By Tallulah Gray

Slap bang in the middle of their UK tour promoting their latest single ‘Mr Blue’, Spill stopped in Brighton to headline Hope and Ruin alongside Brighton’s Divorce Attorney and Torus from Milton Keynes, and the second Spill hit the stage it was clear that the crowd was ready for the psychedelic metal grunge hybrid the band has become known for.

Having seen Spill play many Brighton shows over the last year (their headline in Dust a particular highlight), it’s so clear to see their strength and progression from being a band that already put on a spectacularly tight and dynamic show, and this gig blew the doors off any previous perception of the band.

From their driving rhythm session of drummer Tom Williams and bassist Alain de Gouveia, Spill commanded the audience, highlighting lead singer Sophie Cawtheray’s vocals in the quieter moments equally.

de Gouveia’s bass tone – the best in Brighton? Go on. Argue with it – serves the kind of music Spill make excellently, balancing their more heavy influences with the psychedelic riffs of guitarists Kieran King and Charly Turpin.

While every member has their moment to shine in their setlist, lead vocalist Soph Cawtheray’s vocals were stronger than ever before at Hope and Ruin, leaning into the gravelly belt she uses oh so sparingly alongside the powerfully soft and subdued vocal melodies she has become so known for in the Brighton scene.

Spill has proven time and time again that they’re a band with serious potential and a strong sense of identity. Their journey on the Mr Blue tour seems to have done nothing but strengthen the already solid base they’ve built for themselves in Brighton and I can’t wait to see where they go from here.