Melting Vinyl: Bringing the cream of live music to Brighton.

Donate to Melting Vinyl

Support Melting Vinyl

Posted December 17th 2021

Goodbye 2021 and a Warm MV Welcome, 2022


As the year comes to an end, Melting Vinyl takes a look back on the incredible year we’ve had. From streamed to socially distanced and the return of live shows back in full swing from August, this year has been a rollercoaster and one full of adaption and recovery for the industry. We have presented many of our best loved artists, among so many new faces raring to get back into playing from a range of genres, nationalities, styles and sizes our everlasting celebration of independent music, venues and the scene has been sensational. We are going into 2022 on a high!

2021 Re-Wined

Our Favourite Shows of The Year

2021 has blessed us with some incredible shows and artists at a range of venues along the South East coast. It was certainly a challenge to pick our favourites, especially with all the returns to live music outside of Melting Vinyl, we were spoiled for choice! But here our MV’s personal favourites:

Grant – ‘A toss up between –  Jane Weaver and Squid who both played End of the Road Festival and Eivør who I saw at the Union Chapel in London.’

Hannah – ‘Lynks at Latitude. I was lucky enough to see them twice at Latitude and again in Chalk as part of Mutations.’

Gruff Rhys – The Gulbenkian – 4.11.21

Lily – ‘MV’s Gruff Rhys at The Gulbenkian. The music was fun and light and not normally something I’d go to but the visuals and immersive set were like nothing I’ve ever seen, in an excellent storytelling production which took the audience on a journey of mountain climbing, weather warnings and triumph.’

Robin – ‘My favourite show of the 2021 would have to be saxophonist Nubya Garcia at Concorde 2, Brighton.’

Albums of The Year

After a year of lockdown with plenty of time to write and record 2021 has bought some bangers! With the recording industry growing by 27% there were so many albums to choose from when we asked the MV team their personal favourites –

Robin –My favourite album of 2021 would have to be ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH by Philadelphia based psych/experimental band Spirit Of The Beehive.’

Grant – ‘You and me, we are the same by Roxanne de Bastion. nd it was brilliant. Her new album [her third] has just been released, it was finely produced by Bernard Butler and it deserves it to be huge..Molecules is probably my favritist track on the album- https://youtu.be/zvHIqsV-7Dw

Pom Poko – Chalk – 16.09.21 c0-pro with Love Thy Neighbour

Lily – ‘My favourite album of 2021 was Pom Poko’s ‘Cheater’, it’s an explosive indie record and as an alternative music fan it perfectly submerged rock and pop which I couldn’t help dance to especially when presenting them live at Chalk this year’

Hannah – Favourite single was ‘Cigarette Packet’ by Sorry. They were my most listened to band this year and I was gutted when they postponed their Green Door Store show but at least I still have it to look forward to! And my favourite album: ‘Bright Green Field’ by Squid. I saw Squid 3 times in the space of a month and a half this summer and they never disappoint!’

Hello 2022

The MV line up for next year is one of the finest we’ve seen. Already jam-packed with shows from the get go, it’s going to be a busy but incredible year. There’s a whole variety to look forward to and something for everyone. Some of our personal favourites are…

Hannah –‘The Melting Vinyl show I’m most looking forward to is Lewes Psych Fest. I heard of the event before I even moved to Brighton and began working for Melting Vinyl, I can’t think of anything that compares to it, it’s just so unique! There are also some incredible artists on this years lineup, what’s not to love?!’

Lily – ‘So far the show exciting me most is BC Camplight at Folkestone Quarterhouse as I was so jealous of those who worked his Old Market show in November, it looking so lively  and I can’t wait to experience it’. 

BC Camplight – The Old Market – 17.10.21

Robin – ‘I’m most excited for Joan as Policewoman because I’d never heard of her until I started working for MV, and I was absolutely blown away by her most recent album ‘The Soltuion is Restless’ featuring the late Tony Allen. The songwriting is powerful and Allen’s grooves are restless.’

Anna –Ulrich Schnauss + Richard Norris + Innerstrings as I think as a female promoter in the minority in my work I always enjoy working in non typically gig environments. I love hiring historic Churches, especially as they are spiritual places. MV has always had an element of electronica programming from early Four Tet to Kreidler shows to Caribou etc.. This night is a stellar line up in the dreamscape electronic and experimental stakes and will be a perfect setting of this lovely little Victorian Church, a wash with the textured visuals of international artists Innerstrings.’

Inner Strings Visuals at St George’s Church Brighton

Grant – ‘The Melting Vinyl gig I’m most looking forward to seeing next year has to be- LOW who are playing St George’s Church on 28th April. Their last two albums have been incredible and St George’s is the perfect venue for them. [I only ever go to a church for a gig!]’

A Special Thank You

We are so grateful to have been able to return with a bang to live music and get back to doing what we love in an industry needing to recover. For that we have our venues and artists to hugely thank for the never ending support, kind words and love. Also without the sensational work of Music Venue Trust and organisations such as AIP, we never would have seen the quick and vast recovered following the devastation from last year as well as small business’s like Resident and Vinyl Store Jr, for promoting our shows and continuously working with us.

Finally THANK YOU, our audiences, for continuing to come out, support and immerse yourself in the independent music scene, it’s been wonderful to welcome you all back to live and we can’t wait to see you all again in 2022!