Jason Pegg, Fairtrade Gallery, Kemp Town, Brighton, Apr 2 (From The Argus)

Jason Pegg, Fairtrade Gallery, Kemp Town, Brighton, Apr 2

4:56pm Friday 3rd April 2009 in Search By Duncan Hall

Fairtrade Gallery’s April Alternative, the Fringe Festival for people who can’t wait for next month’s Fringe, launched with a great double bill.

Both headliner Jason Pegg and support Robert Stillman may have been hunched over keyboards for their sets, but the difference between their approaches was quite marked.

Generally associated with the guitar, Clearlake frontman Pegg admitted he had spent the past two years writing at the piano, trying to find a way of performing that didn’t revert to balladry or Jools Holland’s dreaded boogie woogie. He threw in covers of Ken Dodd’s Tears For Souvenirs and James Booker’s Little Coquette to illustrate his point.

There was certainly a big variation in the original songs he performed for the small, but appreciative, audience, ranging from stomping rhythmic rockers, such as opener Know Thyself and Clearlake’s Good Clean Fun, to more introspective tunes, such as Worthy Of You and Clearlake’s latest McCartney-esque single, The Credit Or The Blame.

Rhythm was also integral to Robert Stillman. His strangely hypnotic instrumental pieces, which he described as his “horses”, were built around an electronic keyboard played through a vintage amp and a foot-powered Heath Robinson- style drum set-up, creating a totally original, unforgettable sound.

The Fairtrade Gallery was the perfect intimate location for both performances, with the artists illuminated by candles and small industrial lights to create a warm atmosphere.

The location also gave the audience a chance to look at Alex Binnie’s great artwork between sets.

• Visit www.aprilalternative.co.uk for more details on the festival.

Call 07990 511576 for tickets.