The Brighton folk-punk-poetry sensations on a year that has put them on the map.

One of the major breakout live acts of the year, the journey for The New Eves has only just begun. They talk us through a huge year for the band, releasing their first music, booking a seat for a cello on the Eurostar and covering the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

2023 in The New Eves.

2023 was a big year for us. We released our first ever single ‘Original Sin’ / ‘Mother’ and that was a very exciting experience overall. We made a music video for ‘Original Sin’ with a very small budget, studying Top of the Pops, handmaking all the props and getting our friends to dance dressed in mid-sixties fashion. Our friend Connie even made her hair into a perfect beehive!

On the release day we played a launch show at the George Tavern and it was so powerful that we caused a power cut. It was a legendary night. Something that has been really inspiring and encouraging this year is that we have got to meet and work with a lot of great people. We started working with our booking agent Ben, and he is nothing less than an angel.  We’ve gotten to play shows in loads of new places. It’s so good to be able to travel around more and we like taking the scenic route when we can including the aptly named A666 and Snake Pass in the Peak District when we played up North. Recording with Jack Ogborne (Bingo Fury) and Joe Jones was another highlight, watch this space …

Album of the Year. 

‘River of Light’ by Ancient Infinity Orchestra. This album is a masterpiece and was composed by our friend Ozzy Moysey. It features a choir made up of many of our friends in Brighton. Ella sung in the choir and actually cancelled a New Eves show because she was having such a great time.

Song of the Year.

Our own cover of ‘Concerning Hobbits’ from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack played not once, but twice, at our friend’s Lord of the Rings themed birthday party.

What was the band’s collective highlight of the year?

Left of the Dial Festival in Rotterdam was particularly wonderful. It was our first time officially playing outside the UK. We played two shows and one of them was in the incredible Arminius church, in front of the church organ. We were given dinner by the promoters for the first time in our musical careers and it was hot and it was lasagne and we were ecstatic. Anyone wanting to book us take note: dinner is the way to our hearts.

We explored the city, drank ale in old bars, bought cheese and matching baskets. Kate fell in love with the buttplug gnome. We stayed in futuristic space pods in a hotel full of musicians. The cello went first class on the Eurostar and got a little cake with a strawberry on top.

Favourite show of 2023?

It feels impossible to say just one show as we’ve done lots this year and lots have been special. A recent favourite would have to be a gig in Liverpool in someone’s living room (called the Garlic Mansion- check it out if you are in Liverpool!) It was refreshing and inspiring to see people taking things into their own hands to keep the music scene alive, especially in the wake of so many venues closing down. It felt real and a far cry from the more bureaucratic and sterile side of the music business. It’s nice to remember that we have the power to put on a good show ourselves.

We also must mention our Brighton release gig, which was at our favourite Brighton venue, the Green Door Store and packed with all of our friends and family. We got to wear the creations of Rosie Evans; and adorned in satin corsets, crocheted skirts and welsh dragon knitted vests we took to a stage covered in flowers. It was a holy night.

Favourite thing someone’s said about your music:

So Recently Everett True came to a gig and then wrote the most spectacular review. Here is a quote from it, ‘Some songs are like Gregorian chant echoes, others abrasive textural challenges. Some songs make you want to lift your arms up high, reach for the upper firmament, others… wow. Well, other songs build a cold fury and hold it for hours at a time, a welter of blurred strings and broken promises.’ Also in person he said to Violet that Kurt Cobain would have loved it and she nearly died.

…and the strangest thing someone’s said about your music:

We were setting up on stage at The Windmill one time, and someone in the crowd shouted “What is this? Folk drum and bass?”

What you’re looking forward to in 2024…

We are looking forward to sharing more of our music with the world. Writing new songs, recording more and releasing some things we’ve been working on already.  We’ve already got some exciting festival plans so keep your eyes peeled! We are looking forward to more gigs, more new places and just more music!