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

In a series of streamed performances and with arts council support, Melting Vinyl is giving a new generation of exciting artists the opportunity to perform at the beautiful and historical setting of St. George’s Church, Brighton, a unique professional space which is usually reserved for internationally profiled touring artists.
Over the last twenty four years, Brighton-based independent live music promoters Melting Vinyl have grown from a small one-woman operation to a well-established and highly respected organisation with a name synonymous with supporting female artists and presenting innovative and electrifying quality live shows.
With a passion for grassroots independent music at it’s heart, Melting Vinyl has always sought to offer a platform for local emerging artists and bands, often in a peripheral but essential role as support for the main act.
This new series of shows from St George’s celebrates our grassroots musicians and places diverse artists who wouldn’t ordinarily come through the door at its heart, as the main event, where they can perform against a beautiful backdrop with outstanding acoustics to complement their music.
Having worked alongside St. George’s Church since 2001, Melting Vinyl is looking forward to opening the newly painted doors and connecting once more with this heritage building and its inhabitants.
Each show will be recorded by Mat Benzie infamous sound engineer in Brighton’s internationally renowned camera/light artist Innerstrings.

First artists in the series of grassroots artist streams:
Seadog is the project of Brighton-based musician and songwriter Mark Benton and Tom Chadd and their eclectic troupe of performers that create dream-pop songs. They combine a variety of influences into a myriad sound of lullabies with anthemic electric and acoustic samples and textures.
The band is currently working on their forthcoming second album “Internal Noise” at Bella Union Studios, Brighton. Recordings began deep in the 2020 lockdown and have been expanded upon in the studio with Jack Wolter of Penelope Isles on production duties. The album features Jack Wolter on drums, backing vocals and additional guitars, while sister Lily Wolter, also from Penelope Isles, guests on the record.
Seadog have previously worked with Phill Brown (Audio Engineer for Talk Talk, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bob Marley) to complete their debut album “Cabin Fever Blues”, released in 2018. Seadog have had songs playlisted on Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing The South, on which they have also performed a live session. They have also been selected and reviewed numerous times for Tom Robison’s Fresh on the net blog.

“Seadog have been quietly working their way into our hearts through a consistent run of tracks released over the last few years. New song “As I Am” takes things even deeper. With a delightful balance of soft melancholia and pristine harmonies, occasionally recalling the tone of a young Elliott Smith, Seadog’s home within our hearts is set for many more years to come.” – Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins/Bella Union)
“Really pretty good and nice voice” – David Crosby
“There is this back & forth between intimate and distant that I really like. And when it goes big and confident…it still manages to stay soft and thoughtful” – Jason Lytle (Grandaddy)

Other plans for 2021:
Currently finishing off final mixing touches on the album at Bella Union Studios with Jack Wolter. More singles to be released soon followed by the album, hopefully by the end of the year.
Here are some details about the Seadog single:
The song was developed from home recording experiments over the first lockdown, and finalised at the Bella Union studio in Brighton with Jack Wolter from the band Penelope Isles. It explores the theme of anxiety and sleep deprivation, blending dream-pop synths and drum machines with layered guitars and Jack’s pounding drums.
“Tidal Wave ticks all the boxes for me…but above all, it sounds like it’s flying and I have a soft spot for songs that sound like they are flying.” – Jason Lytle (Grandaddy)
“Really love Tidal Wave, lovely melody and the chorus lifts off so well.” – Matthew Caws (Nada Surf)
Tidal Wave is being released on the 14th of May across the digital platforms, as well as on a limited edition 7″ lathe cut on the Gardener’s Delight label.
The B side is a remix by Brighton-based pop duo Fruity Water.
The official music video for Tidal Wave by Innerstrings premiered on the 7th May:

Other forthcoming shows:
Midnight Salad at The Rossi Bar, Brighton – 9th July with Fruity Water
Austerity Records showcase at The piper, St. Leonards – 24th July