Live
Sisteray + Fine Creatures + Beach Riot + Fond of Rudy
The Hope & Ruin, Brighton
October 4 2018
Words/Pictures: Steve Willcox
Hurricane Leslie might not yet have brought its might to these shores, but with the four-piece rockers Sisteray blowing into Brighton you knew it would be a case of battening down the hatches as they set to whip up a storm on the stage of The Hope & Ruin.
As the first lead in the four horse Modern Age Music promoted night, local indie pop band Fond of Rudy add calypso rhythms to their set which ensures the early punters are not left looking at their feet. Using prerecorded backing tracks with voices and animal sounds in the background during a few songs, they provide an enjoyable set, with ‘Love’ with its guitar melodies and heart wrenching lyrics, being a highlight.
Also from Brighton are Beach Riot. I'm beginning to think I'm a jinxing this band: last time I reviewed them live, Cami the guitarist was absent, tonight Jonny the drummer is ill, leaving the trio as once again a duo. However, with bassist Jim taking on the drums and vocalist Rory O’Conner multi-tasking on bass, they do a pretty decent job covering set plesserz like ‘B.A.D‘ with its pulsating guitar and beats, and ‘Good To Know’. Ending with last single ‘Serial Scruff’, they show even reduced to two they can still kick up a riot.
Fine Creatures complete the Brighton triumvirate tonight. They have been around for a while now but are starting to get noticed more and more recently. ‘Money’ is the first song from their new EP ‘Electric La La Land’, which with its steam train beats and guitar hooks alongside confident frontman and vocalist James Hall, sets things off to a...fine start. With Hall's great delivery and a rasping melodic voice - particularly on ‘Get Up’, a song that rides on its dramatic chorus, guitar flourishes and vocals reminiscent of a 90s Madchester band - these are a band well worth having a look at.
This being the first night of Sisteray’s current tour you just know these boys are going to go in hard - and we weren't let down. With the room having filled nicely for the headliner, they come out with ‘Faaast Food’ from last year's '15 Minutes' EP, and ‘Algorithm Prison’ in quick succession that both bring a sense of urgency this band has a knack of delivering well; while Niall Rowan’s scathing vocals mixed with Dan Connolly’s heady guitars, combine to lend a driving force to ‘Queens English’, their own generational anthemic statement song.
‘Gentrification’ highlights the loss of our music venues (such as Brighton’s Sticky Mike's that’s recently announced its closure). One of my favourite songs, ‘Rumour Mill’ starts with Calum Landau’s drums and Michael Hanrahan’s bass until it all kicks off on stage with Dan's guitar riff and Niall’s vocals hitting where it hurts. Ending the set on their EP title track, ‘Sisteray Said’, it brings the show to a close with appreciative applause. These Sisteray boys have managed to galvanise the spirit from deep within and anyone about to see them, you’re in for a treat.
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