The Cribs + Courting – Concorde 2, Brighton Selling A Vibe Tour 2026 – Final Night
The final night of The Cribs’ Selling A Vibe tour turned Brighton’s Concorde 2 into exactly the kind of tight, full-capacity room the Jarman brothers were built for. Fans packed in early, buzzing with the chance to see one of the UK’s most beloved indie-rock bands up close, loud and fully locked in.
Courting
Opening for The Cribs on this tour were Liverpool’s Courting, an inventive young guitar band blending sharp humour with a sound that flicks between post-punk edges and indie-pop brightness. Frontman Sean Murphy-O’Neill’s talk-sung delivery — part deadpan, part cheeky bite — gave the set its personality from the off.
They opened with the indie-pop sparkle of Namcy, guitars and drums locking into a playful, mischievous groove. Murphy-O’Neill’s vocal style cut through even more clearly on Popshop!, before the band shifted gears with Pause At You, a funkier, dance-leaning track driven by a well-timed cowbell.
After a quick retune, the sharp post-punk snap of After You kicked in, followed by the electronic-tinged Famous, which opened out into something lighter and more melodic. With a strong early crowd already gathered, Murphy-O’Neill thanked them, joking that it might just be for a good spot — though their enthusiasm suggested otherwise.
By Flex, a rousing near-final anthem, the front rows were fully moving. They closed with Likely Place for Them to Be, its intricate guitars and driving rhythm section building into a fast, urgent crescendo. Murphy-O’Neill exited during the instrumental outro, leaving the band to finish a fun, energetic and cleverly crafted set.
The Cribs
The Cribs closed out their Selling A Vibe Tour 2026 with the second of two sold-out nights at Brighton’s Concorde 2. It was a deliberate choice, they explained, preferring two intimate shows over a single night in a bigger room. Judging by the atmosphere, they were absolutely right. The Wakefield trio of twins Gary Jarman and Ryan Jarman, plus younger brother Ross Jarman, have always thrived in close, densely packed spaces, and Brighton rewarded them with a crowd that sang every word.
The stage was still in darkness when Somewhere in My Heart by Aztec Camera floated through the PA, only to be swallowed by a roar as the band walked on. Within seconds, they had slammed into Dark Luck, guitars snarling, the floor erupting into its first mosh of the night. The fans did not ease in; they arrived fully committed, adding their own backing vocals from the first chorus onward.
There was barely a breath between songs before I’m a Realist landed, followed by a ferocious Hey Scenesters!. Gary and Ryan turned to face Ross as he hammered the intro, later climbing onto his drum stool mid-song like a man determined to see the room from a higher altitude. I’m Alright Me kept the pace white-hot, its fast post-punk snap pushing the crowd into another gear.
The band paused only long enough to reflect on their first Brighton show 22 years earlier, back in 2004, before shifting the mood. Summer Seizures, introduced as being from the new album Selling A Vibe, opened more gently but was already a fan favourite, the room singing along as if it had been in the set for decades. Never the Same followed with a poppier, upbeat swing that had even more bodies dancing and colliding.
A jump back to 2009 brought We Share the Same Skies, still one of their most melodic and enduring songs, delivered with real punch. The Lights Went Out kept that vibrant indie-guitar brightness burning.
The middle of the set brought some of the night’s most interesting contrasts. A Point Too Hard to Make built slowly before dropping back again, while City of Bugs opened with stark, thumping drums and a darker mood. The guitars and vocals gradually lifted it into something more expansive before a mid-song frenzy of noise tore the track wide open.
When Another Number was introduced as “one for the audience to sing along to”, the irony was not lost on anyone. The Brighton crowd had been singing everything. But this was more than a singalong; it was a genuine bond between band and fans, the kind of connection The Cribs have always inspired.
The new wave-leaning Running Into You and Rose Mist sharpened the post-punk edges again, before the rockier bite of My Life Flashed Before My Eyes sent the pit surging once more.
Brothers Won’t Break finally offered a momentary slowdown — a welcome breather for the moshers, though not enough to deter a few determined crowd-surfers. Looking for the Wrong Guy kept the gentler pace, Ryan opening solo on guitar before the full band joined. Both songs stood firmly on their own merit, proving the set did not need to be relentless to stay compelling.
Back to the Bolthole simmered with moody alt-rock tension before Men’s Needs and Mirror Kissers detonated the room. These indie-rock staples ensured the energy on both sides of the barrier never dipped.
For the finale, the band announced they had not played Be Safe in the UK for a long time. The backdrop shifted from The Cribs logo to a moving image of Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, whose spoken-word part rolled out over the PA as the band joined in. The unexpected closing number was cinematic, emotional and delivered with total conviction.
As the crowd spilled out into the night, Especially for You by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan played over the speakers. It was a brilliantly odd contrast to Bodies by the Sex Pistols, which had greeted the support earlier. The Brighton crowd knew they had witnessed something special, and they had played their part in creating the kind of lively, enthusiastic energy that makes a Cribs show feel less like a gig and more like a shared event.
WORDS: PETER GREENFIELD PHOTOS: CRIS WATKINS
