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Picture: Keith Trigwell

Having put on Kate Nash’s first Brighton headline show three years ago, Lout Promotions pulled off a coup with this exclusive intimate show that sold out almost immediately.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Ms Nash and it’s hard to believe she’s still only 22. In her absence, Lily Allen has both conquered the pop world and withdrawn from it, while Marina and Ellie have started selling out larger venues. So, what would Kate do next?

Judging by this performance, another rival, or maybe inspiration, appears to be The Ting Tings.

The audience of young kids, old kids and dads with daughters clapped along as Kate and her band marched on to carnival Bontempi beats. Kicking off with ‘You’ll Never Listen’ – the opening track of the forthcoming album (My Best Friend Is You, out 19 April) – her voice and intonation seemed to be the same, as was the arpeggio piano style.

Another newie, ‘Do Wah Doo’ showcased the ‘60s girl group sound she has been referring to in interviews, while old favourite ‘Mouthwash’ brought on the first crowd singalong and ‘Kiss That Girl’ introduced an edgier, indie sound that remained throughout the set. Unfortunately, this was also the case with the sound mix, which meant the drums often drowned out everything else.

There was plenty of between-song banter and, following a raucous ‘Take Me To A Higher Plane’, Kate asked everyone to calm down, as it was only a Monday. Her MySpace legacy continues, with fans seeing themselves more as friends.

‘I Hate Seagulls’, was sung solo with guitar, and all were encouraged to join in for ‘I’ve Got A Secret’ about “homophobic pricks”. This trippy chant turned into a great punky racket with Kate sounding surprisingly like Poly Styrene, a theme continued into the next song.

‘R & B Side’ kicked off with funky fatback drums and a dissing of said genre. ‘Merry Happy’ was a reminder of the classic Kate Nash sound with the piano taking a hammering.

We were told there would be no encore and there wasn’t, but ‘I Just Love You More’ was a rip-roaring Nirvana-esque end. She’s still very much a Marmite act, but I like Marmite.

Komedia 8 March
4/5
Steve Clements

Following an electric set from Pauline Murray’s original North East punkers Penetration, Stiff Little Fingers kicked off their latest tour with the timely ‘Wasted Life’. Jake Burns confessed to being 52 years old before launching into ‘At The Edge’, which got the predominately male and 40-plus crowd moshing like a bunch of teenagers. ‘Barbed Wire Love’, dedicated to the late Michael Foot, followed a surprising but well executed cover of The Specials’ ‘Doesn’t Make It Alright’. New songs such as ‘Lions Club’ were as well received as the classics and, as they finished with ‘Johnny Was’ and the timeless ‘Alternative Ulster’, everyone left very sweaty and happy.
Concorde 2, 3 March
4/5
Steve Clements

Rosamund Pike’s Hedda is a cruel and beautiful beast. As she stalked the stage with flickering eyes, her power-crazed motives were thinly veiled, but her beauty so alluring that all fell under her spell. It was a magnificent performance, matched by Robert Glenister’s Tesman, the spoilt man-child awestruck at winning her as his bride. His jabbering enthusiasm and hopelessness balanced Pike’s controlling frigidity. As Judge Brack, Tim McInnerny effectively held back the lascivious nature of his role until near the climax. Colin Tierney’s Lovborg was manic and desperate. Anna Carteret as Aunt Juliana was the voice of unquestioning compliance and tradition. Together they built a dense, claustrophobic atmosphere that allowed Ibsen’s portrayal of a society on the edge of moral melt-down.
Theatre Royal Brighton, 8 March
5/5
Andrew Kay

A pastiche of film noir, black comedy and comic strip action made this fast-paced one-man show (and guitarist) seriously brilliant. Each and every scene from the award-winning Joe Bone packed in deft details of acute accents and mannerisms for hench men, gangsters, mutant monsters and a cat, to tell a classic revenge tale of hired hit man Bruce Bane’s ‘hits’ (both at and by). Add in mime for those imaginary steps, door locking and monster wading, and this was one exciting gig, original with a capital O. You’d have to be a damn fool to miss Bane III.
Upstairs At Three And Ten, 6 March
5/5
Monica Perdon