Andrew Cushin live at The 1865, Southampton (14.10.2025) with Mega Sun Machine and Sugar Bang supporting.
It’s good to be seeing a newer up and coming artist, and locally. My calendar can get a bit overloaded with my older and older favourites. This guy is great and that’s why we’re back (with wife Sally’s tonight – one of her favourites) for a fourth time in the last couple of years. I have a few previous outings logged and blogged here for Thekla, Bristol and Dingwalls, Camden.
We got in early about 15 minutes after 7pm doors opening. Managed to nab some stools up by the bar at the back and looking over the mixing desks and lighting control boxes. Curiously quiet this evening and the upper viewing balcony is curtained off.
Both support bands are from the Southampton area and of the two I warmed more to Sugar Bang, on first. Drums and bass boom loud to start with but the sound mellows later with some intricate prominrnt guitar work from main man McKenzie Barrass. They would be at home on a mid 80s John Peel show which is good for me….they must like The Cure.
Mega Sun Machine are less relaxed and more of a danceable onslaught of sound, some ska hints I thought, despite their indie rock tag. Brogan Tomkins says this is the first performance of this band at The 1865.
There’s a bit of local support in to give a good reception from the extremely modest audience tonight. Numbers don’t really pick up much even for Andrew Cushin, which is disappointing given his talent. The capacity is 750 and it can’t be a quarter full.
We move down the front – easily done – as Andrew Cushin gets into his stride. The lighting is quite audience facing so the band from a distance are silhouettes largely – it’s better down the front.
The tour is the Love is for Everyone tour and ten of the songs are from that one – second of his two excellent LPs, the other one being Waiting for the Rain.
Andrew Cushin has had some support and songwriting collaboration with Noel Gallagher and Cushin has some of that more psychedelic Gallagher sound on some tracks. I am amazed he hasn’t had more success. It’s a hard game.
Tonight is just such a privilege…. up close and it feels like a big band playing the local. Andrew Cushin doesn’t let up on the energy he puts in. His voice is the biggest instrument.
Earlier on at the back I was able to grab a video of Catch the Sun (link to my Grey-Haired Gig Goer YouTube channel), peering around Cushin’s sound mix man.
I can’t help thinking tonight is symptomatic of the industry. While people fight over £200 tickets to see old favourites, new talent and local venues struggle to make it work. In my mind I need to turn the tide of what I’m doing. There is still that irresistible urge to see an old big name but a trip to more local, or regional anyway, options like The 1865 is always a good night out and there are plenty of older lesser known faves. (The 1865 venue blog.)
Thank you, Andrew Cushin, for another great performance. Good luck.
Gigs with Ivan 