to yourself. I wish it could have been a longer set, the packed out room and myself thoroughly enjoyed it, there was not much between track banter and the band were not ones for moving about the stage, they very much let the music do the talking and boy did it talk. I really hope Bleach Lab come back and play a headline show in Brighton soon.
(Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson)
GOODBYE (SEE PHOTO ON SUSSEX NEWS WEBSITE)
The Folklore Rooms 10:30pm – 11:00pm
The Folklore Rooms was packed to capacity for Goodbye (stylised as goodbye). Their performance at Homegrown was another clear indication of why they are one of Brighton’s most exciting prospects. Goodbye are Megan Wheeler (vocals), Sarah Ryan (guitar, synth, vocals), Alfie Beer (guitar, vocals), Jake Smith (bass) and Elik Eddy (drums). Their opening number was a taste of what was to come. The dual vocals from Megan and Sarah soared and fell back beautifully to the band’s wall of sound that filled the venue. Goodbye showed a great variety of musical styles all with their own stamp. The wall of sound was followed by a more shoegaze-like song and then Alfie’s jangly guitar was reminiscent of The Smiths and indie. Above these sounds were the wonderful vocals from Megan and Sarah. Their harmony at the start of ‘Take Time’ to just Elik’s drumming and shakers was beautiful. Megan frequently swapped between ethereal to soaring vocals, often within the same song, always seamlessly and equally comfortable with either style. Their closing number encompassed the many facets of Goodbye’s sound, starting with Megan singing softly to Sarah’s guitar, before it exploded with Jake playing his bass into the amp. It closed a special set from Goodbye of cleverly crafted powerful tunes married with rich beautiful vocals.
(Peter Greenfield)
Daltons 10:30pm – 11:00pm
Snake Eyes made an entrance at Daltons for Homegrown Festival, albeit a bit late. The Brighton two-piece eventually took to the stage with a crowd maybe smaller than they had hoped for…and while they did their best to engage the audience, they had to drop a song or two, impacting the overall flow of the set. Their sound blends punk energy with some heavy lyrical themes, providing moments of intrigue amid the chaos. And although there were flashes of intensity, the atmosphere felt a bit subdued compared to what we’d hoped for. While Snake Eyes showcased solid chemistry and stage presence, Daltons didn’t transform into the lively punk pit they might have envisioned. The dropped songs felt like a missed opportunity rather than just a tease. There’s potential here, and while they have something to offer, the night might have left some feeling that they could have given just a little bit more.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
The Prince Albert 10:30pm – 11:00pm
Formed in 2023, Van Zon are an eclectic musical quintet, who craft a captivating blend of post-rock, folk, and neo-classical sounds. Tonight was my third encounter with the band. Their debut single, ‘Cannon Fodder’, an eight-minute epic, showcased intricate violin and clarinet coupled with dynamic rhythms which defy genre norms and these elements were very much a feature throughout their set. Although it could be argued they are something of an acquired taste, with soft vocals traversing intelligent well-constructed compositions using the aforementioned diverse collection of instruments, they certainly captivate audiences as they did this evening, the room gradually filling once the band got their 25 minute performance underway.
Their latest single release ‘More Than Happy’ showcases the band’s blend of styles and is a great introduction to their music. A debut EP beckons in May.
(Martin J. Fuller)
Daltons 11:30pm – 12:00am
Tonight’s secret headline set at Daltons needs no introduction. As the clock ticks closer to showtime, the venue buzzes with anticipation. Snayx explode onto the stage with the force and fury we’ve come to love, delivering a 10-song set that’s fast, fun, and absolutely riotous. Daltons fills quickly with die-hard fans who’ve clearly been on this wild ride with Snayx from the beginning. There’s an electric sense of loyalty in the room—this isn’t just another gig, this is a homecoming of sorts. From the first note of ‘Wasted Again’, the trio tear through their set at breakneck speed, never pausing for breath, barely giving the crowd time to recover between songs. Highlights? Pretty much the entire set. ‘Concrete’ and ‘Strut’ land with swagger and snarl, while ‘Work’ whips the pit into a frenzy. By the time ‘Boys In Blue’ drops, the floor is a blur of bouncing bodies, and ‘Fayx’ sends the energy into the stratosphere. Despite a full day of venue-hopping, the crowd shows no signs of slowing down—jumping, shouting, even a few brave souls attempting a crowd surf or two. It’s loud, it’s sweaty, and it’s pure chaos in the best possible way. ‘Violence’ closes the night with a final blast of adrenaline, sealing Snayx’s status as one of the most exciting live bands on the circuit right now. A perfect end to the night at Daltons, and an unforgettable high point of the Homegrown Festival. Snayx didn’t just play—they conquered.
(Sara-Louise Bowrey)
The artists performing at this year’s ‘Homegrown Festival’ were as follows:
A BASIC FAULT
AK/DK
AKU
ARCADIA RESIDENTIAL
ARJUN NALA
ARXX
ATTIC’O’MATIC
BLACK GROOVE
BLEACH LAB
BLOODY DEATH
BONES ATE ARFA
CARNE
CHUB
COCO & THE LOST
CONGRATULATIONS
DIVORCE ATTORNEY
FLAVOURS
FLIP TOP HEAD
FRANCIS PIG
GAFFA TAPE SANDY
ĠENN
GINA LARNER
GLASSHOUSE RED SPIDER MITE
GOODBYE
HAD SANDY
HARPY
HEIGHTS
HELEN GANYA
HOTWAX
JED
JOPY
KLSR
LE LAMB
LEIBNIZ
LLSN
LUO
MAGDA
MARIKA HACKMAN
MILER
NATURE TV
NINA KOHOUT
OCHRE
ORAL HABIT
OUR GIRL
PLASTICS
PROJECTOR
PROM
PSYCHIC & WELLBEING EVENT
REA
REALLY BIG REALLY CLEVER
RIZZAS
ROOM SERVICE
SCHOOL DISCO
SHAWCROSS & MD AKIN SOUL
SLAG
SNAKE EYES
SNAYX
STEVEN BAMIDELE
THE DANIEL WAKEFORD EXPERIENCE
THE LEANING
THE NEW EVES
THE ROEBUCKS
THE STANFORD FAMILY BAND
TOP LEFT CLUB
TRIPLE DRAIN
WIMP
VAN ZON
