Live Review: The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Brighton Dome, Brighton 19.02.25

With a wash of psychedelic flurries, ‘The Brian Jonestown Massacre’ broke the silence of the Brighton Dome. With breezy wintery and rainy weather conditions outside, the fans still flocked to see this spectacular of a live show!

‘The Brian Jonestown Massacre’ broke onto the scene in San Francisco in 1990. The band’s key influences are the late sixties rock scene. The band name is derived from the deceased Rolling Stone founder and Guitarist Brian Jones, who introduced Eastern influences to Rock! Lead singer Anton Newcombe quickly developed the band’s hallmark psychedelic sound with the likes of ‘Spacegirl’ and other favourites and a more abstract ‘Methodrone.’ The UK music scene at the time was taking shape with the shoegaze explosion.

The band’s tour coincides with the most recent re-release of the iconic documentary Dig! It tells the story of ‘The Brian Jonestown Massacre’ and The Dandy Warhols, with their rivalry and rise in the late 90s. The film captures a bold and authentic moment in Indie Music History!

Brian Jonestown certainly has a cult following since the 1990s, and the acclaimed memoir written by percussionist Joel Gion is no exception.

Tonight’s gig is a mellow affair, with the band silently tuning their guitars and a much older audience. ‘Anton Newcombe’, wearing a large hat, taps his foot on the ground, and Gion focuses on the Tambourine. The band plays with ease throughout the set, ranging from their 20 album career history, ‘Vacuum Boots’ and ‘That Suicide Girl’, to the more recent songs taken from the album, ‘The Future is Your Past’. The crowd shot ..” we love you, Anton”, with a prompt ‘I love you to,o but we can’t feed you or pay your cable!” reply from Anton.

At one stage, Joakim Åhlund, a long-time collaborator and Swedish musician, joined the band on stage for ‘Vad Hände Med Dem’.

‘Super-Sonic’ echoes through Brighton Dome’s Hall, and the night ends to an exhilarating high. The final chords chime out, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre has shown that they can still create an immersive musical experience!