A trio of musical treats at The Prince Albert

Following a dramatic journey to Brighton from my Hastings hometown due to the bomb squad in situ along St Leonards seafront, I managed to arrive at Brighton’s iconic Prince Albert with just five minutes spare before the opening act of the night were due on stage.

The evening continued to be exciting, but in a much more pleasant way, with an introduction to three new live musical experiences for myself. As always, local promoters Hidden Herd, had curated beautifully, showcasing Rats-Tails, Everyday Saints, and of course Winter Gardens.

I was joined by fellow Brighton and Hove News contributors as well as a few regular local gig photographers at the front. Its always good to feel a little bit of camaraderie as a shooter.

The Prince Albert, just two minutes from Brighton’s main train station, is an intimate venue that exudes an energetic vibe. Great when enhancing the live music experience, but a little stressful for photographers when there’s no pit. But I shouldn’t have worried. The audience felt almost London like in their ‘fear’ of stepping too close to the stage. I am convinced this is a politeness trait to allow us press peeps our space.

My other pre-gig fear, problematic lighting, was totally unfounded. I think this was one of the easiest gigs I have captured in terms of lighting. And each band offering something individual visually.

Rats-Tails

Rats-Tails are, in the words of vocalist Courtney as stated in Still Listening magazine, ‘A multi-genre Dream Rock band from South East London’. Their line-up is Chris on lead guitar, Samuel on Bass, Frankie D on Clarinet, Pitt on drums and Courtney on Vocals & Guitar. They provided a beautifully intricate sound to start off the night, with each piece being lifted wonderfully by the hypnotic clarinet tones.

Everyday Saints

The second band of the night were Everyday Saints, a Brighton band bringing a very engaging brand of occult pop music to the stage. For me, this was an instantly likeable sound, coupled with charismatic stage presence. Making up the group are Pip Rainbird on vocals and guitar, Jade Middleton on vocal and synth, George Clark on lead guitar, Amelia Holder on bass and Alex Mold on drums. The performance was both theatrical and captivating.

Winter Gardens

Hitting the stage at around tennish were our headliners Winter Gardens – and this was something pretty special. Having left my pre-gig prep time a little short I hadn’t properly explored the artists beforehand. And this was a night that just kept giving. I was transfixed by the sublime soundscapes brought to us by the collectively talented Ananda Howard on vocals, Jamie Windless on guitar, Jasmine Ardley on vocals and synth, Connor McCorkindale on drums and Ed Fair on bass. Another charismatic performance, making my job of photographer so my more enjoyable. And a very receptive crowd on the launch of the band’s sublime new EP Unlovable released on Austerity Records.

Photo Stuff

As a little postscript I am popping an image from each band at the Lightroom phase of my process. Whoever was working the lights on the night made my job very easy, as you can see from the sliders!