First, the bare facts, if you know these already, skip to the bottom for a video, my own ramblings and a link to a previous review.  It’s all going on in the last paragraph.

Brakes formed in 2003, when Thomas White (guitar) and Alex White (drums) of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton perform a solo gig supporting The Lonesome Organist in Brighton. Marc Beatty (bass) of Mockin’ Bird Studio and The Tenderfoot was also soon recruited, and the band set about recording their debut single, “Pick Up the Phone”, which was released on Tugboat Records in 2004.

Shortly after forming Brakes, Eamon was asked by British Sea Power to play keyboards with them, a position he held for three years. Brakes toured extensively, and, in early 2005, recorded their debut album, Give Blood.

The album was released by Rough Trade Records to great critical acclaim, achieving five stars from The Observer Music Monthly, Time Out and from many websites, and was voted the best album of 2005 by the influential Rough Trade Shops.

Brakes toured with Belle & Sebastian in January and February 2006, Editors in February/March 2006 and The Killers in November 2006, as well as playing several European and UK headline tours of their own. Brakes completed their third studio album. Recorded at Chem 19, Hamilton, with Paul Savage (formerly of Glaswegian band The Delgados), Touchdown was released by Fat Cat Records on 20 April 2009.

There, all biographied out now?  The simple fact is that Brakes are an amazing live band, I reviewed them (and handily, Gindrinker) for this very site when they played Howard Gardens in February, read it HERE.  Veering from post punk to country at the drop of a hat and with Eamon is almost always wearing a crazy outfit and carrying a pineapple, they are a site to behold.

With support again coming from the mighty Gindrinker, this is close to being gig of the month.

7:30pm | £7.50/£8.50 | buy tickets