Karen Goodwin

Fresh-faced North London trio Girl Ray are late to the stage, but nobody cares because they go straight into the gloriously melodic opening track (‘Girl’) from their new album ‘Girl’. A boldly different sound to their coming-of-age indie debut ‘Earl Grey’ (2017), this release sees Poppy Hankin, Sophie Moss and Iris McConnell ditch the indie-cool for the mainstream. The result is exquisitely crafted bedroom pop, and it’s all female powered. Girl takes its influences from the likes of Ariana Gran

DRY ice swirls on stage as spoken word poet Kate Tempest walks out to take the mic at Brighton Dome. A huge disk, reminiscent of Jerram’s Museum Of The Moon, is stagelit behind her in red as she launches into Europe Is Lost from her 2016 Mercury Prize nominated album Let Them Eat Chaos. When she raps, her head tilts back, mic up against the stage moon. She is howling to the night sky, her shadow casts an eerie silhouette. For the opening set she plays tracks from her first two albums, Everybo

ROCK superstar Suzi Quatro was in town for the screening of feature documentary Suzi Q. The Duke of York’s was crammed with fans hoping to get a glimpse of rock’s first lady in the live Q and A after the film. The rock-doc biopic, directed by Melbourne’s Liam Firmager, followed the usual conventions – archived material of Suzi Quatro’s childhood in the Detroit suburbs, the early years performing with her sisters in The Pleasure Seekers and her breakaway to the UK and ensuing solo career. Noth

Loyle Carner the 25-year-old rapper from Croydon is in a hurry. Pitching his new album Not Waving, But Drowning to an ecstatic crowd at Brighton Dome – his second release in little over two years. He paces the floor in a lyrical ramble through personal history. Mercury-nominated for debut album Yesterday’s Gone in 2017, his confessional hip hop style has won him praise for its emotional IQ. An early collaborator with Kate Tempest on Guts for Speedy Wunderground, he has supported the mighty Nas

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Doolittle, Pixies’ most commercially successful album, the alt-rock legends from the US have officially hit middle age. The De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea is oddly fitting for a reunion gig with live debuts from their new album Beneath the Eyrie. The Brighton set have risked the train journey east and are massing in the brightly lit bar before heading in to the gig, which starts early and with no support. Opening with Gouge Away, a Doolittle staple, fr

We bump into Sink Ya Teeth on the steps outside the venue. There’s no mistaking the electro-punk duo, Gemma Cullingford and Maria Uzor in a black beret, shirt and braces. They’re looking for something to eat before they go onstage, I recommend the vegan burger and rush off to queue for them at The Green Door Store. I’m expecting a long wait, the line-up of Sink Ya Teeth, Big Joanie and Porridge Radio is an absolute dream. Los Bitchos are first on, a lively opener for a female-fronted night. The

Psych-punk band The Lovely Eggs were back in Brighton on Saturday with a new self-released album This is Eggland. Playing at The Haunt, they had post-punk noise rock band Mush and spoken word comedian Rob Auton in support. NME has named them: “One of the country’s most beloved underground bands” and it’s easy to see why this fierce duo get such an independent following. “Good evening Brighton,” guitarist/vocalist Holly Ross bellows, “it’s good to be back, you’re like family to us you lot.” Op