CTRL+ Promotions take total control over Brighton
Words: Helena Juric
Photos: Jack Brand
★★★★★
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Jack Brand is the founder of CTRL+ Promotions, he started a year ago and says things have slowed down since then but the shows he has been hosting lately have been getting a bigger following, albeit less regular shows. He now hosts roughly one show per month now and misses doing two per month but does not miss the extra stress alongside his full-time work!
Jack was inspired by a friend called Marco, who created a community through music and subsequently met artist Drummo who threw events, which encouraged him to do the same. Through this, he met Jake, who we all know as ‘Fluffy’. Jack states that Fluffy showed him how to love and care for the scene and work with the scene. Jack is very passionate about his love for community and music, crediting his three friends in one simple sentence: “Without those three, I wouldn’t be doing this.”
Alongside this, Jack shout-outs all his mates, especially DJ Martial Autist who always brings an upbeat vibe and hypes people up!
Photo: Jack Brand / Alura
Here’s a bit about Fluffy, who had a stall at the show! I remember meeting him at The Pipeline, Brighton, when he put my band Hissy and the Fits on a show. It was a great turn-out and it was under his event company. Since then, Fluffy has started a clothing label called Scene Junkies. Well, I say clothing label – it’s extremely varied! From 3D printed bags, mystery eggs (that have keychains and inspirational quotes inside them), to screen-printed hoodies, t-shirts, tote bags and much more!
Fluffy was inspired to start Scene Junkies by his background in the garment industry and music industry, as well as wanting to combine the two together to bring affordable garments to everybody. He says the most fun projects are the 3D printed ones and every time I see him at a show, he always has new products to share with me – which I love!
First on the line-up was Cascade; a local four-piece band. Catchy riffs, mad solos, hard-hitting vocals and heavy breakdowns. My favourite song of theirs was ‘Afloat’. Also loved that they all wore sunglasses on stage! Incredible stage presence and a great opener for the night – I managed to ask them a couple of questions:
What’s something you firmly believe in?
“That all artists/bands should be given the platform to help them properly by people in the music industry and that we should all be working towards helping keep grassroots venues alive”.
How did you get started?
“We got started by Louis (singer) and Tom (drummer) being best friends since the start of secondary school, always jamming together then finally coming to bring our work together in an actual project which is now Cascade!”
Where do you want to take the music next?
“We wish in terms of music to just get bigger and bigger. We only all just turned eighteen years old, so we just want to build on what we already have and work towards our goal, which is to do this for a living”.
Next up was Picture The Scene an alt-rock band that practically ripped up the stage with their energy and devotion to their music! I was pleasantly surprised by their vibrancy and presence considering there was only two of them. I particularly liked the fact they got the crowd clapping along and engaged well with the crowd – there was a lot of interaction. I caught them for a few minutes to have a quick chat:
What’s something you firmly believe in?
“Not being a dick! Yeah, top of the list is being transparent and yeah… not being a dick!”
How did you get started?
“Recorded an EP in lockdown then started playing gigs, kept it going and we’re here now!”
Where do you want to take the music next?
“Well, 10am tomorrow we’re announcing that we’re performing with McFly! We just want to play as many gigs and big shows as we can and turn it into a full time job!”
Picture The Scene were a delight to talk with and have a new single out in May, called ‘All She Wrote’.
Alura Foley was next on the line-up! They brought a good crowd in - I feel like they will change their scene’s musical future with experimental elements of synth, chilled drum and bass and distinct vocal melodies. They were head-to-toe in blue and white, from their hair to their clothing and styling, a truly interesting and unique individual. I spoke with them briefly, here’s how it panned out:
What’s something you firmly believe in?
“That’s very broad! I firmly believe in the power of the self! As long as you put your whole heart and soul into it!”
How did you get started?
“I’ve been singing since I was young, which my brother hated – well, he didn’t hate it, I was just too loud! I started singing as a small child then I started producing at age fourteen. I started at LMMS (Linux Mutli Media Studio) – I wanted FL studio but that was not free! I was singing covers of Paramore and Lana Del Ray while sitting in my bathroom because it had reverb in there and put them on Youtube”.
Where do you want to take the music next?
“This is all part of an album cycle at the moment, firstly to get the album out there and I want to go and DJ at fun venues and places! I went to a Nina Jirachi show and I want to open for her so bad!”
Alura says her favourite song to perform live Is ‘Selfish’, which is on the album but has been performing for years and it’s not come out yet but everybody’s begging for it! “It’s about being with somebody that says they do everything for you and bigs themselves up to be the best partner but you still want more and you want more than being between the gaslight”.
Alura’s album is released in July 2026!
Lastly, the headliner – Ria Rua! All the way from Ireland with their first UK tour – they were so lovely and easy to chat with, the power-trio of the evening! ‘I Love That For You’ was one of my favourite tracks of theirs alongside ‘Mad As Hell’. Truly outstanding stage performance with double drums, from the drummer and the vocalist too! One of their poignant songs ‘You Only Like Me When I’m Dead’ is a dedication to Sinead O’Connor and how she was ridiculed when she was alive then only respected her when she was dead. A dedication to her because she was a badass, telling her truth’! Here’s how my short interview with Ria Rua went:
What’s something you firmly believe in?
“There’s a lot of things actually, I suppose one of the main things I stand for is having safe gigs and a place where people feel safe and for trans women and trans people to feel safe. Obviously f*ck the patriarchy and f*ck the billionaires!”
How did you get started?
“Well, I got started by writing film music and then I was writing songs and wasn’t sure who to get to sing because I was a full-time drummer and then I was like f*ck it, I’ll sing! I fell in love with songwriting and expressing myself – it’s my form of therapy and it was a new form of expression in 2020 during the pandemic”.
Where do you want to take the music next?
“Let’s get a Grammy! I believe in the music, the message and kind of creating a safe and creative place – bringing hope even though my songs are kinda angry!”
Photo: Jack Brand / Ria Rua
All-round a great show filled with community, collaboration and creativity – all thanks to CTRL+ Promotions and a shout-out to the sound engineer, Spencer as well as all the team at Hope And Ruin, Brighton.