Visual V Vocal was Rhys Baker and Emma Phillips’s first in a series of events which bring together local artists in a fusion of sound and image. This event focused on portraiture photography by college students Alf Santos, Sidney Kwok, Joel Thorpe, Poppy Thorpe, Elle Smith and Olivia Foley.
The quality of the photography was high and encompassed a variety of work which worked together well to create a stylish reflection of youth culture in Brighton. However, slightly restricted by the space provided at The Nordic Coffee Collective, the presentation left something to be desired as the small size of the prints meant impact was lost and the artists were not given the attention they deserved.
The small and intimate venue better suited the Brighton based musicians who attracted impressive numbers. For a new event, the turnout was amazing and saw a student-dominated crowd flock to the free night.
The crowd was at its largest for the first two acts, where we saw acoustic artists Tagor Chayne and Jodie Goffe charm the rather crammed room with sweet melodies and lovely guitar riffs. Goffe’s stunning vocals have attracted quite a following and she had a large amount of support there on the night.
The second half of the event saw an intimate shift as crowds thinned. Billy Bligh gripped the audience with his quiet but strong stage presence, where he paired gentle poetics with upbeat rhythmic guitar. After this we saw duo Footshooter and Slam the Poet provide a breath of fresh air from the previous acoustics.
Footshooter is a Brighton based beat maker and Slam the Poet, a spoken word artist; they often play together and they bounced off each other beautifully to create an impactful and enthralling experience.
Abandoning the mic to a female vocal singer, Slam really made the second half of the act his own. I was struck by the way in which he really seemed to embody the music and become a part of it.
His impressive coercion of the English language created powerful and moving imagery which worked in parallel with Footshooter’s weaving beats to end the night on a high.
Visual V Vocal was a truly local event, bringing together auditory and visual stimulation to showcase young Brighton talent. An example of what can be achieved by proactive collaboration, Baker and Phillips provided a refreshing and fulfilling evening which was enjoyed by all.
A great idea with potential to go far, I look forward to watching these events progress in the future and hope to see the visual share more of the action next time.
Jasmine Fardon
