The Maccabees bring a sun drenched Saturday on Brighton beach to a magical end with a wealth of Indie Band acts and an exhilarating crowd pleaser headline set!
With the tradition of On Brighton Beach events taking place on Brighton beach across two weekends anticipation was high with a bumper line up including and the mighty ‘The Maccabees’ coming to town. The all-day extravaganza event with some top drawer favorite acts like Madness and Fat Boy Slim selling out a staggering four nights in a row to draw in the crowds.
Brighton’s On The Beach festival returned this July for its sixth year, bringing 40 artists across eight shows and two weekends to the city’s iconic seafront. Headliners in the past included, Noel Gallagher, The Libertines and Carl Cox. This year the highly anticipated The Maccabees return to Brighton and the electronic guru ‘Moby’ !
The typical genre to please all crowds that spans electronic, indie and alternative music. Staged directly on Brighton’s iconic seafront, the series pairs major artists with a unique coastal setting. Launched in 2021. The Maccabees have been on the scene for a while now with the reunion announced with their ‘2025 reunion tour’. Ironically they played a show at the Concorde 2 opposite the beach where they got banned as fans were hanging from the ceiling.
Perfectly setting the scene Brighton’s own Lime Garden . A typical homegrown girl-based, indie-pop quartet known for their inventive, sharp-edged alt-rock and playful, emotionally resonant songwriting, earning critical acclaim for both their ‘debut’ and ‘sophomore’ albums. The sound is unique blend of Garage- Rock and alt-rock, witnessed on many of Brighton’s gig circuit nights.
With a long day ahead early revellers were treated to songs such as ‘Maybe Not tonight’, taken from the current as well as ‘clockwork’. Their dynamic high octane image will soon grace larger headline sets!
The slightly subdued singer songwriter announced Damon Gough aka ‘Badly Drawn Boy’, “he will come on early so he has not have to Rush.” .By contrast a slower sun socked guitar rhythm but soberer songwriting entertained the fans. By all means the mercury price winner has fascinated audiences across the country since 95 with his thoughtfulness and his ability to tell stories. He dedicates ‘The Shining’ in memory to his recently lost Mum!
With more of a power pop style with a catchy riffs boisterous stance ‘Ash’ rolled onto stage. A big festival shenanigans favourite as always ,playing the likes of ‘Victorious Festival’ in recent years. Ash are always see a mixed crowd old and new please. They have the ability to connect with the audience with a high energy set list. ‘Oh yeah’ gets the audience to start a sing along in tandem. Going way back even the thunderous ‘Orpheus’ features on today’s Brighton beach set to ramp up the energy.
Soon it was time for guitar goth Guru ‘Anna Calvi ‘to feature on the sun soaked stage. More suited for a dark industrial night. Her angry fortitudinous riffs hit hard. A very power set with dynamic vocals. Ghost Rider a terrifying composition to scare anyone away, but her style still astoundingly beautiful!
A leopard skin stage backdrop set are the order of the day with fans already cramming in to brim to get to the front of stage to witness ‘Miles Kane’ with the trio ramping up with some glam rock and more grittier side ‘Rearrange’, as always with his trademark swagger. Miles Kane never stops grinning and the energy rises with his showmanship seemingly moving between new songs and old favourites.
From forming in Birmingham in 2002, ‘Editors’ have made a name for themselves producing memorable albums such as ‘In Dream’ and ‘Violence’ getting considerable air play by Jo Whiley, Tom Smith and his band draws influence from older and contemporary and bands with their distinctive ‘Munich’ has always been a tempo driven crowd driver.. Tom Smith after a hiatus still delivers and gets the reaction with a ‘hands in the air moment’.
It’s a milestone for ‘The Maccabees’ to be playing back in Brighton as many of the tracks had been recorded locally and playing intimate venues across the city with critical acclaim. When the Maccabees first emerged in the mid 2000’s they captivated audiences with their emotional charged lyrics and guitar riffs. . Tonight the golden hour delivered the perfect setting for the gathering to start the set with ‘Love you better’. They hit the right notes with overjoyed smiles.
Front man Orlando weeks and his bad sound as natural as ever and receive an overwhelming response with ‘Toothpaste kisses’ getting an airing. In-betweeners are some more softer in tone but the band erupt again with ‘Marks to Prove it’ and a mosh pit and cups flying. The crowd are ecstatic by now as Felix and Orland sing into the mic on occasions.
With the encore and the rhythmic guitar jolts of Pelican, Orlando Weeks thanks every band for thanking everyone for getting the band back together. Its not clear if the Maccabees reunite is for good but new material would be on everyone’s Wishlist who attended this not forgotten indie extravaganza on this eves closure.
