One Night In Brighton! Fallen Leaves, London and Long Tall Shorty

Fallen Leaves / London / Long Tall Shorty

One Night in Brighton and the world’s your oyster.  The bars are temples…

Fallen Leaves, London and Long Tall Shorty – all live!

It was the August bank holiday weekend in Brighton. The weather was usual for a bank holiday. It was a little disappointing though after the recent heatwave/summer sun. The town was alive as it was the Mod Weekend. Parkas out and Scooters parked everywhere marking the many musical events happening across the city.

Saturday Nights Alright!

Promoters Spinning Chilli had put together a great night at The Green Door Store. They had put two classic legendary bands back together on the same bill for one night. The mighty fine Fallen Leaves and London!

The Fallen Leaves

The Fallen Leaves: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

So good to see the Leaves guys back in Brighton. This was the second visit to the city in 2018. You can never have enough of these guys.

What does the Fallen Leaves Manifesto say? Rob reminds us –  “No jeans. No t-shirts. No cover-versions”. The Fallen Leaves believe in the DIY punk ethos. Song, Sound and Performance are all.  As the self proclaimed champions of the glorious underachievers The Fallen Leaves ask you to remember …… “Simple and easy are not the same thing.”

The Band:

Reverend Rob Green Vocals with an English accent
Sir Robert Symmons Sniper guitar
Matthew Karas Bohemian bass
Brett Buddy Ascott Dangerous drums

Pre gig I had noticed again some very well dressed ladies and gentlemen! Someone asked if the Millionaires Club was in! Tailored suits, smoking jackets, cravats, top pocket ‘kerchiefs and more being sported in the venue. Fabulous to observe the fans and crowd getting into it.

The Set

The set ran for just over an hour and was packed with exciting songs from the extensive catalogue of releases from The Fallen Leaves. A new album on the horizon? We got a heady mix of perfect punk rock guitar from Rob,  a powerful bass delivered with style from Matthew, and all topped off with a generous lashing of damn fine drumming from Brett. Rob standing center stage controlling events with his very tall radio hall style mic, perfectly matching his stature. The Fallen Leaves treat everyone to an hour of their own beautifully crafted sound of riff laden guitar-driven punk, theatrics and theatre.

Rob Green, accompanied with his bag of tricks including some four sets of maracas, his flask of tea, jet black shades, and his well worn shooting stick journeyed with him and us us through the set. The stick has many uses including a lyric sheet for one of the tracks in a Ramones style “Gabba Gabba Hey!”. The E-Cig is there, some heavy drags and clouds of smoke followed and even a perfect set of smoke rings!

Always a joy to see Rob Symmons (originally of Subway Sect) deliver a note-perfect guitar. Tonight in his red jacket his masterclass is full of style with solos and riffs all the while looking out into crowd and cracking the odd smile.

Rob Green, nose flattened against the screening of his vintage microphone took us through ’Prodigal Son’, ‘I Made A Mistake’, ‘Lavender Girl’, ‘Shining’, and ‘Silvie Says’ and many more including much to the fans appreciation ‘Motorcycle Girl’ and ‘Trouble’.

No shouting, no swearing, no deafening thrashing guitars. This really is ‘Punk Rock For Gentlemen’. A terrific set gentlemen. The Fallen Leaves, what can you say about these guys? They fill a venue with such a warmth, great tunes and bring so much pleasure to a room full of people. The guys put in an encore to the joy of the excited crowd, and left the stage with everyone still applauding. Second visit to Brighton this year, a superb display. Come back soon!

The Fallen Leaves on Facebook

The Fallen Leaves on the WWW

London

London: Riff Regan – photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

I was looking forward to seeing London again. I really enjoyed their set last time they visited Brighton. This had been billed as a special event. It was the first time the band had played an unplugged set of the album ANIMAL GAMES. This was going to be very different – just vocals and acoustic.

The Band

Riff Regan (vocals)
Steve Voice (guitar, vocals)
Hugh O’Donnell (guitar, vocals)

London were a four piece formed in London in 1976. The original line-up was Riff Regan (vocals), Steve Voice (bass/vocals), Jon Moss (drums) and Dave Wight (guitar). They were managed by Simon Napier-Bell and recorded two singles, a 4 track EP and an album for MCA Records in 1977. Most of their songs were written by Riff Regan (including the first two singles ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ and ‘Summer of Love’) or by Riff Regan and Steve Voice. All their records were produced by Napier-Bell at the IBC Studios in London. They toured extensively throughout 1977, first supporting The Stranglers and then as headliners in their own right.

The Set

This was a solid set from the present trio making up London. The assembled crowd loved what these guys did. Steve and Hugh set down some strong acoustic guitar work, they complimented each other perfectly. Then, there is Riff. His eyes sparkling under his brimmed hat. So good to see that quite a crowd had assembled to see London. Its a rare chance to see this band, who produced a 12″ EP back in the day, No Time, that pretty much everyone had!

Riff and Steve: London – Animal Games

The album when it was released was well received, and listening to it now, still sounds as fresh and exciting as it did when it was released. There is an album crying out for a 40th anniversary re-release. The set, as advertised, was made up from tracks from the album. The set kicked of then with track one, No Time. Between songs and Riff peering into the crowd we had some wonderful anecdotes and memories. Everyone’s A Winner had been promised to be a worldwide hit, Riff reminded us – “it wasn’t”. It should have been! “Everyone’s a Golden Wonder”. Summer Of Love, a true classic was included and this got the crowd involved with the marvelous acoustic set. These guys worked hard to give us a thrilling 30 minute set. Riff fired the vocals with such warmth and intensity, providing his own percussion and tambourine. Just having the guitars was wonderful, the dexterity and musicianship was opened up for all. We heard every note, and lyric rounded off with some fine backing vocals. Riffs powerful and intense rendition of those songs matched the intensity of the guitars perfectly. London can execute those songs really well and excite the aural nerves!

The set ended with the top anthem Swinging London and the guys looked genuinely surprised and thrilled to hear the well deserved applause and calls for more! “I guess the album is too short” joked Riff, “YES” came the response! We got another track from the No Time EP – the just fabulous Siouxsie Sue.

Astonishing set considering this was the first time they had performed this song line up, and they did it unplugged. Just hope that they continue and take their fabulous music and indeed this intimate performance to others. It was a privilege to be there and witness the performance, and to chat with the guys after the show. Loved it, as did the crowd. Can we do that again please?

London are on Facebook

London are on the WWW

And then a move to a different venue…

It was a short walk to get to my home from home – The Prince Albert

Long Tall Shorty

Just caught a segment of a set from these guys. I heard them outside producing a wonderful racket! Entered the Albert, it was hot and humid in there as folk in the crowd were dancing to Long Tall Shorty. Long Tall Shorty were a mod revival band that formed in 1978 in London. They recorded several singles before splitting up in 1982, when lead singer Tony Perfect left to join Angelic Upstarts. Reforming in 2000, they have recorded and released several albums. Back in the mists of time, Jimmy Pursey (Sham 69) suggested they should change the band’s name The Indicators to Long Tall Shorty, after a song by The Kinks.

Long Tall Shorty: Tony Perfect

I had seen Tony previously in a more intimate setting with Charlie Harper (UK SUBS) at The Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton. These guys were generating a fabulous sound, I hadn’t seen them play before, and that will not happen again! They were putting on a fab display and generating some terrific sounds as they performed from their fairly large catalogue of material.

The Band:

Long Tall Shorty

Long Tall Shorty

Long Tall Shorty

A good crowd was having a strong time with these guys on the Mod Weekender. Charlie Harper (UK SUBS) was doing a guest slot! He had done an earlier vocal slot and then later joined the trio for a ripping couple of songs on harmonica.

Charlie Harper: Pic by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

And by all accounts the set had been as cracking as the few songs I got to hear. They were certainly tearing up The Albert!  I hope to catch a full set ASAP!

Long Tall Shorty are on Facebook

So there you have it: Punk, Rock, Mod, Blues, Classics, Legends all in one night. Would I recommend any of the bands? Hell yes! Go see all of them! What a way to spend a fabulous Saturday night out in Brighton. I do love this town!

Please note all original images / video are copyright, please do not copy. If any of the featured artists/promoters/venues want copies of the images – or more if available – please just get in touch.

All original pictures / video – copyright to IANB/MEDIA WORKS/ SCENE SUSSEX – Ian “The Lens” Bourn 2018.

Got an event coming up? Need some gig photography, promo shots, previews or reviews? – please get in touch! See you down the front – come and say “hi!”