Nightingales | Lewes
Nightingales Lewes
Nightingales live in Lewes at Lewes Con Club on 8th April! Get tickets above, or from SeeTickets. 14+ (under 18s to be accompanied by an adult)
Birmingham’s original punk group The Prefects had been part of The Clash’s ‘White Riot Tour’, recorded a couple of Peel sessions, released a 45 on Rough Trade and, years after splitting up, had a retrospective CD released by NY label Acute Records to all round glowing reviews – from Rolling Stone to webzines.
The Nightingales was formed by a few members of The Prefects following that band’s demise in 1979. Described in John Robb’s definitive book on post punk (“Death To Trad Rock”) as “The misfits’ misfits” and comprising an ever fluctuating line up, based around lyricist/singer Robert Lloyd, the Nightingales enjoyed cult status in the early ’80’s as darlings of the credible music scene and were championed by John Peel, who said of them – “Their performances will serve to confirm their excellence when we are far enough distanced from the 1980’s to look at the period rationally and other, infinitely better known, bands stand revealed as charlatans”.
The group recorded a bunch of critically acclaimed singles – pretty much always ‘Single Of The Week’ in the music press – and three albums, plus many radio sessions for their great supporter Peel.
They also regularly toured the UK and Northern Europe, as headliners and supporting acts as diverse as Bo Diddley and Nico.
In the late Eighties the Nightingales stopped working but, following the occasional gig between times, they re-grouped in 2004.
After fucking about with various part timers, starry eyed wastrels, precious sorts and mercenaries the group arrived at a long standing line up, which featured Lloyd, Andreas Schmid from Faust on bass, ex Violet Violet wonder drummer Fliss Kitson and on guitar James Smith, who Lloyd had spotted playing with Damo Suzuki.
Since restarting the group have been more productive than ever – releasing eight vinyl singles, a bunch of EPs, two 6 song mini albums, ten full length studio albums plus a movie soundtrack. They have regularly toured UK, mainland Europe and also the USAnumerous times, playing various festivals and recording many radio sessions along the way.
The band continue to operate with no actual manager, booking agent, et al, but they get by. And they work equally well with pop musicians, rock n rollers and the avant garde. The group is independent, maverick, diligent, daft, blah blah. Following the hit film “King Rocker”, (Stewart Lee’s documentary feature about the band), which had been produced by Fire Films, the group has been working with Fire Records. The label has been issuing the band’s back catalogue in a series of ‘deluxe editions’, the movie soundtrack and a new studio album “The Awful Truth”.
In the last few years, amongst other stuff, the Gales toured as special guests of The Damned on an extensive UK tour, released a double live LP and have continued to play regularly around Europe.
Following the release of “The Awful Truth” in 2025 the band was officially augmented by wonderful viola player Natalie Mason who had previously guested with the group on stage and record. The five piece – the best batch yet – have completed short tours of UK, Ireland and Germany. They will be supporting their new recordings with a full UK tour in March/April 2027. https://thenightingalesuk.bandcamp.com/music
+ support
Upcoming Love Thy Neighbour shows:
13102026 – Jake Xerxes Fussell. Concorde 2
13102026 – Welly. Rossi Bar
15102026 – Burglar. Hope & Ruin
17102026 – John Craigie. Alphabet
18102026 – Kacy & Clayton. Prince Albert
20102026 – Pina Palau. The Prince Albert
21102026 – Martha Tilston. Lewes Constitutional Club
21102026 – The Sewing Club. Hope & Ruin
22102026 – Goblin Band. Lewes Con Club
22102026 – Kristin Hersh. The Old Market
28102026 – Deradoorian. Hope & Ruin
30102026 – Hollow Hand. Alphabet
31102026 – Penelope Isles. The Hope & Ruin
01112026 – Stu Larsen. The Prince Albert
02112026 – villagerrr. The Hope & Ruin
04112026 – Furrow Collective. Lewes Constitutional Club
04112026 – zzzahara. Green Door Store
08112026 – Alien Boy. The Prince Albert
08112026 – Kiwi Jr. The Hope & Ruin
11112026 – Big Brave. Prince Albert
13112026 – The Boo Radleys. Lewes Constitutional Club
19112026 – Gold Panda. ALPHABET
19112026 – Niall McNamee. Prince Albert
20112026 – Barbican Estate. Green Door Store
22112026 – mildred. Prince Albert
24112026 – Cheekface. Chalk
25112026 – Ozric Tentacles. Lewes Constitutional Club
26112026 – Chris Wood. Lewes Constitutional Club
27112026 – Dave McCabe (The Zutons). Lewes Constitutional Club
29112026 – Dylan LeBlanc. Alphabet
04122026 – Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip. Lewes Constitutional Club
05122026 – John Otway. Lewes Constitutional Club
06022027 – Jim Moray. Komedia Brighton
11022027 – These New South Whales. Prince Albert. Brighton
13022027 – Amelia Coburn. Komedia Brighton
13022027 – Seamus Fogarty. Green Door Store Brighton
19022027 – Wes Banderson. Komedia Brighton
23022027 – Mercy Girl. Green Door Store Brighton
11032027 – Anna Erhard. Chalk Brighton
13032027 – Rowena Wise. Prince Albert
14032027 – Shovel Dance Collective. Komedia Brighton
19032027 – HENGE. Chalk, Brighton
21032027 – Jeffrey Silverstein. Prince Albert
08042027 – Nightingales. Lewes Constitutional Club
23042027 – Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan. Lewes Constitutional Club
15042027 – Focus. Lewes Constitutional Club
21052027 – Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Lewes Constitutional Club
16062027 – Shonen Knife. Lewes Constitutional Club
ACCESSIBILITY: We operate the Buddy Scheme at our gigs. The Club is accessible for wheelchairs with management. It’s all on one level apart from a small threshold at the front door for which we have a portable ramp. The toilets are not Building Regulations Part M compliant, but one of the WC’s is reasonably accessible. Visiting outside gig times should present no problems, but please email music@lewesconclub.com ahead on gig nights so we can meet and greet and reserve a space with a view of the stage. If you require a carer at the venue, please contact us at info@lovethyneighbourmusic.co.uk for guestlist, with evidence such as a blue badge or access card.
Nightingales Lewes
Nightingales Lewes