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Throwing Muses

Sep 09, 2025 By Dom Gourlay Web Exclusive

​It’s taken two attempts but Throwing Muses’ return to Brighton was nothing short of triumphant. Having originally been scheduled to play the city in May which was unfortunately cancelled due to singer, guitarist and founder member Kristin Hersh falling ill and losing her voice, tonight’s career spanning set in front of jam-packed Chalk proved nothing less than sensational. Touring their latest release and eleventh long player Moonlight Concessions which came out in March. Tonight’s set wasn’t just a timely reminder of the intricacies of their near flawless back catalogue. It also highlighted the potent intensity of the new record while insisting they’re far from a spent force just yet.

Before Throwing Muses set, Chalk was treated to an equally rambunctious set from former Muncie Girls singer and guitarist Lande Hekt. Playing with a four-piece band this evening, Hekt’s set comprised of nine songs taken from the two albums she’s released to date. 2021’s Going To Hell and the follow-up twelve months later House Without A View. Musically the reference points range from C86 style indie to US slacker rock, with the odd incendiary pop moment thrown in for good measure. What this means is songs like “Lola” and most recent single “Pottery Class” jump out seismically while closing number “Gay Space Cadets” provides both the perfect finale and exquisite taster for what might be coming next. With a catalogue and repertoire as good as this, we suspect you’ll be hearing more from Lande Hekt in the not too distant future.

Moving on swiftly to the headline act, Throwing Muses has always been a family affair of sorts having been founded by Kristin Hersh and her half sister Tanya Donelly, who subsequently left to play with The Breeders before forming Belly. With Hersh now the only remaining original member, joined on this tour by son Dylan on bass, long term partner Fred Obang on drums and “Cello Pete” Harvey on cello, Throwing Muses are a tightly furnished ship that plays and sounds like a band living every note and syllable.

With such an extensive body of material to choose from, its credit to Hersh and co that they somehow manage to whittle it down to just twenty-five songs. And while there will always be fan favourites omitted from the setlist (“Mania” and “Dizzy” being two that immediately spring to mind) , there’s enough here to keep the most ardent Throwing Muses devotee excited. It speaks volumes for the band’s belief in their new record that eight of the nine songs which make up Moonlight Concessions feature this evening. From the haunting opener “Theremini” to the lolloping “South Coast” (think Sonic Youth’s “Starpower” stripped back) and giddy dreampop of “Albatross” to name but three, Moonlight Concessions has it all and more besides, making it one of 2025’s finest collections thus far.

It’s predecessor, 2020’s Sun Racket is also well represented not least by the punchy “Dark Blue” and glistening “Kay Catherine”, both of which emphasise different sides of the band’s core sound. Digging even deeper into her back catalogue, Hersh introduces “Soap And Water” as “the first song I ever wrote aged fifteen” while an earlier rendition of “Bea” from the same era reinforces the timeless quality of these songs. Something which is further underlined by 1991 single “Counting Backwards”, which results in a large proportion of the audience singing the words back as one.

Two of Throwing Muses’ other big singles “Shark” and “Bright Yellow Gun” bring the show to a blistering close. Each one a statement of intent in its own rights that should have cemented Throwing Muses place as household names, rather than the cult indie band they’ve gone on to become.

Long may it continue, hopefully with a twelfth album under their belts for good measure.