Goths flocked to a daytime show headlined by hit-makers Balaam & The Angel!
To be honest, when first being told of this afternoon show, I was a bit sceptic about the concept of a Sunday afternoon of gothic delights. Would anyone really turn up? Luckily, I was proven wrong as the tickets sold out weeks ahead of the gig, and any misconceptions of goths only coming out at night were put to rest as the bar started to fill up way ahead of opening time for the doors to the live room, situated right in the middle of the brewery with the beer tanks and kegs providing an unusual backdrop to the stage.
First up were The Rose of Avalanche, with their laid-back, sinister mix of 70’s alternative rock and Yorkshire gothic gloom. Kicking off with ‘Conceal Me’ followed by ‘Don’t Fly Too High’, guitarist David ‘Wolfie’ Wolfenden looks like he’s enjoying every second on stage, whilst the rest of the band look a bit indifferent – or maybe just cool…? Putting on both a competent and confident set, the band goes down a storm, and we’re treated to timeless classics such as ‘LA Rain’ and ‘Too Many Castles in the Sky’ before they bid us all goodbye with a rip-roaring rendition of The Stooges ‘Loose’.
Next up are Ghost Dance, who in their original incarnation were looked upon as a gothic “super act”, when Anne Marie Hurst of Skeletal Family joined forces with Gary Marx of Sisters of Mercy. They quickly became regulars in the upper regions if the indie charts with their initial run of singles and Eps, before they were signed to Chrysalis, who tried to turn them into pop stars with the overproduced and polished ‘Stop the World’ album. Having released their second album, ‘The Silent Shout’, as recently as 2023 I was a wee bit surprised that they didn’t air any of the songs from this record tonight. Still, given the short set permitted for each band this afternoon, the set list provides a beautiful walk down memory lane with almost all the favorites from the 80’s played.
When Nick Procter and Gavin Coulson commence with the unmistakable riff of ‘When I Call’ it’s full speed ahead from the get-go. Anne Marie proudly roams the stage whilst lining up crowd pleasers like ‘Celebrate’, ‘River of No Return’ and ‘Down to the Wire’. With the rhythm section – Justin Kelly (bass) and Billy Lockwood (drums) – pumping out a relentless but steady pace to the closing number ‘Last Train’, it’s almost like (in a positive way) being run over by a steamroller!
There is just enough time for a refill of the excellent Kindred Spirits dark ale, brewed especially for this gathering, before it’s time for the final act.
Fresh from support slots for The Fields of the Nephilim and a slot at Tomorrows Ghosts Festival in Whitby, the Morris brothers a.k.a. Balaam & the Angel take to the stage to massive cheers, whilst the crowd surges forward to get a better view closer to the stage. Show opener ‘She Knows’ turns the packed room into a heaving sea of dancing bodies. Followed by ‘A New Kind of Love’, ‘Walk Away’ and ‘Love Me’ makes you wonder how on earth the band are going to be able to keep up the pace all through the night. It turns out there was no need to worry, as Balaam & the Angel are virtually on fire with hit after hit lined up. Backed up by Des Morris’ solid drumming, Jim Morris wrings blood, or rather pure emotion out of his trusty Gibson Les Paul.
Similarly to Ghost Dance, Balaam rely heavily upon their earlier stuff for tonight, although ‘Dancing Senseless’ from last year’s brilliant ‘Forces of Evil’ EP sits nicely with older songs such as ‘Isabella’s Eyes’ and ‘Slow Down’. Karen Morris’s keyboard weaves an ornamental brocade of tones, allowing Mark Morris’ unmistakable vocals to shine and further expand this musical embroidery. They end on a high with ‘Day and Night’, which leaves not only the band grinning from ear to ear, but the full crowd as well. If anyone had the impression of goth being dark and gloomy, Balaam definitely proved the opposite on that Sunday.
And, following on from the success of this event, a second Kindred Spirits Day Fest has already been announced, this time at the Concord 2 in Brighton on Sunday 10th May 2026. This time, Balaam & the Angel will be joined by Wasted Youth and Skeletal Family. Tickets are on sale now from HERE
Main Photo Credit / All Photos: PER-ÅKE WÄRN
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