Viva Brighton Issue #83 January 2020

MUSIC
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Ben Bailey rounds up the local music scene
CLOWWNS
Fri 10th, Hope & Ruin, 8pm, £12/10
Clowwns ground to a halt
in 2016 without farewell or
fanfare, not long after the
release of their debut album.
The band reformed this time
last year as a one-off favour
for a friend, and they’ve only had one gig since.
So we’re not sure if this Melting Vinyl show is
another one-off or the start of a comeback. The
four-piece’s garage rock comes with literate lyrics
tempered by a silly streak. They’ve been compared
to fellow Brighton rockers The Cravats
and The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, but
really they have their roots in the mischievous
post-punk of bands like The Monochrome Set
and Bauhaus. It could be your last chance to see
them... until the next time.
TRIPTYCH
Thu 16th-Sat 18th, Hope & Ruin, £12/6
This is really three gigs in one, each with three
local bands on the bill. As usual, promoters Love
Thy Neighbour have kept the standards high
and the styles varied. Thursday’s show brings Abi
Wade’s gorgeous cello experiments together with
the dreamy alt-pop of Cubzoa (a solo project
from Penelope Isles’ Jack Wolter) and singer-songwriter
soundscapes from Hilang Child.
Friday night features grungy shoegaze, art-rock
and moody dream-pop from Hanya, Zooni and
CIEL, while Saturday rounds off with the uptempo
fuzz of Beach Riot and the Sonic Youth-style
distortion swirl of Happy Couple, not to mention
the “drunken ramblings” of Our Family Dog.
Each gig comes with a severely limited edition
lathe-cut vinyl release.
BEA EVERETT
Fri 17th, Brunswick, 7.30pm, £7/5
Even at their most subdued, Bea Everett’s songs
are never maudlin. She’s a singer-songwriter who
seems to have a naturally buoyant attitude and
an ear for a good tune. This gig is a launch party
for her debut album, Russian Doll. Six years in
the making, the record charts her “journey from
teen to adulthood” with a collection of songs that
combine jazz and folk with the musical theatre
of her family background. She’s been performing
live since she was 14, so it’s no surprise that
she’s a dab hand at piano, guitar and ukulele.
Bea opened for folk harpist Ellie Ford at the
Roundhill a few months back and has returned
the favour by booking Ellie as support at the
Brunswick.
STRANGE CAGES
Fri 31st, Komedia, 7pm, £8/6
Local promoters
Acid Box
are celebrating
Independent
Venue Week with
a triple-bill of top
local bands. Strange Cages (pictured), who have
supported the likes of King Gizzard and Idles
in the past, have been on a roll lately with the
release of their album leading to a UK tour and
gigs in Amsterdam. Fans of Gang of Four, The
Cramps or Ty Segall will find plenty to enjoy in
the band’s primal garage rock. Their pals Skinny
Milk are also playing tonight, continuing the
Brighton tradition of powerhouse rock duos
driven by noisy FX pedals and gutsy drumming.
Yetti complete the line-up with a blast of heavy
psych, stoner rock and Sabbath-style riffs.
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