Pom Poko + Alien Chicks

Pom Poko Brighton

Pom Poko live in Brighton at CHALK on 12th March!
Get tickets above, or from SeeTickets. Co-pro with Melting Vinyl.

Pom Poko are growing up. On Champion, a monumental slice of reflective and life-affirming post-punk, vocalist/lyricist Ragnhild Fangel Jamtveit, bassist Jonas Krøvel, guitarist Martin Miguel Almagro Tonne, and drummer Ola Djupvik are the closest they’ve ever been, both personally and in terms of their hermetically tight four-piece rock instrumentation. When most bands call each other “family”, it’s a bit of a cliché—but with Pom Poko, after years of touring the four corners of the world and instituting a stringently democratic songwriting process, they really have evolved into one highly-synchronized unit, whose mission is to stay as true to their artistic values as possible while continuing to explore the farthest reaches of their slightly chaotic, always exhilarating sound.
“It feels like we’re maturing and growing up together,” explains Ragnhild. “By the time this album comes out, we’ll have been a band for eight years. It’s like we’re evolving. When you’re not grinding with the band all the time, you gain an appreciation for what you’ve built. It’s like a very weird and really lovely little gang to hang out in. I almost feel like we’re superheroes—it’s like being a part of Powerpuff Girls.”
Champion is Pom Poko’s third LP, after their blistering debut Birthday in 2019, and 2021’s critically acclaimed Cheater. Both albums served to cement the band’s sound: Ragnhild’s high-pitched yet crystal clear voice punctuating the rest of the band’s ferocious onslaught of noise, which fluctuates from post-punk to math-rock and everything in between.

“We made Birthday during insane amounts of touring where we were giving every bit of our life to the band,” says Ola. “For practical reasons, we’ve recently had to take a break from regular interactions with each other. Martin became a Dad so we obviously couldn’t rehearse for a while. It sounds kind of cheesy, but you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. I just assumed that the feeling I had playing with Pom Poko was just what it’s like playing in bands—but it’s what it’s like playing in our band.”

This growing appreciation for playing together translates directly to the music. While Pom Poko still maintain their razor-sharp edge, there is a new-found maturity that bleeds through the slashes of acerbic guitar blasts and elastic basslines. Champion has more space than their previous records, more room to experiment. “It’s a bit less cluttered,” says Martin. “You maybe wouldn’t put it on at the spa or something, but it’s not as quick-firing as a lot of our other stuff has been—songwriting-wise and production-wise, it’s more to the point.” https://pompoko.bandcamp.com/

+ Alien Chicks: Alien Chicks are a dynamic post-punk trio hailing from the streets of South London. Known for their electrifying blend of rap, jazz, and punk, the band has quickly become a fixture in the local music scene. The line-up features the vocals and sharp guitar work of Josef Lindsay, the pulsating basslines of Stefan Parker-Steele, and the explosive drumming of Martha Daniels. Together, they create a sound that is both raw and innovative, capturing the spirit of London’s underground music culture

The band’s journey began in grassroots venues across the city, in particular The Windmill, Brixton. They have combined relentless gigging with their high-energy performances to build a loyal following in the UK and Europe. With highlights including supports with renowned acts such as Big Special, Fat Dog, English Teacher, The Blinders, and Opus Kink, sold out headlines at The Lexington and 100 Club and people queuing to see them at showcase festivals like Mutations, Left of the Dial and The Great Escape.

July marked a significant milestone for the band with the release of their debut EP ‘Indulging The Mobs’ (released on SO Recordings x Hideous Mink), a project that captures the frenetic energy and genre-blending creativity of their live shows. Their rise has not been limited to London alone; they’ve also made waves across the UK and Europe, whilst also sharing stages with renowned acts such as Fat Dog, English Teacher, The Blinders, and Opus Kink.

Upcoming Love Thy Neighbour shows:
24102024 – Junior Brother. The Prince Albert
24102024 – The Tom Robinson Band. Concorde 2
25102024 – DZ Deathrays. Green Door Store
26102024 – Old Sea Brigade. Dust
26102024 – Man & The Echo. Alphabet
27102024 – Art Brut. Concorde 2
30102024 – yndi halda. Alphabet
31102024 – Astrid Sonne. Komedia
03112024 – Qlowski. The Hope & Ruin
03112024 – John Francis Flynn. Lewes Constitutional Club
05110224 – Dame Area. The Hope & Ruin
06112024 – Lack of Afro. Patterns.
13112024 – Flip Top Head. Alphabet
14112024 – The Serfs. Dust
15112024 – Joe & The Shitboys. The Hope & Ruin
16112024 – Bloody Bath. The Hope & Ruin
18112024 – Piglet. The Prince Albert
20112024 – Andy Irvine. Lewes Con Club
21112024 – Alasdair Roberts & Donald WG Lindsay. Komedia
22112024 – Getdown Services. Hope & Ruin
22112024 – BA Johnston. Hope & Ruin (Bar)
23112024 – The Orb + Ozric Tentacles. Chalk
23112024 – Desperate Journalist. Dust
23112024 – Atticomatic. Rossi Bar
24112024 – Shovel Dance Collective. Lewes Constitutional Club
28112024 – Martin Carthy. Lewes Constitutional Club
30112024 – Porridge Radio. Chalk
02122024 – Victory Lap. The Hope & Ruin
05122024 – Blood Wizard. Green Door Store
05122024 – Die Twice. The Hope & Ruin
07122024 – John Otway & his band. Lewes Constitutional Club
08122024 – Stick in the Wheel. Lewes Constitutional Club
11122024 – Hollow Hand. The Hope & Ruin
12122024 – Hard Skin. The Prince Albert
12122024 – Predeceased. The Hope & Ruin (bar)
12122024 – Francis Pig. Daltons
13122024 – Dub Pistols. Concorde 2
15122024 – Yenkee. Folklore Rooms
15012025 – Langkamer. The Prince Albert
21012025 – The Bel Air Lip Bombs. The Prince Albert
22012025 – Jim Moray. Komedia Studio
23012025 – Belako. The Hope & Ruin
02022025 – The John Martyn Project. The Old Market
14022025 – Jake Xerxes Fussell. St Luke’s Church
21022025 – Rats on Rafts. The Prince Albert
22022025 – She Drew The Gun. Revenge
01032025 – Personal Trainer. Chalk.
09032025 – Sean Rowe. Lewes Constitutional Club
10032025 – Carter Sampson. Prince Albert
12032025 – Pom Poko. Chalk
20042025 – Chat Pile. Chalk
02052025 – Henge. Concorde 2
06052025 – Soccer Mommy. Chalk
30052025 – MJ Lenderman. Chalk
01062025 – Shonen Knife. Concorde 2

Fully accessible venue, disabled toilet at the back. Ask bar for assistance. Entrance for wheelchairs at the back of the venue. Toilets gender neutral on some nights. 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. If strobe lighting is an issue or if standing for long periods of time is an issue, please contact us in advance. Wheelchair area, and sofa at the side for seating, but depending on how many people are in it may affect the viewing.

Pom Poko Brighton

Pom Poko Brighton