Unique and restlessly creative, The Ex are revered for good reason.
Back for their second Brighton show of the year, the Dutch avant-punks topped a suitably diverse bill; ranging from adrenalin-fuelled singer-songwriter fare to charming, DIY alt-pop.
Following an improvised set of percussion and guitar mangling, Ethiopian-born Afework Negussie treated the audience to his evocative masenquo compositions, making great use of the single-stringed instrument.
Trash Kit fared even better, their minimalistic, yet infectious songs evoking the poppier end of post-punk.
They were greeted like headliners, striking a balance between sheer exuberance and rhythmic precision.
The Ex arrived to a capacity crowd, hitting the ground running.
Though conveyed through a relatively straightforward three guitar and drums line-up, the songs aired were far from conventional: drawing from traditional Ethiopian music and anarchist punk, among other things.
This was a performance of true grit and invention, guitarists whirling across the stage and drummer Katherina Bornefeld taking over vocal duties on a couple of songs.
Utilizing samples and baritone instruments, the four-piece conjured an incredibly powerful sound. Even after thirty-something years, there’s still no one quite like them.
Brighton has taken The Ex to its heart, and that can only be a good thing.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article