OVER the last few months, Whitley Bay four-piece Lisbon have gone from strength to strength and tonight's show at Brighton's The Hope and Ruin serves as a landmark in their glistening career to date. 

Support comes from 17 year old multi-instrumentalist Declan McKenna, an artist who has also seen a great deal of success so early on into his musical career with a Glastonbury Emerging Talent slot under his belt and a contract with Columbia Records firmly secured. 

McKenna's brand of abstract electro pop is brilliantly unapologetic in its delivery and it translates well live. The young artist's set feels euphoric, especially with a play of hit track 'Brazil' which the singer announces by saying "If you know just one of my tracks, this is the one." The fretwork on the track is particularly impressive and the soft croon on 'Paracetamol' also stands out for all the right reasons. It's electronic pop done in just the right way and it's one that hits home. You get the feeling that this will be the track crowds at major festivals will be chanting, give it a few years. 

The weather being particularly drizzly on the night sees more people filter in front of the stage for Lisbon's headline set and what a start they get off to. As the quartet take to the stage and unleash an impenetrable wall of sound with their shimmery indie anthems. 

Their set is simply a wave of beautifully hedonistic euphoria, the band's led by frontman Matthew Varty are frenetic and captivating in their stage presence. The packed out crowd groove and sing all the words to 'Native' whilst 'Khaleesi' is unveiled early on to a deafening response from gig-goers. 

It's an adrenaline-fuelled performance from start to finish and every track is a high-point for the group. Latest cut 'Vice' is given an airing too and the 80s-infused number flaunts rich guitars and is underpinned by a funk beat that is vital to the track's success. 

The hooks contagious hooks of 'Rio' recall those of fellow Northerners Little Comets and it's this number that they choose to end the night on. Pounding drums match infectious circling riffs beat for beat and the crowd erupts chanting for more as the last note fades out. 

Lisbon are a band that you'll undoubtedly see more than once. Their live indie pop thrills leave you with a hunger for more; they're that good. The band sizzle infectiously on all they do, leaving listeners with the impression that they are certainly going places and we can't wait to see where they go from here. 

Words Lauren Wade

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"I can only play when I'm drunk, otherwise I get really nervous," says bassist Tim Beavis before the four-piece take to the stage of The Hope and Ruin. It's the first time they've played in Brighton, despite being based in the city, and expectations are high. 

Having previously tackled Scala in support of Foals and opening for Little Comets in Southampton, word is beginning to unravel about how incredible Howland's live show is and they certainly don't disappoint. 

Choosing to open their set with 'Waiting For You' the catchy track excites immediately, warming the crowd up nicely before the group, led by frontman Tyler Adams, dive straight into 'White Light'. 

The rising indie-rockers do justice to Peace with a cover of 'California Daze' adding their own signature twist to spice things up a notch, which goes down well with the crowd. The highlight of the gig is when stand-out track 'Bruises' is performed. Originally recorded in guitarist Lee's front room, this track is one that conjures up incredible riffing - a textbook banger from start to finish. The way the band connect with each other adds to their stage presence, with drummer Jake and bassist Tim exchanging smirks and laughing together throughout the set. 

Howland finish their performance with 'Callout' which Tyler informs the crowd is their upcoming track to be released next year, so keep an eye (and an ear) out for that. As they come off stage, the band are buzzing and guitarist Lee grins, coming to a sudden realisation and telling the rest of the band: "We're on tour!"

That's the thing about Howland, they're charming, which is a major part of their appeal. Tyler commented on their gig saying: "It was good to get our first Brighton gig with a band like Animal House, they just want to have fun with everything they do. It was our first Brighton gig of many to come, and it was a pleasure to play in The Hope and Ruin. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did, although the hangovers weren't a high point for us!" 

As well as the charm, they're remarkably humble and thank everyone who came down to see them, then they proceed to have a few drinks before the party is moved to The Green Door Store. At this point, Tim leaves the rest of his bandmates as he decides to turn to the art of stripping for one night and one night only (sorry ladies, you've missed your chance). 

Once there, the band mingle with The Wytches' drummer, which is one of the many factors as to what makes The Green Door Store great - you're always likely to bump into a musician of some sort. 

The night draws to a close somewhere around 5.30am and if there's one thing we've learnt from hanging out with Howland it's that frontman Tyler can sing and play guitar exceptionally well - but he just wants a Chicken Royale from Burger King. 

Check out our previous review of the band's track 'Bruises' here and if you like what you hear get yourself down to their next gig in Southampton where you'll find them supporting Bel Esprit and Fever; make sure to give them some love (and a Chicken Royale in Tyler's case). 

Words Lauren Wade

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B-TOWN three-piece Jaws are one of those rare bands that manage to unite fans with every gig they play and their set at The Hope and Ruin in Brighton was no exception. Along with the likes of Peace and Swim Deep, Jaws made Birmingham's music scene exciting again and from the sound of the tracks they played in their set, it's not hard to see why.

Support came from Sheffield's Nai Harvest, a punk-rock duo who performed indisputable bangers such as 'Melanie' and 'Ocean of Madness' to the eager crowd. Their sound can ultimately be described as a ballsy riff and drum combination and it certainly thrills but that's not difficult when you've got a sound like this. 

Shortly after, Jaws took to the stage and dived head first into 'What We Haven't Got Yet', the first single from their new record. The track is lush to its core and features shimmering melodies and a catchy chorus that immediately got the crowd to its feet bopping and dancing around. 

The dreamy slow-building sound of 'Stay In' followed and with it came unwavering brilliance and infectious vocals from frontman Connor Schofield. Older track 'Breeze' also featured in the impressive setlist and at this point everyone was singing the words back to the band. 

A few new cuts were also performed and they maintained their summery, feel-good sound throughout. It is also remarkable that for a band who conjure maximum intensity in their set, they have been branded as 'lazy' by NME in recent years, which seems absurd as they're actually one of the hardest working bands around. 

The intimate feel of the venue worked well for Jaws' sound, especially on tracks such as 'Be Slowly' and 'Gold' which they finished with to rapturous applause. It's obvious the band enjoy playing together and it's the fun-factor that flows through the line-up that makes their live show so enjoyable to be a part of. 

They worked from the ground up to get where they are today and speaking to members of the band after the gig provided a fresh insight into the path that they will inevitably follow. One band member commented that gig-goers don't usually recognise him until after they've finished their set but it's likely that this will change and people will be mobbing them all before and after they've played. 

We also asked guitarist Alex Hudson whether the band will be playing any festivals next summer. His reply: 'Nothing's been booked yet but hopefully we will." 

Jaws are on an upward spiral and nobody left their gig at The Hope and Ruin disappointed. We can't wait to see where their sonic sound will take them next. Be sure to catch them live soon. They're a band certainly not to be missed.

Words Lauren Wade

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Brighton babes, The Magic Gang kicked their tour off in style at The Hope and Ruin - a bar/live music venue inspired by Eastern European watering holes and decorated entirely out of found objects and gig posters. 

The Strokes have played the venue in the past and it's a place full of character with a lively atmosphere to match; an apt fit for the headliners and their support band, Sheikh, who embody everything you want them to be and more. 

As the room starts to fill up, Sheikh take to the stage and dive straight into 'Fortune'. The five-piece who hail from Bahrain but now reside in London have a sound that can be described as guitar driven psych rock with a little bit of pop thrown in for a twist. 

Whilst they're very much themselves and have an epic stage presence, at times Sheikh have a tendency to sound like The Maccabees mashed with Catfish & The Bottlemen and Bombay Bicycle Club and they own it. Stand-out tracks include 'I Could Be Yours' and their debut track 'Fonda' which impresses with sun-kissed guitars and is laced with a sleek guitar riff. 

A short while later, The Magic Gang grace the venue and smash their way through a setlist of devilishly great tracks including 'Jasmine' from their forthcoming EP. The band have recently been announced as part of DIY magazine's 'Class of 2016' and with good reason, their live set contains a thrilling intensity throughout. 

'No Fun' is a dreamy affair from start to finish that gets the crowd dancing to their searing guitars and polished grooves. Singer and guitarist, Jack Kaye snaps the string on his guitar before telling the crowd "It's okay - I don't use that string anyway." 

Both, The Magic Gang and Sheikh are bands providing reasons to get excited about music again. Their tracks will worm their way into your memory easily and fingers crossed, we'll hear some more material from them soon. The bands are touring together for the rest of December; go show them some love and support at a gig near you. 

Words Lauren Wade

The Magic Gang will play:

03/12 - The Joiners, Southampton

04/12 - The Bullingdon, Oxford

05/12 - The Louisiana, Bristol

07/12 - Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

08/12 - Studio2, Liverpool

09/12 - Sound Control (bar), Manchester

10/12 - Bungalows and Bears, Sheffield

12/12 - Think Tank, Newcastle

13/12 - King Tut's, Glasgow

14/12 - Brudenell Games Room, Leeds

15/12 - The Lexington, London

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