What a way to enjoy the summer - heaps of hot bands having a blast at a venue right on the beach!
I can’t believe it’s been a year since the debut Bright N Sleazy Festival, but here we are again, at Daltons, to witness a weekend of Punk rock shenanigans. This year I had the pleasure of co-reviewing the event with Punktuation editor supremo, Ruth Rae, so all was good in the world. The weather was certainly on our side too, so it was time to get the suncream out again. Daltons is on Brighton seafront, not far from the pier, and is directly placed under a zipwire… just in case a weekend’s worth of Punk rock wasn’t exhilarating enough for you. To top that, the venue’s beer garden is literally on the beach.
DAY ONE
Sonny: Friday evening promised to be a good one, with a stellar line-up gathered together by Andy Cavendish of An Alternative Gathering, along with Del Ford from Rats With Wings Records and Lou Moon of Moonpunx Promotions. Over the weekend, there were to be several local bands playing alongside those from afar.
First up were a Brighton band that I hadn’t come across before but had heard good things about. They are called Not The Face!, and I was looking forward to checking them out. The songs on their ‘How Vulgar‘ album were recorded in a bedroom in true DIY style, and they have been influenced by the likes of Lunachicks, Tilt and Green Day. They’ve got a sense of humour too – drummer Wozza reckoning he would be happy to auction himself off to the lowest bidder – but there were no takers! Their songs are varied, with elements of punk, ska and metal/HC at play. They are nicely outspoken too, and as they put it; “No pretence. No bullshit”.
It wasn’t until they took to the stage that I realised I had seen them before, and their energy is infectious. Cat Goodman is a great singer, and the band did a sterling job of opening the weekend’s festival. It was a fun set of songs and Not The Face! definitely put on a good show.
Next up, were another local band called Lovedogz, who feature a singer by the name of Pete Bennett – he won series 7 of UK Big Brother many moons ago. I would best describe them as psychedelic punk with a side order of smirk, as they deliver amusing songs, such as ‘Snail Killer‘ (“Nothing makes me iller!”). Pete is a great frontman and quite often wandered into the crowd, singing into people’s faces.
‘Shut That Hole In Your Face‘ is a good example, where they sing about someone who talks too much – or possibly about Pete, who has Tourette syndrome. ‘Asteroids‘ was another highlight, where Pete warned of an impending apocalypse whilst wearing a pair of Toy Dolls-esque sunglasses.
They soon won the crowd over, and performed their namesake song, as well as the previously mentioned, ‘Snail Killer‘. Pete even briefly transformed himself into a Snail for this ditty. Lovedogz ended their set with a song called ‘Werewolf Werewolf‘, which was in a rock n roll/psychobilly style. Check this band out people. You will be thoroughly entertained. Another band that translates well in a festival environment.
Zombie Met Girl are based in Gravesend and have been a firm favourite of ours on the gigging circuit in recent years. In fact, they’ve been around for donkeys, but some of us have only just caught up. They play garage-punk rock’n’roll with a horror vibe, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone playing it better. This is a band that has a wealth of material to mine from, and each set is a slightly different to the last one. People appropriately got their dance-on for ‘Dance Of The Dead’ as this rock’n’roll set headed into full flow. I’ve always said that this band musically ignite, which was proven by their high-energy rendition of ‘Stay Low‘.
Tim Cross’s bass sound, I was recently told, could compromise the structure of buildings, and tonight was no exception. Bass was well and truly in our collective faces, and singer Nick prowled the stage in a blur of garage-punk mayhem. It was also Frazer’s birthday today, so we all sang that obligatory song to him, as he briefly stopped strumming his guitar. ‘Welcome To The Monkey House‘ also got a welcome airing, which planted an earworm into everyone’s craniums. Another notable song was a relatively new song called ‘Murder Is Still Murder‘, which is about the genocide that is going on under people’s noses at the moment. A great set of songs from Zombie Met Girl as ever, delivered with mighty heft.
The penultimate band tonight were The Noir Mates, who are causing quite a stir on the live circuit currently. They are a band that could fit on most alternative music bills, as they span many genres (by accident or design), such as psychedelia, punk, goth, rock and others in between. At times, the vocal delivery reminds me of Mark E Smith from The Fall, and sometimes the band sound like they are jamming their way towards another planet.
Tonight’s set began with a new one called ‘Gary Cooper‘ which started slowly but built up to a song where the vocals reminded me of Kirk Brandon. The vocalist was sporting his trademark fedora hat and had a table of effect pedals in front of him. He used these instruments to mash with our brains, and the crowd seemed compliant. Noir Mates even performed a cover of The Cramps’ ‘Human Fly‘, which got everyone buzzing (sorry….). They played some new songs too; ‘Big Black Car‘, ‘Mo Plastic’ and ‘Monster‘. A Noir Mates set is a varied one, and I can definitely picture them going down well at any festival. They can be mellow, with a Middle Eastern vibe, before getting heavy hitting, with some gruff vocals on display. They ended with a song called ‘Sticky”, and laid waste to our earholes (in a nice way). The Noir Mates are a band that are unpredictable, but also very compelling.
Another local band were the headliners tonight, in the form of I Am Warface. They have been treading the boards for quite some time now, and I’ve been lucky to have caught them a few times in a live scenario. Their music is essentially Alternative Rock I suppose, but to leave it at that would be lazy. They have many musical influences, so what better way than to ask the singer himself, Matt, about what makes the band tick. “We have the punk vibes of The Prodigy, the pop songwriting sentiment of Duran Duran, the bombastic hedonism of Queen, Nine Inch Nails nihilism and the rock grooves of Stone Temple Pilots. Top that with the dark shades of Massive Attack and The Cure“. That’s quite the description, so on with the show!
I Am Warface are Matt Warneford (vocals, main songwriter and producer), Steve Hewitt (ex-Placebo) on the drums, Krist Streeter (Bass) and Jay Franklin (Guitar). They took to the stage tonight and performed in front of a hot and sweaty audience. Steve Hewitt’s drum kit is ginormous, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. He is also quite the powerhouse of a drummer. Matt took centre stage and commanded it, as only he can. They started off proceedings with a brand-new song called ‘Dark Blue‘ which got things off to a good start. Matt’s description of the band is spot on, as they frequently bend genres into their alternative rock framework. ‘You Don’t Love Me Anymore‘ is a bit of a fan favourite and ‘Fear The Future‘ is an electro-rock banger. I Am Warface treated us to a couple of new songs from their new upcoming album too and ended this extremely warm evening with another new one called ‘Psycho‘.
I predict big things for I Am Warface, and they have plenty on the horizon. Matt told me;
“We’re currently working on our second album called “Synesthesia” which is being mixed by P.Dub (Massive Attack, Madonna, Mansun). It will likely be out in 2027“. Watch this space… A great end to a Friday night.
DAY TWO
Ruth: It’s another beautiful day in sunny Brighton, and I head back to the beach looking forwards to seeing yet more bands that are new to me. The first of these is Bath punks There’s Always Time. They are missing their bass player today, but they don’t let that faze them, opening the afternoon’s entertainment with a lively set. Their debut album ‘YOU SUCK !!!’ comes out next Friday, so of course their set showcases several songs from this upcoming new release. Singer Sharon (as you can probably guess from the album title!) tells us she doesn’t like people – men, women, anyone!
Rockabilly number ‘Zombie Karting Nun’ fits in well amongst their swinging Punk songs, and they also pay tribute to the recently disbanded Cornish Punk outfit Dië Spanglë with a great cover of ‘Noize Complaint’, vowing to continue to play their songs – with the band’s blessing! Back to There’s Always Time’s own songs, ‘Yap Yap Yap’ is a warning to dickhead blokes who think they can get one up on women in a lame attempt at impressing their mates – yeah, we see right through it!
Brighton queercore and dance-punk trio MOWFY are a rambunctious young local band, Known for their high-energy, heavy bass-driven riffs and ‘shoutable’ lyrics, their sound blends Punk, Grunge, and Alternative Rock. Their groovy and melodic set includes catchy debut single ‘SATISFACTION’, the only song which includes cowbell! Desperate for the toilet? When you gotta go, you just want to ‘P!$$’, not engage in a discussion about gender in the bathroom, a point well made in MOWFY’s follow-up single, which also graces today’s set. Vocalist Eithne, bassist Chloe and drummer Harrry crank up the heat in the room early, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to cool off in the sea breeze afterwards.
It’s The Cheap Heathens’ first time playing in Brighton, away from their native South London. A band who very much go in for short, fast songs, it’s a serving of ’77-style three chord Punk to go with our lunchtime chips. It is apparently very warm indeed on the stage, so it’s no surprise when The Cheap Heathens bassist ventures out into the crowd occasionally, to aim his instrument at us! The guitarist is stuck where he is, being on lead vocal duty, whilst the drummer must grin and bear the sweat-fest, as all do over the course of the weekend…
Sonny: Existenz are from Sweden and are veterans of the Scandinavian Punk style we know and love today. Originally formed in Helsingborg in 1982, they released influential records such as their self-titled EP and album, ‘Let’s Get Drunk Before It’s Too Late’. The band reformed in 2016 with their original 1984 line-up and have been gigging ever since. They have also released a new album entitled, ‘Death & Disorder‘, so be sure to check it out.
Funnily enough, that was also the song they started the set with. They definitely had an early 80’s sound, and I really enjoyed them. The drummer looked like a man possessed, and the band (tongue in cheek) informed us that they were the best band to come out of Sweden apart from ABBA (seems fair). They played ‘Schizophrenia‘ and ‘Dogs Of War’, but their closing song was a catchy ditty about getting drunk, so it seemed rude not to… Check Existenz out if you get the chance. Proper punk rock.
Critical Candy were up next, who I had not witnessed before. They are from the Notts/Derby area and feature the founder of Misfitz Clothing, appropriately named Miss Fitz. She was accompanied by her daughters, Rose and Ruby, who, as well as playing in the band, are also involved in production and modelling at Misfitz HQ. This was a new one for me, so on with the show…
This 3-piece plays punk rock but in a poppy way. There’s not much talking between songs, but they ripped through their repertoire with gusto. At one point, one of their songs sounded like an outtake from the Grease soundtrack, and they soon followed that up with their new upcoming single called ‘Whitchapel Murder‘. Critical Candy played an enjoyable set, and the family Fitz did good. Be sure to check them out on Rebellion Festival’s Introducing Stage this year.
Next on the bill was a band called Be N!ce. They are a DIY band from the London area, and they like to mix in some humour with their fury. They cover socio-political issues in their lyrics, as well as more personal ones, such as trans rights. This band displayed plenty of energy, as the singer, Pol Mills, promptly walked off the stage and screamed into the audiences faces.
They had plenty of attitude and the music was more of a hardcore sound. Their second song was about useless landlords (we’ve all witnessed those at various points in our lives), and Pol dished out some advice to the gathered throng. That message was a simple one… Be N!ce! Towards the end of their set, Pol and bassist Emily swapped their musical weapons, as our new temporary lead singer jumped into the crowd for ‘Dyslexic Hell’. I would definitely check this band out again.
Charred Hearts have been around for many years and were also a staple at Coombe Farm’s Glastonwick festival over the years. They play in an old school garage punk style. The singer, Dermot told us that the band had been going on and off for 45 years, so that’s quite a tenure in the punk rock world.
The band were a tight unit, as they blasted through some old school punk numbers with a garage flavour. They sang a song about a throwaway society and also reminded us that Ronald Reagan was an asshole. They ended their entertaining set with a song called ‘Fucked‘. Charred Hearts have always been a consistently good band, and Dermot’s banter was very amusing. Check them out when you get the chance.
Everyone’s favourite Anarcho party band was up next. Yes, it was time for Hagar The Womb to entertain us, in the way only they know how. They originally formed in the 1980’s, but since reforming, they’ve enjoyed quite the resurgence. Fronted by Ruth and Karen on vocals, and a mischievous Mitch on bass guitar, they make for a fun band to watch. Their lyrics are mostly political though, and their onstage chaos is bolstered by many a catchy tune.
‘Idolisation‘ got an early airing, seeing the band on top form. Ruth and Karen traded vocals in their own unmistakable style, and the crowd were more than ready to dance. ‘A Song Of Deep Hate‘ is a top song too and almost reminds me of The Mob in the bass department. We were treated to a new song called, ‘Mother Of All Mothers’, which proved to us that the hit parade surely beckons.
I saw Sister Sledge in a field last week, but they didn’t have anything on these guys. They played some ska, and a song about the Mekons’ rider called, ‘Fare Dodging With The Mekons Rider (3 Beers And A Lemon’)‘, but not before Mitch took his bass guitar on a tour of the venue. His end destination was the bar, where he was fed more beer by a willing customer. Hagar The Womb always bring the good vibes, and tonight was an especially good set of songs, played with mostly a political but always a party spirit.
The headliners tonight were Face Up! from Birmingham/Coventry. They have made a real name for themselves in today’s Punk scene, and play punk rock with a big metallic, hardcore edge.
As soon as the band hit the first note, the room erupted, as singer Roxy jumped into the audience in a whirlwind of hair and arms. She’s a great front person and really knows how to work a crowd. ‘Make You Suffer” was a memorable song, and it’s not long before you realise that this band is as tight as hell. They are quite metal influenced, with some serious double pedal action on the bass drum. Face Up! also played their new forthcoming single ‘Surge‘, as an encore, and proved that it is as brutal as the rest. This is the dawn of the band’s 10th Anniversary, and they certainly have earned that explanation mark at the end of their name.
DAY THREE
Sonny: First up, it was early doors time to catch The Ugly Scenes. Hailing from Bromley in the UK, this 3-piece band describe themselves as ‘observational punk with a hard edge’. They have a quite raw and poppy punk sound, and many (if not all) of their lyrics are sung with their tongues placed firmly in their cheeks.
They performed in front of a large ‘Death Or Glory’ banner and their second song was a ska number. This band were a tight outfit with a touch of the Snuff about them. They are also a band who are not too keen on hipsters (who is?), so they performed a lively number, appropriately titled, ‘Hipsters‘. The Ugly Scenes also played a song called ‘Everybody Loves You’, which was quite toe-tapping and amusing, and blamed the ‘Boomers’ for the state the world is in now. The bassist and guitarist traded vocals throughout the set, and they managed to get some people dancing. That’s quite an achievement for the first band on. Good stuff.
Roadkill Drive-Thru were next on our musical menu, and what a band they are. They have become another firm favourite of ours, and we don’t normally miss the opportunity to see them on our doorstep. This Cambridge-based band make a lot of noise for a 3-piece, and I would best describe their music as garage-punk, rock’n’roll, with a twist of the unexpected… ‘Breathe‘ is one of my favourite Roadkill Drive-Thru songs, and they played it second in the set today. It’s got a great groove to it, and so has ‘Hell Yeah‘, which prompted a mass sing-along.
They even aired a new track from their latest album ‘Needs Must While The Devil Rides‘ called ‘Life’s A Beach’, which seemed more than appropriate, considering our current setting. Shortly afterwards, they shook the foundations with ‘Backwoods Boogie’. Every song’s a winner with this band, and the trio make a big noise. Going by the rush to their merch stand afterwards, we’re not the only ones who think so! Roadkill Drive-Thru are back in Brighton on the 24th of September at The Prince Albert, supporting Canada’s Dead Bob. If you enjoy your punk rock fun with killer riffs, then be sure to catch them!
Family Of Strangers have been working hard over the last couple of years, and there aren’t many local punk bills that you don’t see their name upon. UK Subs’ Charlie Harper has given them his seal of approval! They play old school punk rock, and singer Lou is a lively front person who gives it her all. They also feature Richie Nice from another local band, Gripper Lee, on bass while their guitarist Del runs the Rats With Wings record label.
Family Of Strangers began their set today with ‘Predator’, which soon got the crowd going. They have a decent local following too, so the room was decently people-heavy at this point. They also played their obligatory namesake song, ‘Family Of Strangers Anthem‘, which always goes down well with an audience. It’s a catchy song with a nice sentiment of unity. “We are family,” Lou sings, but not in a Sister Sledge way. Lou has plenty of energy on stage and is more than happy to instigate some crowd interaction. One of the band’s songs was also called ‘Shoot Nazis‘, which was quite self-explanatory. Lou reminded us that we are all human beings, and everyone deserves a peaceful life wherever they are. Richie was on top form too, and Del took his guitar for a stroll through the audience. An entertaining knees-up was had by all.
Gulls are a Brighton trio who describe themselves as ‘Punk Rock Poem Pop’, and also go on to say that they sound like ‘Sleaford Mods and Bikini Kill in a high- speed crash’. Gulls are getting quite a bit of attention, and the video for their new single, ‘Womb Raider’ was recently premiered here on Punktuation! Gulls were one of the day’s highlights for me. Another 3-piece, their singer/poet Rhi Kavok has definite stage presence. They sound hardcore, but they sing about amusing personal subjects, as well as the political stuff. The lead vocals are punk in aggression, but with a modern rap edge.
Gulls are certainly no fans of the boys in blue, and with ‘Another Bobby, Another Body‘, they were suitably raging. ‘Against Compliance” was another anti-police song and an angry and defiant one. Litter droppers also felt their wrath, as they played ‘Larry The Litter Lout‘ and Audi car drivers were not safe either, with the amusing, but accurately titled, ‘Audi Twat‘. (“He drives up too fast. He drives right up your arse”). It is great to discover a new local band, and Gulls were that band today. I can see them going far, so go see them ASAP – and a big thank you for the shoutout to Punktuation! Rhi!
My last band of the day was going to be Rage DC, before I went home to nurse my weary head. This band formed way back in 1996, in Bracknell, Berkshire and they are well known on the gigging circuit. They play proper old school punk rock and have shared stages with many of the old guard. They very recently enjoyed the release of a brand-new album, called ‘Mind Your Head’, which is their 4th long player, and the crowd today were well up for a bit of Rage DC in their earholes.
They played ‘Make A Noise‘, which has been a bit of a live staple for the band, and it’s as catchy as you like. This song has also recently been given the studio treatment, and features on their new album. They played to a full room today, and their own brand of UK82 style punk rock went down a storm. They played a memorable song called ‘I Believe In Nothing’, which is taken from their 3rd album, ‘Punk To The Bone‘. Rage DC also gave us a rendition of their new album’s title track, as well as one called ‘Austerity’, where “The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer.” A great set of early 80’s-sounding punk rock – played well.
Collegaue Ruth Rae was at the ready, in addition to her photography duties, as I prepared to pass the baton for the second part of the day…
Ruth: I haven’t seen 16 Guns live for some time, mainly because singer Tom Halpin relocated ‘oop North’ a year ago, so there haven’t been any gigs scheduled! “You can probably tell we don’t rehearse!” quips Tom, as they band launch into their traditional ‘anything goes’ set of chaotic Punk!
Street Punk songs including ‘Cracked‘, ‘True Story‘, ‘Psycho‘, ‘Mind Games‘ and ‘Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay‘ illustrate 16 Guns‘ 43-year history, another testament to the longevity of the genre. Ending their set with a punked-up cover of Chuck Berry‘s ‘Johnny B Goode‘ they have everyone dancing wildly. 16 Guns also take first prize for the best-decorated set list at the festival!
A band I did catch more recently are East London 4-piece The Anoraks, who played in Guildford three weeks ago at the Sounds Of The Suburbs Record Shop’s 10th Anniversary party and fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Once again, they entertain the audience with a rapid-paced set of their original material, including signature tune ‘Anorak Dub‘, plus several numbers from their last album ‘Rak’n’Roll‘. It’s refreshing to see a band whose members take turns to sing the lead vocals, as The Anoraks celebrate their 30th anniversary this year.
Sonny: Just as I thought I was out for the count, I got a second wind. I decided to check out Tear Up tonight. I’ve seen them quite a few times now, the last one being the Vive Le Rock 16th Anniversary shindig in London. Tear Up hail from the streets of Watford and play what they term, ‘Hooligan Rock N Roll.’ They’ve been getting themselves noticed on the UK Oi! scene at the moment, and they don’t mess about. They’ve recently released their third, well received album, ‘Repeat Offenders‘ and are gigging very regularly.
The room was pretty packed by this time of the night, and people seemed up for a bit of Tear Up action. Fronted by the lively Jamie Flanagan, they tore straight into tonight’s set and didn’t look back. They started with ‘King Of The Car Park‘, which is one of their most popular old songs. ‘They Can Lock The Locks, But They Can’t Stop The Clocks‘ from their second album of the same name is a catchy number, and they certainly did it justice tonight. Towards the end of their set, they played their anthem; ‘Oi! Ain’t Dead’. Tear Up are an up-and-coming band on the Oi!/Streetpunk scene at the moment, so if that’s your poison, then strap your boots on and check them out.
Ruth: The mighty Menace round off the festival for us; celebrating their 50th anniversary as a band, they’re playing gigs everywhere, and it’s wonderful to see them still going strong. Sole original Noel Martin now takes charge of lead vocals, having spent much of the band’s career on the drum stool. He is very ably supported by Dave Jenkins on bass, Pete Bradshaw on guitar, and ‘Smiley Si’ Simon Edwards stepping into Noel’s shoes behind the drum kit.
The heat on stage has been referred to (in some cases quite colourfully!) by the bands all weekend, but these guys take it in their stride. Menace give it all they’ve got, sweltering along with the crowd, as we throw ourselves around to opener ‘Screwed Up‘ and other fan favourites including ‘Insane Society‘ – yes, it seems it’s even more insane than ever – ‘Party Animal‘ and ‘I’m Civilised‘.
As always, Menace are at one with the audience, so it’s no surprise when Noel invites “anyone who wants to join us” onto the stage to sing along to the last three numbers; ‘So Fuck You‘, ‘G.L.C.‘ and ‘Last Year’s Youth‘. I decide to remain on the dance floor where there’s more space to bounce about, and start the chant for “More!” when the last notes play… We’re rewarded with ‘C&A‘ as an encore, to end the night and the festival with a buzz!
It’s still early, so those of us who’ve been smart / crazy enough to take the next day off stick around for a few drinks – thank you for the baby Guinnesses – to toast another successful event!
A massive THANK YOU to Andy of An Alternative Gathering, Lou of Moonpunx Promotions and Del from Rats With Wings Records for putting on another fantastic 3-day weekend of music!!
Great news – Bright N Sleazy Festival returns for its third run at Daltons in Brighton next year – keep an eye out for tickets coming soon!
Main Photo Credit / All Photos: RUTH RAE
(please contact me for more hi-res originals)
Videos: RUTH RAE / SONNY TYLER
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I have been writing reviews for Brighton & Hove News, and more recently Vive Le Rock magazine for a few years now. Previously, I could be spotted playing drums for many a band over the decades. A noisy habit developed whilst wearing short trousers at school, and one that has had me touring around the UK and Europe. Punk rock is my life, but I am also quite eclectic. I am an avid gig go-er and music devourer, and can feel out of sorts if a gig date is not on the horizon. I have also been known to put gigs on myself in order to fill those gaps.
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