As someone who attended Basics Volume 1 in Brighton back in March, I was both excited and so ready for Basics Volume 2. My expectations of this wonderful poetry and music night were high, and it did not disappoint!
As the night began, it felt wonderful to be back at the cosy Folklore Rooms. For those who didn’t know, Folklore Rooms is an intimate performance space tucked in a secret corner of The Quadrant pub, near the Clock Tower. It often hosts various amazing performers across genres and mediums.
Basics Volume 2 had the venue set up with moody lighting, rustic ceiling décor, and candle-lit tables. The ambience was perfectly designed for the artists to take the stage.
Basics Volume 2 In Brighton – Live Music & Poetry: The Performers
The first act was by Sophie Glew, a spoken-word poet. Her lyricism, rhythm, and stage presence were personal as well as punchy. My favourites were ‘ADHD AF’ and ‘Thoughts of an Overthinker’, which shed light on mental health and cracked up the audience from time to time. Her relatability was enjoyable and refreshing.
Next up was REA, with her band. Her soulful voice, accompanied by alt-Indie music, reminded me of the likes of Bon Iver and Dodie. The performance relaxed the atmosphere within the space while rousing sentiments as well. Songs like ‘Home’ and ‘Dark Before Fall’ hit a familiar chord, and the band members worked in incredible sync to create a beautiful set altogether.
The third act was Dan Simpson, and even though he was not mentioned in the initial setlist, he was a pleasant addition to the whole night. His poetry ranged across comical, emotional, and political themes, and his interaction with the crowd was charming. I especially liked ‘Talk Cosy to Me,’ which was widely appreciated by the audience as well. His poems written during lockdown spread a sense of familiarity and gave us a peek into his vulnerability.
Following this, we had Baby Eleanor and her guitarist, Tom, who played an amazing set of songs such as ‘Blue’ and ‘Lunar’. Her songwriting features witty lyrics paired with a wide vocal range and a side of melodic acoustics, which leave a lasting impact.
As a bonus, we had two callbacks from Basics Volume 1. Firstly, we had the lovely organiser, Jed, who came up on stage and performed a few of his poems as a filler between the previous performances and the headliner act. His poetry was striking as usual, written with rich vocabulary about topics unique to British culture.
His performance built us up perfectly for the headliner, Brieya May and her band. May was accompanied by bass, drums, and guitar, all who shook up the environment by quite a few notches. Her opening song was ‘Conscience’, written during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, but, as she said and I agree, the song is still relevant to political scenarios today. It was impactful and set the tone for more beats to groove to.
The song was followed by more reggae-esque and R&B tunes, which got the audience swaying in their seats. She also brought Kavzad on stage, who was the headliner for Basics Volume 1. His rap accompanied by Brieya’s vocals in the song ‘Watch Me’ was the perfect song to end the night with, leaving everyone energised and excited for more Basics events to come.
Why you should attend a future event In Brighton…
For those of you who have not yet jumped on the Basics train, I would highly recommend it. These nights, which are carefully curated, bring together local artists and the local crowd in a way that is meaningful.
Not only does it allow you to discover new artists in your area every single time and then go on to support their work at future events it also gives you the chance to add more music to your playlists, but it also allows for an artist-crowd interaction like no other.
The pub downstairs offers a great chance for refreshments during intervals as well. Make sure to follow Basics on their social media to be notified of more upcoming events!
Address: Folklore Rooms, 12 North Street, Brighton, BN1 3GJ
Find out about future events: https://www.instagram.com/basics.agb/
