JAMES MARRIOTT: BRIGHTON, UK
James Marriott with support from Esme Emerson
at Concorde 2 in Brighton, UK - 25/06/2026
words and photos by Schuyler “Sky” Aldridge
After an incredible UK/EU tour last winter with over 25 sold-out dates and his first number 1 album, Brighton star James Marriott was set to battle the blazing heat and play an intimate hometown show at Concorde 2 in preparation for upcoming summer festivals and to trial some new tracks.
The intimate show will see the return of the fan-favourite sister-brother duo Esme Emerson, who also opened for the UK/EU winter tour, with their high-energy and uplifting tracks that make you want to move your feet. They were perfect, familiar faces for the audience.
Despite this week in June having record-breaking heat, and this day in particular being one of the hottest, it didn’t stop James Marriott’s dedicated fanbase from starting a queue to the venue in order to get the best views possible. The security of the venue was lovely, and ensured that those brave enough to battle the heat were safe by handing out free water bottles and offering shade from the scorching sun. Some fans also took a break from the queue to take a dip in the sea, given the venue's proximity to the seaside.
Esme Emerson opened up with ‘Gun’, a new unreleased single that the duo has been debuting at live shows, building anticipation for a release before moving into ‘Fade Out’, one of their most well-known tracks, with its catchy beat and dreamy instrumental layers; the energy in the room was building.
When the duo played ‘Show You (Truck Song)’, the room lit up, as this is one of their most well-loved songs and a personal favourite of mine. The muffled and layered vocals brought feelings of nostalgic childhood summers, which resonated well given the current weather and environment. They closed things off with ‘Centipede’ with its stronger lead guitar piercing through the mix; the final chorus hit hard as a closing act, proving again that Esme Emerson knows the way around a James Marriott audience and fanbase.
As the stage had the same production elements as the most recent 2025 tour, everybody was expecting James Marriott to open with ‘Ventriloquist’, a now iconic opener from said tour. But to everybody’s surprise, a reminiscent but different synth began to play as Marriott began to sing the opening line from ‘Sleepwalker’, a brand new track. It builds slowly before the drums and lights kick in and bring the energy up. This new track beautifully demonstrates Marriott’s brilliant vocal performance when he holds multiple high notes in the final chorus.
During the 2022 hit ‘Car Lights’, a track about exploring conflicting feelings and experiencing romantic interest in a same-sex crush, the whole crowd was waving pride flags in the air, an act which seemed to hit the singer heavily with emotion - it was another moment of the dedicated fanbase, passing and handing out flags in the queue, hours before the show.
On the previous tour, ‘California Rain’ was played throughout the shows, with the release date finally being revealed at the final date. This show was the first time the incredible track had been played since the official release of the album Don’t Tell the Dog. It feels like a track which is a pathway into defining the next direction for Marriott, with moments like in the bridge where he shouts and holds the line “the rain won’t stop me now”.
‘Burn Down the Disco’ currently has the entirety of the fanbase in a chokehold, another new track which feels very on brand, featuring an incredible guitar-led pre-chorus with powerful drums. The entire track feels incredibly tight and strong, especially in the chorus with the screamed line “I go insane for you!” which is backed by this positively overwhelming and intense synth, which completely elevates the chorus to the next level - even the bass tone feels like perfection with its chunky and bulky sound.
The set ended with ‘Grapes’, arguably the fan favourite track. It’s a banger that keeps its energy and dancy feeling throughout; the entire audience from front to back were dancing and jumping, especially throughout the chorus. A live exclusive addition to ‘Grapes’ is the ‘Grapes Belt’ where Marriott sings and holds the end of the lyric “Just another girl who looks like you”; it’s always a fun moment seeing how many of the audience try to match his length in holding the line. Despite the heat, the show was amazing, and all those in attendance were thrilled to be able to hear not one, but two new songs for the first time.
Esme emerson
JAMES MARRIOTT
