The Rock’n’Roll Circus livens up Brighton’s Font (Part 2)

‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’, THE BRIGHTON ROCK’N’ROLL CIRCUS 2 – FONT, BRIGHTON 17.5.24

The Font (formerly the Font and Firkin) in Brighton’s South Lanes is our venue for the second of the three days, as part of the Alternative Escape with an event titled ‘The Brighton Rock and Roll Circus #2’ which boasted no less than forty bands over those three days. This was organised by London-based music promoters ’Kick Out the Jams’ and a collaboration between K.O.T.J, Blaggers Records, Bubblebrain Records and The Songbird. Throughout the weekend the bands performed downstairs tucked under the upper floor, framed by the Fonts ‘Adam and Eve’ themed stained-glass windows. It was great to see The Font used as a venue again, we hope it continues.

Performances on Thursday 16th May can be found HERE and performances for Saturday 18th May can be found HERE. 

FRIDAY 17TH MAY

POPPY ROCKETT 12:00 – 12:30

Hastings-based Poppy Rockett is an Alt-Indie quartet fronted by singer/ songwriter Poppy. Poppy Rockett are Poppy (lead vocals) and (rhythm guitar) with Charlie Morrell (lead guitar), Max Garner (drums) and Milo Gross (bass). Poppy’s songwriting is assured, she has a light touch with her vocals, but an incredibly song voice. She cites artists such as Radiohead, The Sundays, Fiona Apple, Mazzy Star, Jesse Jo Stark, Lana Del Ray, Alanis Morrisette and Jeff Buckley as her influences. You can hear those influences, but her vocal style and musical composition are all her own. She has an impressive and crisp voice reminiscent of artists like Beabadoobee and Cat Power. Live the band has a much heavier sound, her voice soared in the Font. Capable of fineness with lovelorn ballads she can also belt out songs. Moving gently on stage without the need to romp around, she has undeniable stage presence. The band are tight, accomplished musicians that gave Poppy space to shine. ‘Desire’ is a standout song that has the edge of a soundtrack staple about it. ‘Sleepy Song’ shows off Poppy’s vocal range and the band’s musicianship. One to watch! Definitely.

WORK IN TV 12:45 – 13:15

A charming five-piece from Sheffield with a visual air of Gomez. They’re down a guitar player who has absconded to California, joking they would be butchering his parts during the set. The lead singer prompted the crowd to check them out on social media etc if they enjoyed the performance. From the second that they start playing the warm synth tones backed with an angular guitar lifted the atmosphere in the Font. Working In TV are great fun and clearly enjoy playing together. ‘Spiral’ their first single has a fantastic hook. They bring the party with them with upbeat tunes that make you want to dance immediately in the way that say the Bees, Gomez and the Aliens do. ‘Be Fine’ is a fantastically upbeat (musically if not lyrically) summer-driving track and potential earworm, I defy you not to put it on repeat. The band recently released their EP ‘Better Hours’ which came out a few weeks ago. ‘Something Good’ is one of the songs on it, it has a real LCD Soundsystem that meets Talking Heads feel to it. The strength of the sound attests to how tight the band are. There’s nothing more infectious than a band that is enjoying every minute of performing. It resonates so much more with the crowd when the band’s energy is up. After a false start on the last song, the lead vocalist told the audience they’d had three hours of sleep. Before launching straight back into ‘Better Hours’ the EP’s title track. Bouncing along the vocal oscillating up and down and this is another great track. A near-perfect set from start to finish, catch this band before they ascend the heights.

MORNING TOURIST 13:30 – 14:00

London-based indie folk-rock artist, Sean McKinney, performs solo or with his band. He was accompanied on the day by Alex on the keyboard. McKinney was off to a great start with Alex’s keys giving the set a ‘60s folk-rock with a slightly bluesy edge. McKinney has a great voice, with almost Turin Brakes tone to the duo’s vocal harmonies, his country-tinged electric acoustic with fuzzy distortion grounds the sound. McKinney has toured the London circuit extensively, embarked on two European tours, appeared at regional festivals and received local and digital radio play. The duo delivered upbeat folk with an edge of Americana. The majority of the set features songs from the 2023 album ‘The Endless Eve’. To quote McKinney “the songs on the follow-up album explore the space between resignation and resolution”. Played in succession the songs conjure a laid-back soundtrack to a sunny summer’s day, they’re engaging without being overly challenging. Standout songs from the set were ‘Perfect Sense’ and ‘New Leaf’ which bookend the album’s opening and closing. ‘The Endless Eve’ is available now.  

WILD MOTHER 14:15 – 14:45

A five-piece London-based Alt-Rock. They have a fantastic drummer unfortunately the kit was so much louder than everything else that it drowned the rest of the band out. The lead vocal was washy, the second vocal was barely audible at all on the first song, and this continued throughout their set. Every time we hoped the sound would level out, the vocalists and guitarists were drowned again. From what I could hear occasionally from the rest of the band they seemed to be edging towards dreamy soft vocal harmony coupled with bass bass-heavy rock sound. This was all maddeningly frustrating given that there were two vocalists you would expect them to be challenging previous acts for sound. I resolved to find the band’s music online when I returned home to give them a fair chance. However, there are no public tracks on their Soundcloud, and no alternative web presence apart from a few tracks on video shorts where the songs are cut too short to judge. If the band would like to invite us to another show we’d be happy to try again.

WEZ KING 15:00 – 15:30

Once you find out that the Kent-based singer/ songwriter has recorded at The Libertines Margate studio all the dots come together. The Libertines sound pervades ‘Officer’ the track recorded there, which was second to last in the set. ‘King’ has an impressive music resume including soundtracks for a variety of films and TV. He has also played music festivals and garnered recognition from BBC Introducing and Radio X. A seasoned performer, his strong vocals have an edge of Razorlight and The Hoosiers with a touch of Noel Gallagher in his High Flying Birds era. At the Font Wez performed with his band. It was their first time performing in Brighton he informed us when taking the stage and thanking the audience for attending. The first song ‘Easy Art’ dripped with indie-rock swagger. The second track ‘Come Home’ had an Arctic Monkeys edge to it and is apparently his favourite song to perform. Wez’s voice was strong and confident throughout the set with the bassist offering harmonies on this and other tracks. Clay’s opening vocal is pure Alex Turner but goes on to bring a multitude of indie influences together in a more distinctive and catchy song. ‘Cool Kid’, his new 2024 single, follows hot on the last track’s tail. Right from the start of the set it was clear that Wez was a great frontman, he was in control throughout. His songs are well formed, with catchy hooks and riffs. He already has quite the following. The new single ‘Cool Kid’ is available now. 

TOM SAINT 15:45 – 16:15

London-based Tom Saint describes himself as an artist/songwriter/producer making drill metal emo rap. Unbelievably Drill/ Metal/ Emo/ Rap does pinpoint his set accurately, but it has to be seen performed live to be appreciated in its fullest. Saint has a strong visual aesthetic. His delivery is parred back featuring just him on vocals with a backing track and drummer. He barely stood still during his performance, to say he is energetic would be an understatement. ‘Messed Up’ is rap pretty much all the way through. Like the rest of the set the vocals appear to have been put through auto tune to gain distortion. I am not usually a fan of this, but Saint can clearly sing without them and is using them for effect rather than to correct a weak voice. It works well with his aesthetic and enhances the performance. He interacted with the audience where a lot of local musicians had gathered. Saint has a lot of support from the local Indie scene. ‘Left For Dead’ feels like it should be attached to a soundtrack for a high-octane blockbuster. ‘Never Trip’ was apparently written in two hours in order to impress his girlfriend. Saint lured the audience into singing with him. ‘Whiskey’, the final song It was a powerful and very physical performance, Saint grabbed the audience’s attention throughout. Expect to see/ hear him again very soon or get ahead of the crowd, listen to his tracks now. Tom Saints 2023 album ‘Cusp Of Power’ is available now.

BARKING POETS 16:30 – 17:00

Intro for the first track sounded like we we’re gonna get some really heavy metal but quickly settled into a heavy fast tempo indie sound with a punk-rock edge a la Bob Mould/ Sugar/ Husker Du. Founded in 2019 the band is London-based. In 2022 the band’s line-up and style changed from melodic punk rock band in favour of 90s alternative rock, gaining the band a new fanbase. ‘Southsea Sounds’ was released at the end of last year. The trio, a mix from the London, Bristol and Dublin underground are Neil Murray (vocals/ guitar), Ander Mendia (bass/ vocals), and Conor Heary (drums). Murray opened the set by asking the crowd if there were any socialists, communists or atheists in the house adding if there were any tories in the house that should rattle their jewellery. The sound and line up might have changed but the anarchist is still there. The trio have a big sound filling the Font easily. The set is filled with heavy guitar riffs backed up with pounding drums and strong basslines. Murray’s vocals were powerful, and easily communicated the message of the songs. Backing vocals were typically shouty punk, coupled with a more indie delivery made for a catchy and entertaining set. Standout songs were ‘When I Am King’, ‘I Could’ve Been A Contender’ and ‘The Best Of Me’, from the new album as yet to be released.

PERCHARD’S WALL 17:15 – 17:45

Perchard’s Wall are a Jersey based four-piece experimental psyche-rock band composed of James Perchard (bass /vocals), Grey Alliban (guitar), Joe Hutchinson (guitar) and Aaron Burchard (drums). Perchard obviously pertains to the lead’s surname. With a wall of sound, the group successfully filled the venue and they were making their UK debut at the Font. The band played cosmic rock with an edge of Creem, and a touch of the Big Brother corporation. I was in my element as soon as they took to the stage. Blistering rhythms permeated the fast-paced set with explosive guitars offering a distillation of hard rock, funk, garage and a touch of surf that lifted the spirits, I couldn’t stop grinning throughout their set. There was one track that we were warned could go on forever, to be honest I really wouldn’t have minded if it had, which it almost threatened to do at one point. They ended up over running by fifteen minutes, possibly because of this track alone. Perchard’s wall’s 2024 four track EP ‘The Tea Pea’ is available now.

FLOODHOUNDS – 18:00 – 18:30

The Indie-rock trio from Yorkshire are Jack Flynn (vocals/guitar), Anna Melidone (bass), and Lauren Greaves drums. Perhaps predictably for a male vocalist from Sheffield who sings in his own accent, there is the unavoidable tang of the Alex Turner to Flynn’s vocal, it’s fleeting and probably down to them also being an indie-rock act. Further comparisons can be left there, though after a while the band’s influences seem to permeate their songs. They hand pick and mix them and deliver them with a new and thoroughly individual twist. The songs are punchy, have plenty of hooks and keep the audience bouncing along throughout the set. Greaves is a machine of a drummer, Melidone’s bass dovetails to form a formidable rhythm section. Coupled with Flynn’s guitar mastery and smooth vocals the trio form a high energy thunderous sound well worth seeing live. Standout songs included ‘Panic Stations’, ‘Quicksand’, ‘Take It Too Far’, ‘Psychosemantics’ and a cover of the Prodigy’s ‘Omen’. Yup, you read that correctly.

RETROPXSSY 18:45 – 19:15

The absolute sensation of the weekend was London-based genre-defying artist Retropxssy (aka Eleanor to friends and family). Arriving quietly to the venue on a skateboard tucked under one arm, hood up, incognito and unassuming, the performer disappeared off to change into her stage gear. Described as “one of London’s most exciting performers” I could only guess at the performance she was about to unleash. The front row of the audience was collectively pressed as closely to the bar as far away from the stage as possible. Something about the performer rattled them. The set was a blend of theatrical performance and music. The electrifying set blended hip-hop, punk, pop, jazz, dance, and electronica, all elements of the singer’s extensive influences. The effect was mesmerising and immersive, there was no telling what would happen next as the singer moved closer and closer to the hesitant front row. Invading the audience, she lured everyone into a false sense of security, softening her stance and vocal delivery, as soon as the audience started to get comfortable, she switched performance style, becoming confrontational and provocative. It was a masterful lesson in stagecraft. The music interplays and directs the performance. Retropxssy’s lyricism holds a magnifying glass to the realities of modern, exploring themes of power, desolation, and empowerment; the deft musical composition making them palatable and infinitely danceable. Post performance the more I listen to Retropxssy’s currently available tracks including 2019’s album ‘Getting Better’ and 2021’s ‘Road Ahead’ and the more they have grown on me. Standouts from the fourteen-song set included ‘Bones Ache’, ‘All The Things’, ‘Fading’, ‘Shut Up’, ‘Sleepyhead’, and ‘Housewife’. Be sure you make a point of catching Retropxssy next live performance at the first opportunity you will not regret it.

CARSICK 19:30 – 20:00

The four-piece Salisbury based indie-punks were the right band to have on as the venue demographic changed from the live music audience to a Friday night crowd not. CARSICK blended with the incoming crowd, smoothing the potentially fractious meeting of worlds. The band are Joe Richardson (vocals), Jack Richardson (guitar), Jack Hardiman (bass) and Tom Armstrong (drums). The crowd-pleasing act are a startling live force. They know how to use the stage and didn’t have any weak spots in their set. Stylistically, they blend punk, 90s indie-rock, UK hip-hop, and electronic elements. Lyrically the songs are all about living for the weekend and forgetting what happened last night. They also offer a critical, but catchy take on the music industry with their 2024 single ‘Gig Tax’. They had clearly brought fans with them and won over new listeners from the Fonts regulars with their lyrical subject matter. At one point the bassist challenged those upstairs to come down and dance. The entire band are accomplished musicians, their delivery exciting and self assured. Having charmed the Font thoroughly, they left to play a second gig on the same night at East Street Tap. The 2023 EP ‘Drunk Hymns’, and the 2024 single ‘Gig Tax’ are available now.

SAFARI INN 20:15 – 20:45

Named after a hotel in the much-loved film and firm favourite of the band ‘True Romance’, they even released a single called ‘Drexl Spivey’ in 2023. Jen Ahlkvist (guitar), Lexi Clark (drums), and Sean Stapleton (vocals) are the trio that make up Safari Inn. Making her second appearance at the Font that weekend Lexi had drummed for the previous days headliners BERRIES. Safari Inn’s music has much darker undertones than Jen and Lexis previous band The Franklys. An additional bassist joined them for this set. The darker sound is built on Lexi’s thundering drums paired with heavy bass lines, Jen’s fuzzy and vibrating guitar and Sean’s reverb heavy eerie vocals. Combined, their sound is currently leaning towards psychedelic rock by way of the Californian desert. The crowd at the Font thoroughly enjoyed the band’s barnstormer of a set. The trio will be heading back to the studio to record an EP in July 2024. In the meantime, the latest single ‘Can You Live With It?’ and 2023’s EP ‘Welcome To Safari Jungle’ should tide you over until the new EP appears.  

ENJOYABLE LISTENS 21:00 – 21:30

A second appearance of the weekend for Enjoyable Listens aka Luke Duffett only this time performing solo. He decided to perform only two original tracks before turning his short set into an impromptu cover’s moment. Perhaps the only person in the UK who could cover Robbie Williams ‘Angel’s and be met with laughter and joy rather than violence. Over almost before it had started his visit was short and sweet.

 

AVALANCHE PARTY 21:45 – 22:30

Avalanche Party are a five-piece grunge-punk band from Yorkshire. The band are Jordan Bell and Jared Thorpe (vocals/ guitar), Kane Waterfield (drums), Joe Bell (bass) and Glen Adkins (keyboard). Like most of the acts over the weekend the band have garnered attention from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 6. They have also played a plethora of festivals and toured Europe and America. Visually the band appearance was disparate. Once the band started it was clear that their musicianship was strong, they are a tight act. However, both vocalists were difficult to hear. Jordan Bell’s performance style on the night was a posturing hybrid of Brett Anderson and Matt Bellamy. He probably has a great voice, but it was hard to tell. Jared Thorpe vocals were also drowned out. Kane Waterfield’s drums were relentless. The distorted guitars thundered and wailed with fierce energy over a solid rhythm section.
Previous Brighton performances have earned them glowing reviews. However, the audience at the Font was noticeably thinner than it had been all day and at the end of the set Thorpe expressed his distaste for what he perceived as a lacklustre response. The latest single ‘Serious Dance Music’ and the album ‘24 Carat Diamond Trephine’ are currently available.

ALIEN CHICKS 22:35 – 23:00

London-based indie-rock (with a heavy dose of funk) trio are a late addition to the day. The band are Joseph Lindsay (guitar/ vocals), Stefan Parker-Steele (bass/ backing vocals), Martha Lindsay (guitar/ backing vocals). The new headliners were a joy from the minute they take the stage. Setting up almost as quickly as they appeared in the venue and going straight into their set the trio were a deliciously relentless frenzy from start to finish. There’s a real air of Primus to the controlled chaos of their songs featuring speedy vocals, tight as hell bass and thundering drums. They meld their influences together to produce high octane fast paced indie rock with a heavy dose of rap, punk, and funk. Their lyricism is a refreshing mix of catchy and quirky. The trio clearly enjoy playing and performing together. This transferred to their electric and enthusiastic performance. Most of the set featured tracks from their 2024 EP ‘Indulging The Mobs’ peppered with older singles. Highlights included ‘Cowboy’, ‘Qwerty’, ‘Verbena Green’, ‘Steve Buscemi’, and ‘Candlestick Maker’. Closing with the song ‘27 Stitches’ the band leave the audience dancing out and jubilant. The current EP ‘Indulging The Mobs’, is available now.