The Hope & Anchor Islington, London, UK17th September 2026
Christine Plays Viola - Support: Long Night & Last Dusk
Tonight at the Hope & Anchor CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA did a warm up show before they played at Bats In The Attic Festival in Morecambe, Lancashire on Saturday 19th September. They been busy recently touring around Europe promoting their album ‘F.I.V.E’ (‘Fear Increases Violent Emotions’), tonight ably supported by Costa Rica’s LAST DUSK & Norway’s LONG NIGHT who are also on the bill at Bats In The Attic. CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA I’ve known for a while but the other two? This is the first time I’ve come across them so my night was a mix of familiarity and new territory, I was pleasantly surprised...
Last Dusk
Formed in 2010 by Cairfax Haddo in San Jose in Costa Rica they became the first Goth band from that country to perform abroad. The vibe is traditional 80’s / 90’s Goth heavy on the chorused bass, snappy drums and atmospheric textured guitar. To date they have released three albums, a few EPs and singles. The setlist tonight was mostly furnished with tracks from the recent album ‘At Sea’ (2025), one from ‘As The Young Die’ (2019) & one from the ‘Trismegistus’ EP (2012). For more information click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/LastDusk
Music & Performance
The three-piece entered the stage and set proceedings going with the first track ‘At Sea’ from the album of the same name. I was bored with it to start, I found it samey and it had a repetition about it that lost my attention. And as per usual the stage lighting was great from behind the drummer but crap above the singer. What can you do but just increase the ISO and pray? Anyway, ‘The Absence’ re-grabbed my attention due to its passing resemblance to XMAL DEUTSCHLAND albeit with cavernous baritones. ‘Lucid Nightmare’ plods, shimmies and sways in that Gothic way, you know, head down, arms swaying, an occasional look at the heavens. I like the guitars; they were like a daydream.
‘Walk On Water’ is a good track. Its heavy on the chorus and echo and the bass is pleasing in its lolling spaciousness. ‘Tides’ was a bit pacier, like, erm, tides. The bass was just a variation on the previous track so nothing new to add on that score. ‘No Land In sight’ was the guitarist Kaa’s time to grab the attention, some nice atmospheres here that went well with a drummer who’s now warmed up and in a flow. At this point I should say that the crowd was pretty good for a small venue and the sound guy was doing a good job at keeping things listenable. My feet were starting to slap the floor as well. Anyway, next track.
This was ‘Evocation’ from the ‘Trismegistus’ EP from 2012. I liked this, it had a groove, the gothic groove where you circle dance with bowed head and occasional spin with arms out in the Jesus pose. The chorus seemed to be held back a bit on this one so the guitars could stand out a bit but on the penultimate track ‘Frozen Deep’ it was back up to its normal level. I’ve just had a thought: If I had had a few lagers, I’d have enjoyed this more but I was sober. The final track was ‘Silent Wave’. Ok, ok, the boredom returned for this one. THE MISSION-esque guitars and the baritone were starting grate now. “Enough” my inner voice exclaimed.
This band are ok, in my opinion. But my mood has to be aligned to get the most out of them. Tonight, our syncing was slightly off. Anyway, if you like THE MISSION, SISTERS OF MERCY, THE MARCH VIOLETS, PLAY DEAD etc you’ll like this.
Setlist
01. At Sea
02. The Absence
03. Lucid Nightmare
04. Walk On Water
05. Tides
06. No Land In Sight
07. Evocation
08. Frozen Deep
09. Silent Wave
Long Night
LONG NIGHT come from Stavanger Norway. I know a few bands from Norway, not heard of these guys though. They formed in 2015 and all the members have a musical pedigree going back 30 years or so. Vocalist Osten Bergoy used to be in TRISTIANA and THE MORENDOES along with guitarist / songwriter and programmer Tommy Olsson who was also in THEATRE OF TRAGEDY, and ARNI SORLIE who is the guitarist in 80’s style Metal band STEELBURNER and been a member of DESSPO, JAVEL! and MELLOW CURRENT.
This current project is very cinematic and atmospheric with Goth Rock threads. They remind me of FOTN, THE SISTER OF MERCY and to a point SOLSTAFIR. Oh, and THE DOORS. Since forming they have released numerous collections of music all on the Swiss Dark Knights Label which include: ‘The Sorrow Returns’ EP (2016), the ‘Barren Land’ album (2018) and the compilation album ‘Miscellanies’ (2023). More information can be found here via the link: https://www.longnight.band/
Music & Performance
Well, what can I say, I enjoyed that. The band entered the stage, two guitarists looking like Peter Yates and Paul Wright and a vocalist straight cut, non-embellished. They got straight to it. My interest was immediately perked and I heard a voice say “Oh this is interesting!!” The first track ‘Barren Land’ was dreamy affair drifting on a heat haze, focused drums and guitars that floated side by side. The vocal has an “Eldritch” feel to it, a baritone that’s not spat out but slid out. The heat haze emphatic in my mind’s eye, shimmering figures stand on the stage in front of me. The track is almost a monotone drawl leading to finale of exclamation...
There’s a good crowd in for this band, most already foot tapping away to ‘East Of The Sun’ with its galloping drums and arm elevating chorus. I’m loving the cinematic guitar interplay and the allusion to space. ‘The Nights Ablaze’ changes the pace up slightly and drags up memories of ‘Gods Own Medicine’. The bass machine guns through this and the guitars act like flowers in the barrels. ‘Tick Tock’ retains the same pace as the previous track. ‘FloodLand’ era SISTERS anyone? There’s a slight burnt sugar feel to the track like a track that’s Pop but reluctantly. “Now the devil’s calling me and clock is ticking, we’re running out of time, running out of time...”
‘On a Little Snowy Field’ is the track that brings in the ghost of Jim Morrison. The voice, the cadence, the guitar trinkets and the stick taps. What I like is the less is more vibe and the easy-going intoxicated lilt, a spell of a track this, a few totes of the reefer would strengthen the spell. There’s even a PINK FLOYD style guitar solo at the end to fortify the experience before the track abruptly concludes. Nice. Now the next track was the one that I enjoyed the most in the set. It kind of has a push pull feel to it, spacey in fact. There’s a guitar phrase that feathers in and out as the terse bubbly bass pulses through the middle.
The other guitar just metallically cuts through now and again lifting the track up if its altitude drops. Air currents, like air currents. “I’m waiting for you, I’m still waiting for yoooou...” The crowd are entranced by this track as well, eyes closed, head nods, thumbs in pockets. And along the set goes, ‘Rabbit Hole’ gothic steel guitars waxing lyrical about “no politics” in the hole but keeping up a gallop. ‘Ghost’ offering up more of a ‘Vision Thing’ vibe this time, pleasant and pleasing to the ear this. And ‘Sorrow Returns’, another galloper before the set is finished by ‘Barren Land’. The track builds up a slow cinematic landscape, rusty, windswept and dusty.
But the more i listen to the track the dustiness morphs into windswept mountains, open tundra, moss, cold streams and patches of snow. It ends and I’m left with that image for a moment. The crowd exits and goes up stairs to the bar, many never to return. I shall talk about that again in a moment. On the whole that was a good introduction to LONG NIGHT. The set was good, it was tight, the sound was excellent and it was workmanlike. No messing about, no waffle just a good set with smooth transitions between the tracks.
Setlist
01. Black River
02. East Of The Sun
03. Nights Ablaze
04. Tick Tock
05. Snowy Fields
06. Dying
07. Rabbit Hole
08. Ghost
09. Sorrow Returns
10. Barren land
Christine Plays Viola
Italy’s CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA formed in 2008 in Pratola, Abruzzo. The name of the band was inspired by the SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES song called... and they have made a name for themselves across Europe with their darkly hypnotic sonic atmospheres, their back catalogue of albums now extending to five, not to mention EPs and singles. Originally a three-piece consisting of a chap called Christian, Fabrizio Giampetro and Daniele Palombizio. Christian left in 2009 and was replaced with Massimo Ciampani who brought a deeper baritone / tenor vibe to the sound. Fabrizio is the only constant throughout their 18-year lifespan. They expanded to four members in 2014 and that been a constant ever since. You can find more information at this link: https://www.christineplaysviola.com/
Music & Performance
CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA sounded good, just like the other bands. Everything was sharp and clear, dark and danceable. There were a few technical glitches during the set which caused a few minutes of delay but apart from that the set was punchy and on the money. Thumbs up to the mixing desk as well. The set opened with ‘Blood Calls Blood’ from the new album ‘F.I.V.E’ which loosened the crowd up, for those who stayed. More of that in a moment. ‘Permutations’ jangled along with the trademark guitar trinkets played by Fabrizio who spent a lot of time facing the guitar amplifier cabinet by the back wall checking the sound.
‘Nefarious’ was a hip swayer of a track melded with that idiosyncratic baritone that you cannot mistake for any other band within the genre. And the bass just pulls everything along nicely. ‘The Stars Can’t Frighten Me’ was wondrous and full pushed along nicely by that deep throated gargling bass. My foot is snapping back and forth across the floor with some force that was starting to irk my tendons so I had to tone it down a bit. I think it was around this point that there were a few technical issues in the drum area so a delay of about two minutes ensued. The crowd waited patiently, what crowd? There was hardly anyone there.
Many people who were there for LONG NIGHT just never came back. I didn’t notice at first because I was focused on taking photos and enjoying myself but when I turned around, I thought “What? Where has everyone gone??” I was a bit annoyed! They couldn’t even be bother to stay for the main act even for a few tracks. Cairfax and Kaa from LAST DUSK did hang around then stage dancing though. And Massimo was flouncing and flailing to ‘At Last, I Found You’. ‘Swallowed Cold Insanity’ was pleasing. It got me jiggling. Now that the drum issue was sorted out, I could get into them for a bit and enjoy the buttery and floaty stick play.
A punchy ‘Confession’ was the penultimate track, emphatic VIRGIN PRUNES bass up front and an Arabian guitar riff coming up behind in a SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES manner. The final track of this show tonight, ladies and gentlemen, was ‘Witch Of Silence’. The atmosphere set by a synth backing track, morse code style bass which is distinctly CPV. The drums on this are sublime, in my opinion. The movement and the phrasing, pleasing to one’s ear. And then that was it. Show over.
In conclusion, the lights went up, the crowd quickly left. Some went to the merchandise table for a look. Did they buy anything, I don’t know. I went and had a brief chat with some of the band members as they started packing up. And then I ascended the stairs to the street to see LONG NIGHT already crossing to their white van for the trip up north. In regards to CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA, were they annoyed at the lack of an audience watching them? Did they care? Or was it just a live warm up for Bats In The Attic?
All i know is that I finally got to see them 12 years after I first heard the album ‘Vacua’. In all honesty they have been hit and miss since then but tonight, regardless of technical glitches and a low crowd i had a marvellous time.
Setlist
01. The Wake
02. Blood Calls Blood
03. Permutations
04. Nefarious
05. The Stars Can’t Frighten Part 1
06. My Redemption
07. At Last I Found You
08. Swallowed Cold Insanity
09. Confession
10. Witch Of Silence
All pictures by Claudia Black
