Walking onto the Green Door Store stage almost as a preacher, frontman adorned with crosses and with holes in his trousers, you can feel Bishopskin, led by Tiger Nicholson‘s bellowing voice, is here to lead a chaotic congregation. A venue with some reputation and pedigree, GDS has seen the likes of Wet Leg, Lime Garden, Maruja and Big Special. This night is no exception; it is easy to mistake the station arches for some sort of time-travelled medieval theatre.
Bishopskin @ Green Door Store
However, it is the full band that brings this performance together in such a commanding way, with beautiful violin layers alongside the deep vocals, often contrasted by softer backing vocals from the bassist. Drums and guitar also sit perfectly in this mix, flowing effortlessly from one song into the next. The guitarist does not make a fuss, preferring to give Hana Miyagi on violin more space to move at the front. She gives a magnetic performance during louder sections, also often lending her voice to the medley.
At points, watching Tiger Nicholson dance and move sporadically on stage feels reminiscent of a sermon (or exorcism?). It’s freeing, in a way, to watch someone move without pretence; there’s no attempt to be ‘cool’ here.
Songs such as Ave Maria, Mothers Steel Bike and Hey Little Sister are obviously strong moments in the set, with fans young and old regularly rotating to the front of the crowd to sing along. But each song in between cannot be dismissed; there’s no filler here as the atmosphere builds. It’s refreshing to close your eyes and just let it wash over you.
A surprise in the set is a beautiful track — sadly, I cannot recall the name — where, ingeniously, a loop pedal is used with just vocals, building up layers into a rhythm with a religious, hymn-like sound. It really is hard to take your eyes away from this section. Tiger Nicholson can hold your attention single-handedly, with a microphone attached to a cross (a type of flare which feels uniquely refreshing in today’s gig scene). And when the band is ready to launch into this song, it’s a real explosion of emotion.
Their brisk one-hour set feels as poetic, chaotic yet well-paced as it gets. Heads and shoulders in the room move like clockwork, back and forth, as the folk-styled conversation between drums, guitar, bass and beautiful violin carries you through. Each song feels like a natural journey, building until you’re engulfed. There’s plenty of surprises here, and I catch many a craning neck as the crowd try to catch a glimpse of who’s the next instrumental ingredient in this medieval stew.
A milk crate makes a regular appearance, Tiger Nicholson swinging it around the stage whenever it seems fitting, a preacher performing his sermon. Uniquely kitsch and somehow quintessentially British.
For the pre-encore closer, Tiger Nicholson clambers on top of the three-something-metre-tall speakers stacked to the left of the room, towering over the audience — they really are Play-Doh in his hands at this point. What could easily be dismissed as performative antics in the hands of some feels completely natural here as the show is nearly at a close. His movements become more unpredictable as the song builds, and suddenly he’s leapt into the centre of the crowd on the milk crate again, beckoning as all the necks around him strain to look upwards.
Bishopskin @ Green Door Store
By the end, the crowd screams for more and, in rock ‘n’ roll fashion, receives an eager band with a now-shirtless singer. The performance ends on a more primal chant with Stella Splenders, including a fair share of body percussion from Tiger Nicholson as he hambones into the microphone. It feels a near-impossible task to simply stand still.
During my post-gig research of Bishopskin, it does not surprise me one bit to see links to HMLTD. Expect similar poetic and strong lyrics with strong imagery, and a dense soundscape.
This is the first, but I am sure it will not be the last time I see Bishopskin live. If you’re a fan of interesting theatrics and folky, medieval sounds with a modern twist, I’m sure they’ll be returning to Brighton soon.
Live review and photography of Bishopskin @ Green Door Store, Brighton by Owen Mills on 17th October 2026.
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