Gig Review - The Long Blondes

The Long Blondes
Concorde 2, Brighton
Thursday, 26th October

No pushing, no shoving, and certainly no casual dressing – this is a Long Blondes gig, and we are here to look good. This band attracts an audience of impeccable taste, from their neck scarves to their delectation of pop music’s more considered side.

Once onstage, the band launch straight into their catalogue of cultured cuts, opening with the menacing bass line of Lust in the Movies and keeping the frenetic pace up throughout their 50-minute set.

New songs from album Someone To Drive You Home – out next Monday as we are told on two occasions – dominate the set. Of these, the stomping You Could Have Both is a highlight, with a chorus so infectious grown men are seen singing along, attempting to hit notes they clearly weren’t designed to reach.

The adulation singer Kate Jackson attracts is clear to see inside this archaic venue, with girls wanting to be her and men wanting to be with her. But Ms Jackson is no longer just the stylish embodiment of her band; she leads with her voice not just her presence. Her sultry tones stand out over Dorian’s raking guitar, elevating songs like Giddy Stratospheres to new heights.

This is sometimes necessary, as musically the band don’t quite reach such dizzying levels. Bassist Reenie often crosses the line between looking cool and just plain bored, while guitarist/keyboardist Emma seems drowned by the surging sound around her, contributing little.

However, when songs like new single Once And Never Again are casually thrown into the set, any criticism quickly fades. It typifies the articulate crafting of Long Blondes songs, full of knowingly precarious lyrics and sheer, unadulterated fun. A mass sing-along naturally ensues, as Kate literally preaches the song to her rapturous following.


The Long Blondes are by no means the polished article, but this makes them even more endearing. They’ve got the songs, the singer and the style – surely the success is just around the corner.

7 out of 10

Greg Rose