It’s not very often that you get a quartet of top quality emerging artists sharing the exact same billing in an intimate setting, but this is exactly was is going to be going down on Wednesday 7th October (from 7:30pm to 11pm) at The Hope & Ruin in Brighton. Finger on the pulse promoters Hidden Herd have somehow managed to get the spotlight on four emerging acts that those in the know certainly won’t want to miss!
Performing on the first floor music room located on Queens Road – where a decade ago both Dua Lipa and Adele plied their wares on the exact same stage before going stratospheric – we have Winter Gardens, Opal Mag, Lucy Darke and Tears At The Table.
Let’s find out more…..
Shifting fluidly between shimmering shoegaze and propulsive intensity, Winter Gardens blend the hazy textures of dream-pop with the urgency and drive of post-punk, balancing moments of introspection with bursts of raw energy. Layers of reverb-soaked guitars, melodic basslines and driving percussion intertwine to create a sound that feels both expansive and immediate.
Since their inception, Winter Gardens have shared stages with Echo & the Bunnymen, Gary Numan, Modern English, Piroshka, Pale Blue Eyes and many more. The band have performed at Left of the Dial in Rotterdam, Supersonic Club in Paris and Rockaway Beach, and recently played three shows in New York as part of The New Colossus Festival. They also delivered a standout set at Brighton’s Great Escape Festival this year, performing to a packed Concorde 2.
Their latest EP, ‘Uncomfortable/Unlovable’, was released last year to widespread praise from BBC Radio 1, BBC Music Introducing, Radio X, KEXP, Louder Than War, CLUNK and more, including a recent BBC Introducing Live Lounge session. Now returning with the majestic ‘Adored’ and the ethereal follow-up ‘Fragile Boy’, Winter Gardens continue to expand their sonic world, pushing their sound into exciting new territory.
Their forthcoming 5-track 12” ‘Macabre Divine’ EP is set to drop on 16th September on limited edition 180g Breakneck Pink Marble vinyl, and will include ‘Adored’ and ‘Fragile Boy’ as well as ‘Violet Corridors’, ‘The Yearning’ and title track ‘Macabre Divine’.
Harnessing influences including Mazzy Star, The Sundays, The Breeders and The Smashing Pumpkins, Opal Mag blends hazy, atmospheric soundscapes with confessional, unfiltered lyricism. Writing for dreamers and bedroom dwellers, her songs feel like secrets whispered late at night – raw, intimate and achingly real.
On 29th May Opal Mag released her debut EP, ‘Goodbye Lavender’, via Venn Records (High Vis, thistle., Meryl Streek), and it was naturally manufactured on lavender dream coloured vinyl. The EP’s lead singles ‘Wasting’, ‘World End’ and ‘Kiss Me’ bring the enigmatic musician’s evocative songwriting to the fore, pairing it with the trademark hazy textures that continue to captivate her growing fanbase. The trio of remaining tunes on the 12” release are ‘Try Not To Hate Everything’, ‘Young Forever’ and title track ‘Goodbye Lavender’.
Thus far 2026 has been a busy year for Opal Mag and she is now ready to build on previous support slots alongside acts including The Kooks, Black Honey, Overpass and Phoebe Green, as well as festival appearances at Truck Festival, The Great Escape Festival, Dot to Dot Festival, Ritual Union and Dork’s Day Out.
Her early releases have already earned widespread acclaim from key tastemakers including NME, Stereogum, Dork, Clash, So Young, The Line Of Best Fit, Rough Trade, Rolling Stone UK and Under The Radar, alongside spins on the airwaves from Emily Pilbeam on BBC Radio 6 Music, Cheryl Waters on KEXP and Colby Robertson on Triple J.
Emerging from Brighton’s vibrant music scene, Lucy Darke is a singer-songwriter whose mysterious, indie soft-rock sound transports listeners to moody Lynchian places. None more so was this evident when she brought her sound to the party when briefly joining the sadly defunct Nottingham formed-Brighton based Swallowtail quartet.
In 2025, she unveiled her debut EP, ‘Earthly Delights’ – a cinematic four-song collection where dreamy vocals, shimmering instrumentation and poetic storytelling collide. Lead singles ‘Sweet’ and ‘Kiss Me In The Chaos’ quickly caught the attention of tastemakers, with Far Out Magazine and Earworm Magazine highlighting her as one of the city’s most compelling new voices. Completing the EP are ‘Saboteur’ and ‘Whitecliffs’.
On stage, Lucy has captivated audiences with her spellbinding sets at cult-favourite venues including The Hope & Ruin, Green Door Store and The Folklore Rooms, performing alongside fellow breakthrough artists like Little Grandad, Our Girl, Cordelia Gartside, Jo From School and Moon Idle. She’s also performed at Bella Union Vinyl Shop’s Sandwich Sessions, Homegrown Festival and a Marezine All-Dayer at The Victoria in London.
Championed by DIY Magazine as a “vitally compelling prospect”, London five-piece Tears At The Table are an exciting new alt-rock outfit who met through Vocal Girls – the music platform for marginalised artists.
Fusing fuzz-drenched guitars with haunting, reverb-soaked vocals, they weave together a rich tapestry of influences to create their own brand of moody alternative folk-rock, drawing inspiration from the likes of The Cranberries, Blondie, Mazzy Star, Fontaines D.C. and Pixies.
While Tears At The Table may not officially have any music released into the world just yet, they’re already making waves through their captivating live shows. They sold out their debut headline show at Sebright Arms, performed at DIY’s Hello 2026 showcase at The Old Blue Last alongside She’s In Partes, ELLiS•D and Ninush, and headlined East London Block Party’s Independent Venue Week show.
Advance tickets are £11 and are on sale now from HERE.
You can also discover exciting emerging artists on the Hidden Herd New Music Spotlight playlist. Like and listen on Spotify HERE.
FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE TO KEEP UP TO DATE!
Author: Nick Linazasoro
Music Editor
