I first came across Laish at their secret Sofar Sounds ‘living room’ gig back in January this year where they played an unplugged/stripped down set and I instantly fell in love – so I couldn’t wait to come down to the Prince Albert to see them play a fully amplified gig. The word itself ‘Laish’ is an old Hebrew word for ‘the tribe of Dan’ – which suits them well. With the quirky Daniel Green fronting the band it could appear to be very much his project, however, Laish are certainly a unit, a force of nature and come across as a loving collective who all possess an incredible energy both on and off-stage.

A highlight of the night was the ongoing musical ‘conversation’ that went back and forth between the wonderfully talented Emma Gatrill (Clarinet, Accordion, Vocals) and Martha Rose (Violin, Vocals) who added great rapport with both the band and the audience. This included musical ‘question and answer’ melodies and even a bit of tap dancing!

One thing that particularly fascinates me about Laish’s musical style is the unusual rhythms Daniel Green uses in his writing. I later found out that not only is Green the singer, guitarist and song writer of Laish but also an accomplished drummer and plays for the successful psychedelic/folk band ‘Sons of Noel & Adrian’ (along with Emma Gatrill (clarinet) and Patrick Lawrence (bass). This would help to explain their exciting and extremely original drum patterns.

Personally, my favorite moment of the night was their final song, ‘We Speak the Mantra’ where the band climbed down from the stage, joined us on the floor and sang the song entirely acapella. The atmosphere this created was exceptional and gave the audience a warm and almost transcendent buzz.

Laish are truly one of the finest bands Brighton has produced. BrightonsFinest highly recommends their new album ‘Obituaries’ and certainly to catch them live as you’ll be sure to leave their gigs feeling spiritually cleansed.
-Amélie Finch