Love featuring Johnny Echols

If you have been keeping an eye on the local music calendar for this spring, you might have noticed that Love featuring Johnny Echols is scheduled to play at Concorde 2 on 1st May 2026. It is one of those shows that brings a specific piece of music history to Brighton, as Johnny Echols is the only remaining original member of the band Love. He co-founded the group back in 1965 alongside his childhood friend, the songwriter Arthur Lee. For those familiar with the band's trajectory, this performance offers a chance to see a direct connection to that era, specifically the period surrounding their classic albums, including the well-known Forever Changes, before the original lineup eventually parted ways.

Seeing Johnny Echols perform live is a bit different from the typical touring acts that pass through the city. Since the band’s farewell tour in 2019, they have not been a constant presence on the UK circuit, so this date at Concorde 2 marks a return for the project. It is worth noting that this show sits within a broader schedule of events at the venue, which has been hosting a variety of artists throughout the season. The venue itself, located right on the seafront, remains a consistent spot for these kinds of performances, and this particular evening is part of their ongoing programming.

For anyone interested in the context of the band, the performance focuses on the legacy of the group that Echols and Lee built in Los Angeles during the mid-sixties. While there is plenty of information available about the band's history and their influence on the psychedelic rock scene, this show is essentially about the live execution of that material by someone who was there from the beginning. If you are planning to attend, it is a straightforward setup: the band is playing in Brighton, and the event is confirmed for the start of May. It is a chance to hear these songs played by a founding member, which is the main draw for those who follow the band's work.