TH E
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IGHTON
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VOLUME 6 ISSUE 9 SEPTEMBER 2015
BRIGHTON’S DEFINITIVE CULTURE AND EVENTS GUIDE
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SEPTEMBER 2015 To mark this historic event coming to Brighton, the streets will come alive with superheroes, anime characters and the plain strange, for Brighton’s first Costume Games. This isn’t the only festival in town though. The FFUK Chilli Festival will be turning up the heat, whilst Brighton Digital Festival will be blowing our minds with its clash of art and technology. Looking ahead, we’re getting ready for Oxjam and Brighton Comedy Festival in Oct. The festival season is in full swing, just without the grass stains.
A field full of mankind’s finest specimens, each getting down and dirty to prove their physical prowess, resplendent in well-fitted shorts. Maybe that’s enough about my Brighton Pride experiences… We really should talk about the Rugby World Cup. Stadia around the country, including Wembley, St James’ Park, Elland Road and our very own Amex, will host a range of fixtures in rugby’s biggest competition.
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COMPETITION TIME
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NEWS
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BIMM
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THE COSTUME GAMES
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DIGITAL FESTIVAL
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MARK REEDER
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MINI MAKER FAIRE
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SLEAFORD MODS
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MAUREEN CHADWICK
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CLUBBING
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LIVE MUSIC
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MAFF BROWN
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PADDY MCGUINNESS
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COMEDY
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NISH KUMAR
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THEATRE
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MAMMOTHFEST
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CINEMA RELEASES
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BETTER HALF PUB
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NORTH LAINE PUB
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NO.32
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BE GLUTEN FREE
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CROSSWORD
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EDITORIAL
Editor—Chris Sadler, Editor—Stuart Rolt, Sub Editor—Freya Hughes
DESIGNERS COVER DESIGN
Rachael Cattermole
MARKETING & SALES CONTRIBUTORS
Simeon Aston© Holly Cozens, Freya Hughes
Lucy Hallett, Holly Cozens, Stuart Rolt, Freya Hughes, Mila Statham, Maddie Maynard, Rachael Cattermole
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David Smith - photosbydavid.org, James Daly - jamesdalyphotography@gmail.com
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WIN £50 WORTH OF THEATRE TOKENS!
WIN GREAT MAMMOTHFEST PRIZES!
If you’re already on the lookout for the perfect Christmas gift or love the theatre yourself, our latest competition should be worthy of a standing ovation.
Heavy metal festival Mammothfest returns to Brighton on Fri 2 – Sun 4 Oct, promising its biggest line-up so far. Held over three days and rocking four very different venues, the event will welcome over 80 of the rock scene’s most talented bands.
Our friends at Emporium - London Road’s independent theatre - now accept and sell Theatre Tokens, a method of payment for theatres across the country. They have kindly donated £50 worth of tokens to us, which are now up for grabs for one lucky BN1 reader! The tokens are a perfect gift for any theatre lover and have no expiry date. They can be spent at more than 240 theatres throughout the country including the West End and Emporium, which offers the best in theatre, music and comedy as well as a cracking Christmas panto.
The first annual heavy metal festival to stampede its way through Brighton, Mammothfest champions the best home-grown local talent and brings some of the biggest and best metal acts in the UK and the world to Brighton at an affordable price. Working to unite like-minded people together, Mammothfest brings together bands from every sub-genre. This year sees the event go truly international with bands from Australia, Japan, Sweden, Italy and Luxembourg all gracing stages at the city’s best underground venues.
Just answer this simple question to be in with a chance of winning:
While the promoter’s aim is to give attendees the best value experience possible, BN1 can go one better by giving away two pairs of day passes, and a fierce Mammothfest hoodie. To win one of these three amazing prizes, just answer the following easy question.
Which of these is not a West End musical?
What kind of music can you expect to hear at Mammothfest?
A. Wicked B. The Book Of Mormon C. Finding Nemo
A. Metal B. Country and Western C. Smooth Jazz
Send your answer including your name, address and telephone number to:
Send your answer including your name, address and telephone number to:
COMPETITION@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK
COMPETITION@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK
Please put ‘THEATRETOKENS’ as the subject header. Terms and conditions apply.
Please put ‘MAMMOTHFEST’ as the subject header. Terms and conditions apply.
A winner will be notified at the end of Sept.
Mammothfest comes to venues around Brighton on Fri 2 – Sun 4 Oct, 2015.
GOOD LUCK!
WIN
8K UNDERCLIFF RUN FOR WOMEN: WIN A VEST & GOODY BAG! Every day, more than 10 incidents of domestic abuse are reported in Brighton & Hove alone. And every year, RISE organise a fundraising run to help victims of domestic abuse to get back on their feet. On Sun 4 Oct, hundreds of women will run the 8k Undercliff Run for Women along a scenic seaside route. This year, you can run in a team of four or even complete the course in relay. RISE asks that each participant raises at least £20, but participants raising over £150 will receive a free RISE technical running vest. And we have a challenge of our own here at BN1. Just answer the question below and you could win a free place in the 8K or comparable run, a RISE running vest and a goody bag with contents donated by L’Oreal! Where does the RISE 8K Undercliff Run for Women start and finish? A. Saltdean B. Sunset Boulevard C. Ocean Drive Send your answer including your name, address and telephone number to:
COMPETITION@BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK Please put ‘RISE’ as the subject header. Terms and conditions apply.
THE LANTERN FAYRE FRI 2 - SUN 4 OCT It’s unlikely that anyone living in Brighton has never spent a summer evening on The Level. The community atmosphere, the free amateur circus displays and the likelihood of bumping into a group of your mates makes this the ideal place to enjoy a kickabout or a few drinks as the sun sets. However, as the summer fades into the autumn and the park gets slowly quieter, it does lose a little of its magic. But there’s one way of holding on to those languorous days and looking forward to the coming months of cosy pub sessions, bonfires and other festivities which it is still too early to mention. The Lantern Fayre is an annual celebration of the changing seasons; a three-day festival of music, theatre, food and creativity culminating in the Autumn Lantern Parade. The Level will be transformed by CooktheRabbit Events CIC - organisers of the Kemp Town Carnival - into a magical environment of paper trees, market stalls, stages and tents, which you can lose yourself in for a day or three. When you’re not getting creative at a puppetry workshop, browsing the market stalls or listening to some storytelling, there are plenty of events to entertain you and your family, young and old.
Youth Theatre 16–25 yrs
Kids will love the traditional fairytale Puss In Boots (Sat 3 Oct, 8pm, £5). Reimagined by Brighton’s Bard and Troubadour, it features expert puppetry that earned it critical acclaim at this year’s Fringe. Another show fresh from the Fringe is Signor Baffo’s Kitchen (Sat 3 Oct, 4pm, £5) a truly mad and wonderfully messy helping of silliness that children will adore. For the grown ups, Wolf Meat (Fri 2 Oct, 7.30pm, £10/£12 otd) is a ridiculous and raunchy take on Little Red Riding Hood, which will lead you into a world of mischief and dirty dealings at Grandma’s Croydon drug den. Tickets for all theatre events are on sale now at Emporium Theatre, London Road. The tradition of circus skills on The Level will be continued at the Fayre in the Little Big Top, which will be filled with performers on Sat 3 Oct at 2pm. Costing £5, the show will be put on by Zaz the clown, who will bring a whole host of friends to the Circus PaZaz. Musical performances throughout the weekend will come from some amazing and innovative artists including Flash Mob Jazz, Captain of The Awesome Machine and King Lagoon’s Flying Swordfish Dance Band. You’ll hear everything from jazz and swing to African-inspired rhythm. From the spectacular and experimental to the traditional and timeless, the music at the Lantern Fayre is sure to get you dancing. And as the night draws in, bring some blankets and settle down for a film, brought to you by One Way Theatre (Fri 2 Oct, 9.30pm). This free outdoor cinema experience offers short films from around the world, all accompanied by some warming food and drink.
AUDITIONS STARTING SOON! NOT for the faint hearted. This show is NOT for the faint hearted. This show is full of vice, energy, excitement, This showdebauchery is full of vice, energy, excitement, and punk rock.
dabaucery and punk rock.
The Tony award-winning musical based on the The Tony award-winning musical based on the generation defining 2004 album by Green Day is generation defining 2004 album Green Day coming to Brighton. Contact us by to audition.
is coming to Brighton. Contact us to audition. It’s going out to idiot America.
Some of the events are ticketed, but overall the Lantern Fayre is free to enter. The event depends on the help of volunteers and donations, and has now launched a Go Fund Me page. Donations will be rewarded with prizes such as a dedication from the headline band, gifts from local businesses and unlimited free hugs.
It’s going out to idiot America.
So bring your family and friends, join in with the festivities and celebrate the summer at this magical community event.
birdstudios.co.uk
www.thelanternfayre.co.uk
INFO@birdstudios.co.uk
METAL MADE FLESH GETS A SEQUEL
NICE WEATHER FOR AIRSTRIKES
Put down your holophone, grab your deck and jack into the mainframe, because cyberpunk is back. A brand new graphic novel, from the creators of the acclaimed Metal Made Flesh, is ready to be unleashed.
In the middle of September, when the summer feels like an increasingly distant memory, the final festivals of the year are packing up and the winter blues begin to loom, there is still hope for the music lovers of Brighton.
Humanity is on the brink of extinction. Chased by an unrelenting foe called the Veul, some people take refuge in a sprawling city. Treated as the lowest of the low by its inhabitants, they’re forced to do whatever it takes to survive.
Nice Weather For Airstrikes is a threeday festival of math rock, experimental and all things in between, brought to you by the Brighton record label of the same name.
Named Blood and Oil, this cyberpunk space opera is set in a distant future. With astounding art and a compelling narrative, it sets new standards in scifi. With artwork by Simeon Aston, the creator of BN1’s much-loved Xmas covers, the graphic novel also contains artwork from three of the UK’s best illustrators, Gary Erskine, Kev Crossley and Phil Buckenham. Jeremy Biggs returns to writing and editing duties for this new instalment, joined by Emmy award nominated Mike Garley and Cy Dethan. The series centres on three humans - the cold, merciless cyborg Izobel Vice, who loses more of her humanity with each passing upgrade; the psychopathic assassin Phaeon Nex, whose consciousness is trapped in the gradually failing body of a synthetic child and Kalibos, a spoilt human prince who loses everything when he is mutated into a hideous war machine. A Kickstarter campaign has just been announced for Blood and Oil, so its creators can fully realise the story’s potential.
WWW.METALMADEFLESH.COM
FRI 18 - SUN 20 SEPT
Eating Contest. Here 15 adventurous individuals show how much pain they’ll undergo in return for money. From the mildest peppers to specially grown varieties that burn with the intensity of the sun, it’s a brave soul that steps up for this challenge. With gifts galore and a beautiful trophy to encourage them, it has to be seen to be believed. With live bands, spicy food from across the world, fab cocktails and craft beers, this huge event is chilli-fun for everyone! So come down and feel the heat, right in the heart of Brighton.
WWW.FIERYFOODSUK.CO.UK
Now in its sixth year, the festival has moved to a new venue, The Haunt, and already has an exciting list of acts lined up. Artists announced so far hail from overseas as well as closer to home, and include Julianna Barwick, Jo Quail and Tomorrow We Sail, with many more still to be announced. Nice Weather For Airstrikes The Haunt, Pool Valley, BN1 1NJ Tickets £25
FIERY FOODS UK CHILLI FESTIVAL SAT 19 - SUN 20 SEPT Brighton hasn’t had the hottest day of the year just yet, as The Fiery Foods UK Chilli Festival comes to town on Sat 19 – Sun 20 Sept. Bringing together every aspect of the chilli-sphere, the event takes over Brighton’s Victoria Gardens for two days of seriously hot fun. The festival would not be possible without all the wonderful chilli companies around the country. To celebrate this, the National Chilli Awards are held at the festival and offer a useful platform for UK chilli companies and their products. With categories from Best Chilli Jam and Best Chilli Chocolate to Best Extreme Hot Sauce and Best UK Chilli Grower, this is the chance for retailers and producers to prove their mettle on a national level. This very serious competition sees winners compete for a trophy and bragging rights. This year the event also adds the International Chilli Awards for the rest of the world to show what they can do. One of the weekend’s highlights is always the infamous FFUK Chilli-
THE BLACK FIELDS SAT 19 SEPT Promising a night of raucous rock ‘n’ roll and dazzling circus performances, Brighton band The Black Fields have announced their ‘naughty circus’ event at The Hope & Ruin. Formed back in 2011, the band bonded over their record collections and a passion for non-conformity. Since then they have been making Americana-inspired, country-infused rock n roll the way it should be made. Now they aim to celebrate the culture they love with a night of good oldfashioned rock, blues and booze. There will be musical performances from the band themselves, who will be airing some brand new material, and fellow Brightoners Dead Whiskey. Charismatic close up magician Leon Simmonds will be there to demonstrate his talents and mesmerising burlesque will be provided by the likes of Harley Fox, Twisted Nymph and Crystal King.
Circus-themed fancy dress is encouraged but not compulsory, but who would miss a chance to get dressed up? So whether you wear ringmasters’ tails or just your old leather jacket, come prepared for a night of music, magic and marvel. The Black Fields’ Circus of Lajuria The Hope & Ruin, Queen’s Road, BN1 3WA Tickets £6 on door
Join Brighton’s improvised comedy revolutionaries Off the Cuff as they celebrate 10 years with a festival of
IMPROV STAND-UP THEATRE PHILOSOPHY & MORE...
Facebook.com/theblackfields @theblackfields
WWW.THEBLACKFIELDS.COM
KOVAK ALBUM ‘MODERN LOVERS’ OUT ON MON 7 SEPT
midday ‘til late!
There has been a succession of big shake-ups in the Kovak camp in the past six years. After releasing their debut album ‘Heroes and High Heels’ back in 2009, the Brighton-based electro outfit have been through financial struggles, label politics and have even acquired a new frontwoman. But they have emerged on top of their game. The first single from ‘Modern Lovers’ was ‘Radiate’, a dreamy earworm of a tune that was championed by Radio 2’s Steve Wright. They were named Band of the Year at the Brighton Music Awards 2013 and have since been played on the TV and radio in Canada and LA.
OTHERPLACE AT THE BASEMENT
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Having drawn comparisons to early Blondie, Scissor Sisters and Eurythmics, the band are arguably electro-rooted, and tracks such as ‘I Love The Dancefloor’ and ‘International Dance Party’ prove that they know just how to master a dancefloor-filling tune. However the band have branched out on ‘Modern Lovers’, trying their hand at rock and roll-edged anthems such as latest single ‘Swing Song’. The heavy riff of the intro could be an offcut from Royal Blood or Muse, and lyrics such as “I’ve been singing all the same old songs and they’re losing all their shine” suggest that singer Annelies Van de Velde is craving adventure away from the dancefloor. Back in the realms of pop, Van de Velde adopts the persona of a disco dominatrix in ‘Just Another Man’, which is laced with the haughty drawl of ‘Confessions On A Dancefloor’-era Madonna. Yet the most surprising track on the album is its closer, ‘Tower Blocks’. There’s not a synth in sight as the gentle acoustic picking, strings and soft vocals recall Fleetwood Mac and even give hints of country. Although the essence of a genre on ‘Modern Lovers’ is less than consistent, the quality of the songs definitely is. There’s a song for every stage of your weekend, whether preparing to party, hitting the dancefloor or feeling sorry for yourself the morning after, and it’s a welcome return for one of Brighton’s brightest hopes.
Album review by Maddie Maynard ‘Modern Lovers’ Release date Mon 7 Sept
@0ffthecuff
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VICTORIA SMITH After graduating from BIMM Brighton, Victoria Smith began carving herself out a career doing what she loves: playing the bass guitar. Schooled on music industry realities, BIMM students leave the college with the connections and education to develop promising careers. Armed with these, and a huge amount of natural talent and determination, Victoria is now fulfilling her ambition to become a world-class bassist. An in-demand session player, Smith plays with acclaimed all-female tribute band, The Ramonas, as well as a variety of artists including McQueen, Ruf Records’ Blues Caravan, Herbie Flowers and even Richie Ramone himself. We asked a few questions about her experiences so far. Can you tell us how the skills you learnt at BIMM transferred into the professional world? “There’s a certain element of this industry that involves just getting out there and doing it, there is a lot to be learnt outside the classroom. BIMM really helped with the networking and business sides of working in the music industry in terms of confidence and putting yourself forward for work, how to present yourself and preparing for gigs. There was always a lot going on in addition to the coursework, audition opportunities, gigs, etc. I had a very good bass teacher at BIMM, Derek Marshall, who had a wealth of experience as a working musician and was able to pass on invaluable advice as well as being a great instrument tutor.” We’d also like some background - how did you get into playing bass? What was the trigger/inspiration? “I was inspired to pick up the bass after hearing lots of rock ‘n’ roll records when I was younger. It was the bass that really stood out to me, and my sister (also BIMM alumni) was learning drums so that was a match made in heaven! We also realised
By Stuart Rolt there weren’t many girls playing drums or bass back then so that made the whole experience rather interesting and it really made us want to get out playing live as much as possible. Bass playerwise my initial influences were a real mixture - Roger Glover, Flea, James Jamerson, Dee Dee Ramone, Duff McKagan… the list goes on!” Can you tell us about your experiences? What’s it like dealing with the rigours of touring and how difficult it is (or isn’t) to fit into an established group of musicians? “I’ve been pretty lucky with the bands and musicians I’ve worked with in terms of personalities and musical styles. The physical side of touring can be a real strain on your body, it’s something you get into the flow of but you have to look after yourself on the road. The end focus always has to be putting on the best show you can. It’s all made a lot easier if you get on with your bandmates and you’re working with a good team. When I first started out I found it pretty hard being the ‘new member’, stepping into an already formed group as the balance was out in terms of experiences and how the band had gelled, but everyone has to start somewhere. Just keep true to what you’re doing, be professional and be nice to people; personality is just as important as your on stage performance. One of the best things for me now is being able to work with so many different musicians; sometimes you’re learning from them and sometimes they’re learning from you. I often find myself juggling many different bands, projects and teaching, so organisation is key.” Have you any hopes/aspirations for your career? “To continue working as a bass player, and to be touring new territories around the world.” www.bimm.co.uk/brighton
PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS
+ SUNFLOWER BEAN THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER
BRIGHTON CENTRE
0844 847 1515 BRIGHTONCENTRE.CO.UK GIGSANDTOURS.COM TICKETMASTER.CO.UK THEVACCINES.COM /THEVACCINES NEW ALBUM ‘ENGLISH GRAFFITI’ OUT NOW A METROPOLIS MUSIC PRESENTATION BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CODA
CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH Sat 19 Sept
HARRY ENFIELD & PAUL WHITEHOUSE Fri 23 Oct
JOE BONAMASSA Fri 30 & Sat 31 Oct
DIVERSITY Sun 1 Nov
WWE LIVE Wed 11 Nov
BRIT FLOYD Tue 17 Nov
THE VACCINES Thur 19 Nov
DURAN DURAN Wed 2 Dec
BILL BAILEY Thur 3 Dec
CARO EMERALD Sat 5 Dec
STATUS QUO Fri 11 Dec
JOOLS HOLLAND Sat 12 Dec
THE BOOTLEG BEATLES Fri 18 Dec
MENCAP GRAND OPERA GALA Sat 19 Dec
HOLIDAY ON ICE - PASSION Tue 5-Sun 10 Jan
DYNAMO Wed 27-Sun 30 Jan
box office 0844 847 1515* www.brightoncentre.co.uk *calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge
THE COSTUME GAMES TIGHTS CLUB
By Stuart Rolt
Everyone in Brighton is being encouraged to ‘dress up and play’ over five days in September, with help from the professionals behind some of the most popular characters of the big screen. The brainchild of Brighton’s popular Japanese restaurant MOSHIMO, the event comes to venues across Brighton on Weds 16 – Sun 20 Sept. It culminates in a weekend ‘Costume Carnival’ which will be part of the opening celebrations of the Rugby World Cup.
live music by Coppe - the self-styled “godmother of Japanese electronica”- and screenings of Japanese anime films.
Graham Churchyard is the costume special effects supervisor of Christopher Nolan’s ‘Batman’ trilogy and Marvel movies such as ‘Avengers Assemble’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. He has pulled together an extraordinary team to help people dress up and get into character for The Costume Games. “Our ambition is to transform the city of Brighton into one big stage,” said Nicholas Röhl, co-owner of MOSHIMO and Festival Director. “It’s where people can act out their fantasies through costume – all with the help of the some of the world’s leading costume designers.”
The Costume Gardens becomes base camp for the Costume Carnival on Saturday. People will be able to visit the ‘Costume Clinic’ to prepare their costumes for the flash-mob performances and stunts taking place across the city. The event is looking for talented costume makers to show off their skills in a very special competition. So if you’re into cosplay, LARP, re-enactment, steampunk or just dressing up, this is a chance to get into character. Prizes include hotel stays, visits to local attractions, meals in some of Brighton’s best restaurants, theatre tickets and a private view of Christian Bale’s Batsuit from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, hosted by its creators.
Academy Award winner Lindy Hemming (‘Topsy Turvy’), Vin Burnham (‘Batman’, ‘The Fifth Element’), and Day Murch (‘Batman’, ‘Star Wars’), will be just some of the costume creatives joining Churchyard for the special ‘Costume Clinics’, which will help attendees create and develop their individual costumes. To mark The Costume Games, Brighton Museum will host Christian Bale’s Batsuit from Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ from Tues 18 Aug – Sun 20 Sept. Alongside this rare opportunity to get up close to one of the most iconic superhero costumes of our time, there is also the chance to meet the team behind its creation at a special workshop. The Costume Games will make its home in the prestigious Old Steine Pleasure Gardens, where a number of themed events will take place over the five days. The ‘elite graffiti geisha’ Lady Aiko will take up residency in the city for ten days. Having previously worked with global brands and critically acclaimed artists, she’ll be running workshops and creating pieces of public art around the city. Curating the opening festivities of The Costume Games, she’ll then help transform Old Steine Gardens into a ‘Costume City’. She’ll be helping volunteers create art to set the scene for that evening’s Japanese theme, with a MOSHIMO supper club,
The next day sees the ‘Costume Gardens’ transformed into a Las Vegas Casino where people will be invited to dress up en masse as Elvis to raise funds for the Martlets Charity. Friday has a 1980s theme with screenings of two iconic movies, ‘Fame’ and ‘Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure’.
Sing-along-Sunday is the grand finale. The Costume Gardens becomes the stage for even more histrionic delights, as both children and adults can sing along to screenings of ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘The Sound Of Music’ and ‘Frozen’. The day’s events also feature a hundred children playing in a Suzuki violin concert. The Costume Games has grown out of the successful Brighton Japan Festival, which over five years played host to what is now the largest outdoor cosplay event in the UK. The festival has been developed with Brighton & Hove City Council to celebrate the opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup 2015, and is supported with a grant from Rugby World Cup 2015’s “spectacular” budget. “We want to recreate the feeling we all had as children on discovering a dressing up box,” says Röhl. “We want to reignite the joy of getting into character – of becoming someone else, or someone you’d like to be, through costume.” The Costume Games comes to Brighton on Weds 16 – Sun 20 Sept 2015 www.thecostumegames.com
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BRIGHTON DIGITAL FESTIVAL
Adam Buxton’s Best of BUG, The Old Market, Weds 2 Sept, 7.30pm, £15
performance puts you in the place of one of the disappeared using Unity 3D and Oculus Rift VR technologies.
Making his Brighton Digital Festival debut, comedian, actor and director Adam Buxton will present the best of his popular show, ‘BUG’. First appearing as a series of bi-monthly shows at London’s BFI Southbank in 2007, the show was later developed into a Sky Atlantic series in 2012.
Reasons to be Creative, Brighton Dome, Mon 7 – Weds 9 Sept, £393
The event aims to celebrate and give big-screen exposure to some of the world’s most innovative and exciting music videos. Expect to see some of Adam’s old favourites alongside plenty of new Internet discoveries, not to mention the usual humorous helping of YouTube comments. Brighton Mini Maker Faire, Corn Exchange, Sat 5 Sept, 10am, £9, kids free Every year at Brighton Digital Festival, the Corn Exchange opens its doors to inspired, talented and ambitious kids for a day of discovery and creation. That day is the Mini Maker Faire, an event that gets youngsters stuck in to building, painting, coding and creating, all using brand new technology. Last year’s event welcomed over 3,000 visitors and this year will attract many more with robots, games, music and other exciting ways to learn about the world of digital. Although aimed at children, the event will offer plenty to entertain big kids too, as you’ll get to meet some of the country’s most innovative makers. The Cube, The Old Market, Sat 12 – Sun 27 Sept, £8.50 You’ve heard of immersive theatre, but ‘The Cube’ will be an experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. In 15-minute slots, audience members will be individually immersed into an unknown, dystopian world, completely alone but for a stranger sitting opposite. You’ll be faced with the question, “how do you build a reality which doesn’t collapse within three days?” Based on the true story of one of history’s strangest mass disappearances, this multi-sensory virtual reality
One of Brighton Digital Festival’s most popular annual events, Reasons to be Creative, is a three-day conference aimed at anyone with a creative mind, and especially those working in the world of digital. The event, which will take place at Brighton Dome, will feature a host of inspiring speakers including coders, animators and film makers who will leave you feeling well and truly enlightened. Speakers this year will include Annie Atkins, the graphic designer behind award winning film ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, and Yuko Shimizu, illustrator for DC Comics. Reasons is a great opportunity to learn new skills, build your network and marvel in other people’s innovative uses of technology. [data]storm, The Old Market, Sun 13 Sept, 6.30pm, £8 Follow the journey of one piece of data as she travels across the ocean in this digitally enhanced dance performance. The creation of Genevieve Smith-Nunes of Ready Salted Code, [data] storm combines traditional ballet with contemporary innovations including wearable technology and installations. Using the MET office and other authentic weather data to trigger the installations, the audience will feel immersed in the stormy ocean setting as the story unfolds. Visualise the complex journey of the data with the help of the dancers, and even affect the performance yourself by altering a section of coding.
FREE: Luna, Graphite Digital, Tues 1 – Sun 27 Sept, free All you need is your smartphone and your computer game skills to get involved with Graphite’s most recent project. Luna is an arcade-style space shooter game hand-coded by the team at Graphite using HTML5, Node.js and WebSockets. Using asynchronous multi-player game play and your smartphone as the gamepad, this may be the first game of its kind in the
world. The window of Graphite’s Kensington Street office will be your screen all day, every day throughout the festival. Learn how to build a Hovercraft in 2 hours, Bright Interactive, Tues 1 Sept, 3.30pm, free When he’s not managing software development company Bright Interactive, Eric Clack lends his time to running a geek club in Sussex. Eric’s club attracts passionate tech-heads from across the county, who are inspired and nurtured into the developers of the future. And during Brighton Digital Festival, you’ll be given the chance to join the club. In just under two hours, you will learn how to build one of the club’s most successful creations, a functioning hovercraft, whilst also developing team-building skills. Get creative with and equal measure of electronics and gaffa tape and conclude the session with a few beers and a race.
5 Sep
Mini Maker Faire Fake It ‘Till You Make It
Jolly Good Fun, Jollywise, Tues 1 Sept, 2pm, free
10 - 11
Kick off the first day of the festival with three hours of fun at Jollywise, a digital content agency who can create just about anything if you bring the inspiration.
19 Sep
SPECTRUM
At this workshop for kids aged five to nine, and for the grown ups who accompany them, you will have the challenge of creating a web game in just a few hours, using drawing, 3D printing and virtual reality.
19 Sep
Bring Your Own Beamer
19 Sep
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
22 - 26 Sep
Avenue Q
6 Oct
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance
Jollywise are a talented team of designers, developers and storytellers who have clients including Nickelodeon and Disney, so they’re guaranteed to produce something impressive and professional with your help! Short Circuit, Lighthouse, Thurs 10 Sept, 6.30pm, free Unlike most choreographers, Chisato Minamimura can’t hear the music. As a deaf performance artist, Minamimura set out with animator Dave Packer to explore technology and to create a more visual experience. Jon Adams is a visual artist who uses his experience of dyslexia and Asperger’s to tap into to the hidden book of Mozilla, a computer ‘Easter egg’ found in Netspace and Mozilla browsers. These two artists will lead Short Circuit’s show entitled ‘When disability and digital collide’. The show will also include discussions, presentations and digital performances from other deaf and disabled artists. Bring Your Own Beamer, Corn Exchange, Sat 19 Sept, 7.30pm, free All you need is a bit of imagination to take part in the fourth annual Bring Your Own Beamer event. If you have a projector of your own and something creative to project, then book a space and off you go. If you’ve got the vision but not the equipment, why not collaborate with another artist? Artists can also book a pod and curate an installation to be displayed inside, or submit a short film to be shown at the cinema. Anyone is welcome to take part in or just admire this free-for-all of colour and moving image, at which you can showcase, celebrate and experiment in equal measure.
By Maddie Maynard
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14.
BN1MAGAZINE.CO.UK
MARK REEDER
A TALE OF TWO CITIES As a city divided between occupying armies, Berlin took on two different identities. One side absorbed into a new bloc of Soviet states, the other became a besieged sanctuary to misfits, freethinkers and the wonderful. “In the 80s, things were not so clear cut,” musician and record producer Mark Reeder tells me. “We were surrounded by the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union forces. Everyone that came fled here. It was full of weird and interesting people. We just did what we wanted… because we knew tomorrow it could just end.” Leaving Manchester as a teenager in 1978, Reeder found himself representing Factory Records in West Berlin. His job was to get the label’s artists played on local radio and encourage live bookings. “Not that many bands did actually come over. In those days, it was a big deal to go to Berlin.” Whilst one half of the city endured an economic stupor, the other was swept up in riots and artistic innovation. This soon offered influence to stars like David Bowie, Lou Reed and Nick Cave. The environment was edgy and untraditional; as were the artists it spawned. “West Germany was very clean cut. If you’ve got someone who doesn’t fit in, where do they go?” Now Reeder is at the centre of a new film examining the cultural significance of the city. Produced by Jörg A Hoppe, Klaus Maeck and Heiko Lange, ‘B-Movie: Lust & Sound In West Berlin (1979 - 1989)’ takes an adoring look at the Avant-Garde music scene emanating from this Cold War oddity. Evolution, death, rebirth and David Hasselhoff all combine in a sensitive homage to this oasis of expressive freedom and cheap living deep within communist territory. It’s a fascinating tale of how this walled-in city became a creative melting pot, with music by Westbam, Einstürzende Neubauten, Joy Division, Die Toten Hosen, Nena, Sex Pistols, and Die Tödliche Doris. Not yet receiving a proper UK theatrical release, now Kisskisskino, in partnership with multimedia festival Sensoria, present the film at Duke of York’s Picturehouse Cinema on Sun 27 Sept, as part of Brighton Digital Festival. Reeder himself will introduce the film, and conduct a Q&A session afterwards. He was initially approached by producer Hoppe with the task of restoring music for the film. Eager to help, Reeder
By Stuart Rolt offered a large amount of footage he’d shot for British TV. “He came back two days later saying: ‘what the hell have you given me?!’” From here, the film began to take shape around his experiences in the city. With local knowledge, yet still a refugee, he was perfectly positioned to provide a subjective look at what West Berlin became. Backed by avant-garde, dance and post-punk music, the film balances bleak Cold War vistas and nightlife scenes. “It was like unravelling my life. There were a lot of things we had to leave out, because there wasn’t footage for them, like the Metropole’s Hi-NRG days. Nobody went with a camera to a club like that!” There’s also footage from anarchic rock show, ‘The Tube’, where Reeder introduces a bemused Muriel Grey (pictured above with Reeder) to his community’s sights and delights. It’s an honest and striking moment. Like a massive jigsaw puzzle, it pieces together archive footage, unseen clips and just a few star interviews. Keith Haring, Tilda Swinton, New Order and Nick Cave all offer recollections of the scene, but the real stars are the locals themselves. Even when the Wall came down in 1989, Berlin’s influence would endure the end of its isolation. Incredible cinema, art and something called techno were fast approaching, but its intense, too-brief golden period had drawn to a close. Reeder still lives in the reunified Berlin, the city retaining much of its romance and character. “It’s changed a lot, but not at all in some respects. There’s new buildings going up, as are rents, but it it’s still very culturally active.” There’s another story to be told about his adventures beyond the Iron Curtain. Here he organised concerts, recorded albums and introduced John Peel to East Berlin, taking him across the border to meet same of his more inaccessible fans. He also undertook some smuggling and was involved with Czech dissident movement Charta 77. “If my mother had known what I did I think she’s had got grey hair a lot earlier on. She had no idea. I was very reckless.” B-Movie: Lust & Sound In West Berlin (1979 - 1989) comes to Duke of York’s Picturehouse Cinema in Brighton, on Sun 27 Sept, as part of Brighton Digital Festival. www.brightondigitalfestival.co.uk
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MINI MAKER FAIRE BRIGHTON DIGITAL FESTIVAL
ANDREW SLEIGH “One of our Makers said today that the word digital comes from these things,” says Andrew Sleigh, holding up both hands and wiggling his fingers. “Maker Faire for me is about people making stuff, ideally engaging with the material of the world.” Andrew is the co-founder of Brighton Mini Maker Faire, and will be the driving force behind September’s event along with his team at Lighthouse, a digital culture agency based on Kensington Street. The one-day festival of creativity and invention takes place at the Corn Exchange, where hundreds of Makers gather to share their innovations in technology, craft, design and art with over 3000 excited visitors. “We encourage people to come along and be inspired by the things that other people have made, and also to get their hands dirty and learn new skills and develop confidence in technology, so that they can go off and become Makers themselves.” And as Andrew explains, there are plenty of ways to get stuck in whatever your age or ability. All you need is some creativity and a lust for learning. “If you look at the way people behave and respond there, the children’s faces light up when they see something cool but it’s quite often the adults who are reaching over and looking at something or asking a question of the Maker, so I think the adults enjoy it just as much.” “The combination of old and young is really nice, and people find that really refreshing. People comment sometimes that the kids who are there are all enjoying themselves, they’re not crying or bored or wanting to go home, they want to go and see the next thing. Young people enjoy it and I think adults also enjoy being around young people, either their own kids or kids in general who are engaged and excited and learning.” The festival offers games, arts & crafts, robotics, wood & metalwork, science and of course technology, as the event coincides with the month-long Brighton Digital Festival. “The games are always really exciting, especially for the kids. We’ve got a game called Hammer Pong which is like a crazy fairground ‘test your strength’ machine with lots of lights and noises, and another one called Lazer Arcade, which does kind of what it says on a tin.”
By Maddie Maynard For people who are more interested in curriculum, computing and IT in schools there are a range of educational activities to take inspiration from, using software such as Curiosity, Crumble and Raspberry Pi. But no matter where their interests lie, everyone is bound to stumble upon something that inspires them. “It’s finding the unexpected gems which is, I think, what is so rewarding about it.” However Andrew has already been planning which of the interesting Makers he hopes to visit during the event when he’s not running around behind the scenes. “I’m not massively into computers personally so I quite like the craft stuff. Someone’s bringing a marbling machine so they’re going to be handmaking marbled paper, which I think sounds cool. There’s always loads of really good fabric craft so lots of felt and fashion recycling, so that’s good for people who maybe aren’t so interested in computers and robots” With so much to see, do and discover, the Mini Maker Faire is a place to while away a whole day with the family. And as the festival continues to grow and improve, Andrew’s motivation is clear. “We get 3000 people coming through the doors and I would like to convert some of those people. Some of those people are already going to be makers and they’re going to come along and see something they like and maybe learn something useful, maybe meet someone who can help them with a project. But what I want is for some of those people, maybe its only ten of them, maybe it’s a hundred or three hundred of those people, to come through the doors, arriving in the morning feeling like they don’t know what to do and then leave feeling inspired. “I hope that they come with that kind of optimism and then leave with creative inspiration.” Brighton Mini Maker Faire Sat 5 Sept Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, Church Street, BN1 1UE Adult tickets £7 advance, £9 otd, kids free www.makerfairebrighton.com www.facebook.com/brightonmakerfaire @MakerFaireBTN
SLEAFORD MODS THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG By Stuart Rolt A cold-hearted world filled with bedsits, hate crime and crumbling infrastructure. This is where Sleaford Mods feed. Consumerism, spite and day-to-day indifference pervading our culture provide steady inspiration for one of the UK’s most vocal bands. Perhaps the truths they brandish are uncomfortable. Maybe the music lacks a great pop hook. Certainly, this 40-something pair is unlikely to grace the walls of many tween bedrooms. Yet none of it matters. If you embrace what Sleaford Mods are trying to do, it’s like waking from half-sleep. So why is every other band so bland in comparison?
“It’s scary, because we’re still greeted with bemusement, or people thinking we’re some kind of piss-take. Or people comparing it to some lame white idea of hip-hop.”
“The younger generations are probably not as engaged as they used to be,” says Jason Williamson, the Nottingham duo’s lyricist.
Influences cited by the pair are as varied as Photek, Red Snapper, and Luther Vandross. Strangely they remind me of the Pet Shop Boys, with their shared penchant for dark electronic and bitingly un-commercial music. Unlike the eighties duo, whose songs obsessed over style, reinvention and glamour, the Sleaford Mods convey a different side of British culture. Decidedly less romantic, their picture portrays a society where people escaping war-zones are referred to like animals, being disadvantaged is almost a crime in itself and communities stand divided.
“The culture of self has been embedded. Even those who think they’re railing against it aren’t really.” This summer saw a fiercely debated Glastonbury appearance, pushing their current album ‘Key Markets’ into the album chart’s top ten, impressive for a staunchly indie release. Williamson acknowledges he’s wary of acclimatising to music star trappings. “The minute you start thinking that, then you start thinking about yourself. There are bigger things to think about than just congratulating yourself.” The PR campaign and run-up to the album have created an atmosphere of both excitement and tension in the Sleaford Mods camp. For now they’re playing the game. Williamson concedes the band is in a good place right now, but it’s important to remember why they started.
So the expectations are dealt with by ignoring them. Soon they tour the album, a nationwide jaunt which includes a visit to Brighton’s The Old Market on Tues 6 Oct. Maybe a single will drop later this year, but beyond then there are no firm plans. They’re just taking it all as it comes.
With clanging, often atonal and menacing, backing tracks composed by his cohort Andrew Fearn, each Sleaford Mods song is charged with urgency and attitude. Theirs is no bagatelle; it’s uncompromising from beginning to end. Williamson, beyond the potty-mouthed veneer, is an incredibly skilled wordsmith. Bouncing around a sophisticated myriad of ideas, similes and wordplay, the outraged indignation is impeccably balanced by razor-sharp and quintessentially British humour.
Years of dalliances with other bands, changes of musical influences and several crap jobs lead them here. A Wu-Tang album made Williamson appreciate how cleverly hip-hop was constructed. Its flow of ideas, underpinned with a sense of desperation, and its honest lack of theatrics… everything about it intrigued him. From here Sleaford Mods and their anti-rock stance took shape. Three ‘proper’ albums down the line, and they’re starting to gather some well-deserved momentum. Williamson comes across like that one friend you’re always a little wary of. The threat of an outburst never far away, an uncaring and contradictory world offers plenty of opportunities for dissatisfaction, or even anger. Don’t get me wrong, he’s friendly enough, but I’m being careful not to say anything that might expose me as a ‘knob’. Recently Williamson’s ‘statements’ about politics and other artists have seen him courted by a music press eager for the controversial. “If you say it once, you don’t need to repeat it. You say it and that’s it, anything after that it just weakens the point.” He admits to being a little bit of an angry person, but perhaps most people are in this age. Or at least they should be. Whilst highlighting people visiting food banks, the madness of capitalism’s excess and the uncompassionate leading the nation, they’ve been erroneously labelled champions of lower classes. “I’ve bought four pairs of shoes in the last two weeks. That’s not very working class. People think it’s about class, which pisses me off. Everybody feels the same way, whether they’ve got money or not.”
Gigs In Brighton... MARK LANEGAN
Wednesday 2nd September Concorde 2
OUTFIT
Wednesday 9th September The Hope
NIMMO
Thursday 17th September The Green Door Store
KID WAVE
Friday 18th September Sticky Mike’s
BROTHER AND BONES Tuesday 22nd September Komedia
A band this divisive will always be misunderstood, as people will insist on interpreting the lyrics in any way they like, especially when it makes for great articles or blog posts. Williamson is characteristically dismissive of much of the writing about his band.
GIRL FRIEND
“They’re picking a subject that’s popular… then slapping it up with some intellectual schpazz, to make it look good. There are some valid points, but I tend to be quite suspicious of these things.”
Friday 25th September
Perhaps we all need to take responsibility for what’s happened before and accept the power to affect change. Sleaford Mods aren’t offering a roadmap for the future though. Considered a novelty act on one side, the saviours of a nation drowning in austerity on the other, the issue now is not people ignoring them, but applauding them for what they’re not. There is no manifesto, no obvious solution and certainly no bite-sized ‘life-hacks’ to make the world a brighter place. “People have got their own ways of self-maintenance, they like the music because they can relate to it. But I’d be surprised if they’re looking to me for answers.” For now Sleaford Mods seem an unstoppable force, holding a mirror to us all and asking: “is this really living?” They’re not pretending to be anything other than two blokes, with some opinions and a talent for creating loud and truthful music. What you see is what you get. And right now, that’s exactly what this country needs. Sleaford Mods play Brighton’s The Old Market. Tues 6 Oct. Their album ‘Key Markets’ is out now, via Harbinger Sound. www.sleafordmods.com www.facebook.com/SleafordModsOfficial
Wednesday 23rd September The Hope
SUMMER CAMP Bleach
JENN GRANT
Sunday 27th September The Prince Albert
RHODES
Tuesday 29th September Komedia
RAG ‘N’ BONE MAN
Tuesday 29th September Concorde 2
BEN OTTEWELL
Tuesday 29th September Komedia Studio
NEW MOTION
Wednesday 30th September Komedia Studio
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MAUREEN CHADWICK SCHOOL FOR SCOUNDRELS After years of scattering serious issues amongst some of TV’s biggest shows, Maureen Chadwick is now setting out to subvert common perceptions of independent education in Britain. Since the Great War, a literary genre was established with stories of friendship, honour and loyalty at English boarding schools. Books by Angela Brazil, Elinor Brent-Dyer and Enid Blyton focused on the lives of adolescent girls, cooped up together for three terms a year. With pranks, midnight feasts, sports matches and the occasional spot of peril, it’s a tradition that continued with the success of ‘Harry Potter’. Now Chadwick invigorates the genre, with an all-singing and dancing tale of girls battling for what they know is right. Another collaborative effort with partner Kath Gotts, ‘Crush’ is a musical comedy drawing heavily on schoolgirl fiction. It’s a timeless story of the battle between good and evil, between progress and fear, or between tradition and exuberance. “It’s certainly the musical that Kath and I wanted to see,” she admits to me. “We grew up reading those boarding school stories.” Her creation features an all-girls world, where a progressive school welcomes a headmistress intent on instilling her Victorian values on everyone. Chadwick herself is a product of single-sex education. When dalliances with painting didn’t inspire, she later realised a love of writing with a job on 70s TV hospital drama ‘Angels’. Its nononsense depiction of contemporary issues and a challenging unglamorous profession drew both fans and critics. This was followed by a stint with sun-drenched, ex-pat soap ‘Eldorado’. Her 1999 creation ‘Bad Girls’ was one of the first TV series to offer long-running, non-sensationalist storylines about same sex relationships. An uncompromising drama set in a women’s prison, it quickly developed a cult following. Hilarious one moment, heartrending the next, it further enabled Chadwick’s penchant for throwing open the doors to hidden sections of society. ‘Footballers’ Wives’, a satire revelling in the excessive world of an imaginary Premiership club’s wives and girlfriends, glimpsed a world of bizarre extremes. This instant hit saw young people with astonishing wealth lacking the maturity to fully cope with their situations. “I don’t personally like football, but fortunately that show was as much about football as Dallas was about oil,” Chadwick laughs. ‘Footballers’ Wives’ inadvertently gave birth to a British interest in the real life counterparts. Soon every tabloid paper would obsess about off-pitch antics as much as match results. Chadwick realised the comic opportunities a surplus of time and money could provide. “We did have an adviser, but some of the stories we invented anticipated events in the real world. You start to identify things that could happen. That’s when it gets really interesting.” Trashy and hilarious on the surface, it again
By Stuart Rolt
thrust serious issues like sexuality and abusive relationships into millions of UK living rooms. Since then she’s brought her magic to ‘Waterloo Road’ and ‘Coronation Street’. Her 45-episode tenure on the latter saw an incarcerated Deirdre Barlow and newcomer Hayley Patterson reveal she was transsexual. You’d expect nothing less from Chadwick’s special brand of drama. The setting for her hilarious new production, Dame Dorothea Dosserdale School for Girls, is on the leading edge of change. Set up by a campaigning Suffragette in 1928, the fictitious institution offered education as a gateway to emancipation, welcoming girls from all walks of life. It’s now the early 60s, an age of revolution and permissiveness. But a new headmistress is intent on reversing the school liberationist attitude. It’s a post-war ideal of girl power, with capable and fearless characters. Starring Rosemary Ashe (‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Oliver!’, ‘Mary Poppins’) and Sara Crowe (‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, ‘Hay Fever’, ‘Private Lives’) the production tours Britain this autumn, including a spell at Brighton’s Theatre Royal, on Tues 22 - Sat 26 Sept. With chorus lines in full hockey kit, hormone-charged teenagers and battles with authority, many of the genre’s archetypes remain, but presented in a light-hearted and modern way. It’s a perfect subject matter for a stage interpretation. “A musical does have to have a good story, but you’ve get the joy of using songs to tell more about a character. It’s such a rich creative combo.” Chadwick describes the early girl’s schools as being ‘very feminist’. Believing education lends power; these establishments prided themselves on equipping girls for an independent adult life. “I come from a working class background, so going to a girls’ high school was a completely different world, compared to anything any woman in my family had been able to access.” Chadwick has always made it clear she’s overtly feminist, not understanding why any intelligent person wouldn’t treat people equally. She relishes how society has evolved, but is equally appalled at how much is still in need of change. It’s a nonnegotiable engagement for her, she has to write about things she holds as important. Acquiring fame (or notoriety) isn’t much of a concern. The motivation comes from excitement over ideas and being convinced drama best flourishes with gritty and entertaining storylines. “I wouldn’t otherwise have the motivation to write, if it didn’t matter to me. I’ve always loved to combine serious subjects with a humorous treatment. I see comedy as a weapon.” Maureen Chadwick & Kath Gotts’ ‘Crush’ comes to Brighton’s Theatre Royal on Tues 22 - Sat 26 Sept. www.atgtickets.com/brighton
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CLUBBING PLANNER
FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE
DAN SHAKE
LEFTFIELD
EVERY FRI COALITION
SAT 5 SEPT PATTERNS
SAT 5 SEPT CONCORDE 2
It’s the weekend, so prepare to shake off the languor induced by your crap uninspiring job, because it’s time to sparkle! The door policy demands you have a good time and the music policy promises only the finest in party-starting tuneage.
The first non-Detroit producer to release on Moodymann’s Mahogani music, Dan Shake has a distinct knack for producing superb tunes. Currently he’s on a creative high, with a sleigh of great releases coming very soon.
Priding themselves on doing things no one else in the city is doing, the Fat Poppadaddys DJs pull out indie, electro, funk, hip-hop, reggae, 60s, 80s, D‘n’B, dubstep, dance… anything and everything to keep the dancefloor jumping. As they like to say: “ladies and gentlemen, the weekend has landed!”
Heavily influenced by the layered percussive rhythms of Afrobeat pioneers such as Tony Allen and Fela Kuti and the soul-drenched sampling of J Dilla, he offers the kind of dark, dense grooves laid out by contemporaries Flying Lotus and Motor City Drum Ensemble. Support downstairs comes from Charles Green & Mehtola, and Ye Ye Fever will be blasting it out upstairs.
For all you people going to Together The People, but not wanting to head home just yet, there’s an awesome after party waiting for you. Centre stage is a DJ set from Leftfield. It’s an incredible 20 years since the act’s seminal album ‘Leftism’ made an indelible mark on British dance culture. Taking influence from techno, dub, and ambient, the Leftfield name is synonymous with making and spinning interesting, compelling house-based music. Now producer Neil Barnes is on a high after the success of his recent ‘Alternative Light Source’ album. So get ready, there’s an electronic music legend coming to town!
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FIESTA BOMBARDA
DETONATE
BRIGHTON RUMBLE
THURS 17 SEPT KOMEDIA
FRI 18 SEPT CONCORDE 2
FRI 18 SEPT KOMEDIA
Not such a club as an explosion of colour and sound. From hosting colourful carnivals in cathedrals to raucous parties in palm houses, from samba drum ensembles to afro-beat surrealists, they’ve done it all. This Liverpool collective has seen over two years of unforgettable and dance-fuelled mini-festivals. Now the fiesta comes to Brighton for a launch party at Komedia.
The providers of exceptional underground music in Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Brighton return with another heavy hitter! They’re bringing over Dutch trio Noisia, one of the hottest DJ-production outfits in the world, who’ve contributed music to computer games, graced film scores and remixed some of dance music’s biggest stars. Joining them are Sabre, Stray and Halogenix’s incredible collaborative production project - Ivy Lab. These three have been smashing it with releases like ‘Askari’, ‘St.Clair’ and ‘Oblique’. Completing the line-up is Russian bass music trio Teddy Killerz, who’ve been whipping up a storm on the international scene recently.
It’s time to get dressed up and celebrate the city’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage. Like punk after it, rockabilly galvanised a whole generation of youngsters, outraged their parents and spawned scores of incredible records.
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Upfront are Brighton/London-based dub nine-piece Resonators, who’ll show why they’ve become a force of nature. Joining them are the top-skankin’ Euphony, and multi-instrumentalist/singer Mutant Vinyl. WWW.KOMEDIA.CO.UK/BRIGHTON
DJs Dave Mumbles, Gerry Robinson, Sonny Rocket and Kat Talk Kev will be playing a 50s/60s mix of rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, blues, stroll, jive and bop. It’s upbeat and sexy music from yesteryear, but so good you won’t want to slash the seats. So plop some serious gel in your hair, jump in your Cadillac and head for the North Laine. There’s a rumble going on.
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21.
TECH NOIR
TODD EDWARDS
HORSE MEAT DISCO
SAT 5 SEPT BAR 76 HOVE
FRI 11 SEPT PATTERNS
SAT 12 SEPT PATTERNS
Local DJ/Producer Wax Worx brings some serious underground house action down to Tech Noir. Now on a mission to bring ‘rave’ back to the UK’s parties, he certainly knows how to rock a dancefloor.
Get ready to have it in the largest way possible. After the success of the last Patterns garage special, they’re following it with a line-up of ludicrous proportions. House legend, Daft Punk collaborator and Grammy winner Todd ‘The God’ Edwards steps up for some Friday night carnage.
The club night, DJ collective and discotastic party selectors bring a welcome dose of big bounce to Brighton. Joining them will be Psychemagik, lighting up Patterns with their sensational edits and immaculate retro bangers.
Joining him are residents Nick Hook and Brody, plus a host of Tech-noir regulars, for another absolute monster party. Downstairs there’s house and uplifting tech, giving the massive sound system a good work-over, whilst in the upstairs bar will be classic, old school, funky and deep grooves. Properly good…
As if that wasn’t reason enough to slip on a special pair of disco pants, he’ll be joined by an exclusive B2B session from UK garage staples Slimzee and Noodles, all rounded off by the Freerange guys. Chris Headcount takes over the ground floor, promising a line-up that will get everyone moving.
During the afternoon there’ll be a terrace BBQ party hosted by the rare vinyl purveyors Beach Freaks, who will make their anticipated debut outing together. The special guest joining them for the evening session in the bar is Brighton’s very own Nick The Record. It’ll be a sizzling Saturday session of retro-nugget crate-digging.
WWW.TECH-NOIRCLUB.COM
WWW.PATTERNSBRIGHTON.COM
WWW.PATTERNSBRIGHTON.COM
CRAIG CHARLES FUNK AND SOUL CLUB
MIDLAND
TIM SWEENEY
SAT 19 SEPT CONCORDE 2
SAT 19 SEPT PATTERNS
SAT 26 SEPT PATTERNS
The King of Funk, Corrie star and allround legend is back in Brighton for a huge night overflowing with grooveridden beats, rare disco treats and souljam shakers. The Radio 6 (and now Radio 2) DJ is arguably the UK’s finest provider of dance-floor filling funk bangers.
Since hitting the scene back in 2010, Midland has developed a respectable knack for production, as well as coining a well-deserved reputation for his immaculate tune selections.
Since starting in 1999, radio show Beats in Space has become the greatest broadcast on earth. Lead by everyone’s favourite radio voice Tim Sweeney, his show has featured some of the greatest names in dance music including DJ Harvey, James Murphy, Four Tet, Ben UFO, Jamie xx, Todd Terje and Carl Craig.
Live music comes in the form of special guests Renegade Brass Band, along with more feel-good delights provided by Sir Funk, Soul Casserole, Ewan Hoozami and Beatwell. Dress to sweat and prepare yourself for a funking good time. I know you got soul, otherwise you wouldn’t be in here… WWW.CONCORDE2.CO.UK
Having released excellent material on labels like Aus Music and Phonica White, he’s spun at Output, Robert Johnson and Fabric, and produced a plethora of seriously good online mixes. Bringing house, techno, electro, afro, disco, electronica and all other manner of musical treats, Midland will be smashing the Patterns dance floor all night long.
WWW.PATTERNSBRIGHTON.COM
Besides his hosting duties Sweeney is a major league selector, so get ready for an esoteric musical journey like no other. Joining him will be the provider of ‘beats that don’t fit neatly’, local hero Leon Vynehall, with support appearing in the capable form of resident Charles Green. WWW.PATTERNSBRIGHTON.COM
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LIVE MUSIC
SPONSORED BY
PLANNER
ANDREW COMBS & BARNA HOWARD
PAUL SMITH & THE INTIMATIONS
DRINKS
MON 7 SEPT PRINCE ALBERT
WEDS 9 SEPT THE HAUNT
FRI 11 SEPT THE HOPE & RUIN
Loose label-mates Andrew Combs and Barna Howard are returning to the UK for a series of hotly anticipated shows. Combs is riding high on the critical acclaim of his latest album, ‘All These Dreams’. It marked a huge step forward for the Nashville-based singersongwriter. With tales of love, sin and redemption, the release brought together classic country and contemporary pop.
The Maxïmo Park frontman has shown us a more vulnerable side, with his new solo album ‘Contradictions’. Pushing forwards into new territory, it’s packed full of infectious melodies and introspective lyrics.
The new duo of Cate Le Bon, the whispery Welsh singer-songwriter, and Tim Presley, the idiosyncratic Bay Area psych rocker, Drinks are something of a leftfield super-group. Last month they released their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Hermits On Holiday’.
Barna Howard also recessed his timeless ‘Quite A Feelin’ album this year. Produced by Adam Selzer at Type Foundry Studio in Howard’s hometown of Portland, the album’s edgy folk leanings gathered substantial praise from the UK press.
There’s a multitude of great influences creeping in, and Smith has evolved into a different musical beast over the last four years. Mixing his Northern rock organs, the album brings in a host of great contributors and owes plenty to East Coast US rock. This certainly isn’t the end for Maxïmo Park though; there’s talk of a major UK tour happening in November.
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WWW.THEHAUNTBRIGHTON.CO.UK
ORCHESTRA OF SAMPLES
BROTHER & BONES
H HAWKLINE & GWENNO
SAT 19 SEPT THE OLD MARKET
TUES 22 SEPT KOMEDIA
THURS 24 SEPT OTHERPLACE AT THE BASEMENT
Mash-up merchants Addictive TV, Graham Daniels and Mark Vidler, have toured the world with their dynamic, funny and wonderful AV shows. Now their Orchestra Of Samples is bringing together a digital super-group of international artists, who’ve never actually met, in a compelling live show. Putting together snippets from over 200 assorted singers and musicians from across the world, they create the unexpected by matching sounds from completely different cultures. Rescheduled from July, and involving original Stomp member Paul Gunter, this exciting show forms part of Brighton Digital Festival.
St Ives’ Brother & Bones are on a mission to reignite the country’s love for heartfelt, epic rock music. Their sound mixes folk, indie, rock, blues, jazz, funk and soul, but under the surface lie tribal-like rhythms and chanting. Their legendary stage shows have seen them slay venues from small bars to festivals, taking in a support slot on tour with Brit Award winner Ben Howard along the way. Their debut album, recorded at the prestigious East West Studios in LA, offers an eclectic sound clash of tribal drumming and crushing guitars, which is highly anticipated by their multitude of loyal fans.
LA via Cardiff songwriter H Hawkline is no stranger to some beautiful melodies and choruses, but is quite happy to offset these with some profoundly odd lyrics. His recent Heavenly Recordings album, ‘In the Pink of Condition’, has been picking up plenty of plaudits for its glorious randomness this year. Joining him on this co-headline show, is Cardiff-born Gwenno Saunders, whose debut solo album was packed with intricate soundscapes. ‘Y Dydd Olaf’ might be a minority language record, being sung entirely in Welsh, but its soothing melodies and dazzling production marked it as one of the most beguiling debuts of 2015.
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This collaborative project fuses the diverse styles of these two guitarists and songwriters, and kicks out some compelling art rock. It’s a collision of words, where an oddball west coast dead-head and an upbeat Cardiff-born folk-rocker create something genuinely invigorating.
WWW.DRINKINBRIGHTON.CO.UK/HOPE-AND-RUIN
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23.
GIRLPOOL
JACCO GARDNER
MAX ROMEO
MON 14 SEPT THE HOPE & RUIN
TUES 15 SEPT STICKY MIKE’S FROG BAR
SAT 19 SEPT CONCORDE 2
When you come across a duo named Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker, you know they are going to sound just great. This LA-based punk outfit have only been going a short while, but have made a virtue out of keeping it simple and catchy. With just a guitar and a bass, they bring a minimalist approach to songwriting. As a result the lyrics are hard to ignore. It’s fun, rebellious and fast - this is punk as it is supposed to be.
The ‘baroque pop’ prince and Dutch producer/multi-instrumentalist is all set to cast a majestic and hypnotic spell over Brighton this month. If you want bass, guitar or even glockenspiel - he’s your man, conjuring psychedelic pop narratives, which will stay with you for a while. Now displaying a certain progressive electronic element in his offerings, Gardner’s late night compositions are powerful and spellbinding. His latest album, this year’s ‘Hypnophobia’ shows what he’s up to during those sleepless nights. For all his precociousness, the music manages to sound natural and bright.
Since winning a local talent competition when he was 18, Max Romeo has become a mainstay of Jamaican music. Despite massive commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic, some saucy lyrics saw him banned from the airwaves and performing live in the UK during the late 60s. The 70s brought a more political slant to his music, ushering in a period of international stardom and recognition for his music. Since then he’s worked with John Holt and The Rolling Stones and been sampled by The Prodigy. With nearly 50 years at the forefront of reggae, Romeo remains an accomplished showman. Now he comes to ‘Chase the Devil’ out of Brighton.
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SUMMER CAMP
SQUEEZE
RHODES
FRI 25 SEPT BLEACH
MON 28 SEPT BRIGHTON DOME
TUES 29 SEPT KOMEDIA
The rather tuneful matrimonial indie-pop outfit remain underground favourites for those in the know. Since the pair’s hipster-delighting debut album ‘Welcome to Condale’ they’ve matured and expanded, both in terms of ambition and style. They still remain a little kitsch though, just enough to tickle your fancy and make you fall in love with them both.
It’s about 42 years since Glenn Tilbrook answered a ‘musicians wanted’ ad placed by Chris Difford, a meeting that would spawn one of Britain’s greatest songwriting partnerships.
The mysterious and rather wonderful David Rhodes comes to Brighton. Dramatic and moody, with an immense sense of space and purpose, the average Rhodes song is as beautiful as it is grandiose. But amongst the soaring torment, Rhodes has a real knack for composing lyrics that grab you by the heart.
Bristling with an explosive energy, their innate sense of urgency has already started to get them noticed. Mix in a few great releases on Wichita Recordings, and we’re confronted with an underground heavy hitter. WWW.DRINKINBRIGHTON.CO.UK/HOPE-AND-RUIN
But don’t judge Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley for their DIY aesthetic. This is a pair of fully-grown adults, singing about real grown-up situations. At their best they’re carefree, sincere and relentlessly catchy. WWW.BLEACHBRIGHTON.COM
Now not only have the band announced their ‘From The Cradle To The Grave’ tour - their first outing in three years but their music is the starring role in a new TV comedy and they are putting out their first album of new material for over 17 years. Best known for the hit singles ‘Cool For Cats’, ‘Up The Junction’ and ‘Labelled With Love’, Squeeze were one of the biggest new wave bands of the 70s and 80s. WWW.BRIGHTONDOME.ORG
Despite only recently taking up music, he has supported Sam Smith, London Grammar, Laura Marling and Rufus Wainwright on tour. Through these shows, and a selection of headlining slots of his own, Rhodes has built a solid live reputation. WWW.KOMEDIA.CO.UK/BRIGHTON
MAFF BROWN
to be household names. There’s a young guy called Tom Lucy, who’s 19; he’s going to be huge.”
RESURRECTION SECTION
His acts often repay the breaks he gives, by returning to the venue when better established to try out their more adventurous material.
By Stuar t Rolt After being on the comedy periphery for a while, helping others hone their own acts, Maff Brown is about to emerge reborn and revitalised from the shadows. Writing material for ‘Shooting Stars’ and ‘Mock the Week’, Brown was vicariously entertaining TV audiences, but much of his effort never hit their ears. “I was writing around 90 jokes a week and maybe two would get used...So I was thinking what do I do with all these?” So his new stand-up show, ‘Born Again Comedian’, sees him deploy those finely tuned writing skills for his own benefit. Where Brown’s previous style was chatty and conversational, he’s become an all guns blazing gag-machine, pausing only to provide context for what’s about to be unleashed. Starting out in football, he saw action with Brentford FC, a team he still avidly supports. His career halted by injury, he went on to coach with Brentford. This would eventually lead to working with Gérard Houllier at Liverpool, and then onto managing his own squad in Singapore. Two seasons later he was paid off, leaving him freedom and finance to pursue his other passion – comedy. ‘Outside the Box’ became his next project. Held in Kingston, it won Chortle‘s Best Comedy Club Award. Since then it’s become
Now he’s focusing on revitalising his own career with a new form of comic energy, offering greater word economy his style uses as few words as possible to make the jokes more powerful. It’s quick, punchy and owes little to his previous anecdotal outings. “The only down side is it takes longer to assemble a lot of jokes together. One-liners live or die by the end of the line. There’s no hiding where the laughs are supposed to be.”
known as a stepping off point for some of the scene’s biggest stars. Regularly attracting Dara Ó Briain, Andy Parsons, Jo Brand, Russell Howard and Lenny Henry, it’s gained a fearsome reputation for quality. “We even had Robin Williams come down. We had Omid Djalili, Al Murray, and then him. It was incredible.” Ten years on and he’s producing regular podcasts from the night, and it’s not lost any of its magic, still welcoming the freshest talent. “I can see straight away when they’re going
Whether writing for himself or others, he still likes to write in places where distraction may loom. Sometimes that means the pub, but just listening to the radio can trigger a thought process. There’s no sign of him giving up his TV work, but now he’s able to personally connect with an audience on his terms. “They’re both very rewarding. When you hear one of your jokes on the telly it’s a big thrill, followed by regret that you’re not saying it. But to be a good writer you’ve got to be a good performer.” Maff Brown: ‘Born Again Comedian’ comes to Brighton’s Komedia on Weds 23 Sept. www.komedia.co.uk/brighton
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PADDY MCGUINNESS TIME IS TIGHT By Stuart Rolt He’s bewilderingly busy. It’s a wonder how he’s managing to pack it all in to be honest. The unofficial face of ITV, gameshow host and father of young twins, Paddy McGuinness is somehow squeezing in a stand-up tour of near epic proportions. “I usually do like 110 nights,” he tells me. “So I’ve halved it really.” Four years since his last tour, it’s not like he’s been simply pottering around. Now one of the UK’s most recognisable faces, his primetime ITV show ‘Take Me Out’ has proved a runaway success. When he lines up 30 single girls to judge single lads from all walks of life, it’s silly, entertaining and sometimes outrageous. “We don’t sit back on our laurels. I always like to push it every season.” Now approaching its eighth season and averaging 3.5 million viewers an episode, he says while people want it, he’ll keep doing it.
“I looked at the script and people involved. I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’d forgotten how enjoyable it is.” He admits being in front of a live audience is a stressful situation. Even when performing a show he’s familiar with, he still gets nervous. “When you’re filming it’s a more relaxing process, because you haven’t got the audience judging you. You can rehearse and get things right.” His hotly anticipated live show ‘Daddy McGuinness’ sees him perform 50 dates across the UK, including a visit to Brighton’s Theatre Royal on Sun 4 Oct. Parenthood is justifiably occupying much of his precious time, the new show covering both the joy and irritation any new family brings. “If someone with no kids comes to the show, they’ll either leave wanting kids… or a vasectomy,” he laughs.
“We’re not a juggernaut show, like ‘X-Factor’ or ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ so the fact we can be back every year is lovely.”
Although he’s conducting a huge stack of interviews today, his mind is on his fast-approaching parental duties.
With more ‘Take Me Out’ on the horizon, he’s further expanding his hosting skill-set with ‘Benchmark’ - a Channel 4 quiz show.
“I honestly think; ‘how did I fill my days?’ You can’t plan anything.”
“I honestly don’t know how I cram it all in.” He’s also been reminding people of his theatrical mettle. Recently enjoying a popular ‘Coronation Street’ cameo as exaggerating outdoorsman Dougie Ryan, it’s a return to his acting roots as the hapless nightclub bouncer in Peter Kay’s ‘Phoenix Nights’. There’s also been a recent role in ITV comedy ‘The Delivery Man’ where McGuinness plays a policeman, whose colleague decides to retrain as a midwife. But nothing is as simple as it should be.
So are his children reaching an age when they can recognise daddy, during his numerous TV appearances? “Having normal television on would be a treat in our house. We have baby TV on all the time!” Paddy McGuinness brings ‘Daddy McGuinness’ to Brighton’s Theatre Royal on Sun 4 Oct. www.theatreroyalbrighton.com
W FOR 2015. NE .. .
olo, Run s … eam T a in the or try lay Re 4 x 2K
Sunday 4th October 2015
UNDERCLIFF RUN FOR WOMEN 2015
Start time: 10.15am Entry £22 (includes a Souvenir Tee)
Enter online: www.riseuk.org.uk/RISE8K
K
UNDERCLIFF RUN FOR WOMEN 2015
28.
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COMEDY PLANNER
STEWART LEE
THE MAYDAYS: CONFESSIONS!
BENT DOUBLE
FRI 4 SEPT ROPETACKLE ARTS CENTRE
FRI 4 SEPT KOMEDIA
SUN 6 SEPT KOMEDIA
With a slight sneer and air of bewilderment, Britain’s comic master is touring his brand new live show. Peppered with fresh material, it’s all in preparation for the next series of BBC2’s Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. Obviously not everyone likes clever comedy. In the wonderfully subjective opinion of The Torygraph he’s “not funny and has nothing to say.”
Award-winning, critically acclaimed improv comedians The Maydays and their awe-inspiring musician create this completely improvised show using only their wits and the audience’s confessions. It’s a show where you see your very own stories and secrets turned into comedy before your eyes.
Hove’s ‘Madam of Mirth’ Zoe Lyons hosts another irreverent night of fun and frolics. Recently winning both the South and the UK’s ‘Best Club Night’ at the Chortle Awards, this excellent monthly laugh-in is getting some well-deserved attention.
The gags might be spliced with bitter resentment for the idiotic world around him, and he may venture off in selfreflective tangents, but there are few people willing to push the boundaries of comedy this much, and even fewer succeeding the way he does.
All the way through this hilarious, and sometimes ridiculous, performance everyone has the chance to share stories, either anonymously or openly. Everything including the dialogue, words, music and choreography is made up on the spot. It’s improv like you’ve never seen before!
This month offers a reassuringly great line-up. Bringing the laughs are the wondrously cynical Susan Murray, brilliant newcomer Sarah Kegworth and So You Think You’re Funny finalist Mark Daniels. Headlining is the truly amazing Vikki Stone, whose playful and cheery style bristles with ingenuity.
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RACING MINDS
MARK THOMAS: TRESPASS
LEWIS SCHAFFER: FREE UNTIL FAMOUS
SUN 13 SEPT KOMEDIA
WEDS 16 SEPT THE OLD MARKET
FRI 18 SEPT ROPETACKLE ARTS CENTRE
A doddery grandfather can’t quite remember his ripping yarn. But with your help, a mystery stuffed with hilarious characters, whip-smart wit and breathtaking twists will take hasty shape before your very eyes.
Thomas’ brand new show Trespass asks: “If the ramblers of the 1930s were here now, what would they do to open up the cities? How do we turn the skyscrapers and corporate squares into our playgrounds?”
It’s free - just get a ticket and turn up. What have you got to lose? Combining the comedy genes of Joan Rivers and Jackie Mason, New York comic Lewis Schaffer brings his freewheeling “jazzy” comedy to Shoreham for a unique and thrilling show.
Anything could happen, but excitement is guaranteed in this kid-friendly improvised comic adventure based entirely on audience suggestions. With a playful nature and an almost effortless ability to get the audience on their side, what they produce is a skilled and unpredictable comedy adventure.
Inspired by the mass trespass of Kinder Scout in 1932, he turns his eye to how the government have sold off the majority of our communal spaces, from playing fields to public rights of way, setting out to try and carve a small space in the urban world, where mischief and random chance can lurk.
The house compère of both the Comedy Cellar and the Boston Comedy Club in New York, Schaffer currently holds the longest-running residency at the prestigious Leicester Square Theatre. A short visit to London in 2000 ended in love, marriage, children and divorce. Now trapped in a suburb of Peckham, he is making the worst of a bad situation.
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29.
THE NOISE NEXT DOOR’S COMEDY LOCK-IN!
IAIN LEE VS RADIO
THE TREASON SHOW
THURS 10 SEPT KOMEDIA
THURS 10 SEPT KOMEDIA
FRI 11 – SAT 12 SEPT RIALTO THEATRE
The sell-out comedy smash hit returns to Brighton with a hefty dose of The Noise Next Door’s trademark off-the-cuff madness. It’s a unique entertainment experience in the company of the quickest wits in comedy, with special guests and plenty of comic strangeness.
Taking a brief break from his hilarious BBC Three Counties show, Iain Lee presents his first solo show. He reveals a bundle of radio clips that some presenters would rather everyone forgot.
Some autumnal changes are coming, so light up your life with some topical treats and satirical songs. The Treason Show is not afraid to kick leaves in the face of politics (and then giggle excitedly at the crispy noise they make).
After two sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and regular shows around the country, The Comedy Lock-In is becoming THE must see show for comedy fans everywhere. Get ready for some comedy gold.
So why did Nicky Campbell drop himself in it when talking about foxes? What do local radio callers really think about Mayor Boris Johnson? Surely old lady professors know what you can, and most definitely can’t, say on the radio? This hilarious show also tells his story, of how he reluctantly ended up working for some of the biggest (and smallest) radio stations in the country.
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AL MURRAY: ONE MAN, ONE GUVNOR
MAFF BROWN: BORN AGAIN COMEDIAN
WHY IS JOHN LENNON WEARING A SKIRT?
SAT 19 SEPT THEATRE ROYAL
WEDS 23 SEPT KOMEDIA
TUE 29 SEPT OTHERPLACE AT THE BASEMENT
It is 20 years since Britain’s favourite pub landlord Al Murray embarked on his one-man mission as the King Cnut of Common Sense. So he’s celebrating this milestone with a brand new show, One Man, One Guvnor.
Despite not being a massive star, it’s probable that you’ve already been laughing at Maff Brown’s jokes for years. From working in the background writing gags for ‘Shooting Stars’ and ‘Mock the Week’, Brown steps out with a new show and new comic direction in Born Again Comedian.
A comic journey with a serious purpose, Claire Dowie looks at female roles and dress codes. The ‘knicker factor’, school discos and errant sperm all drift into this stand-up play about one young woman who wants to be a Beatle.
This comic wonder remains a British institution, holding back a tide of bottled beer and ‘ninny state’ nonsense. This May he even played a small part in blocking Nigel Farage’s entry into parliament, offering a super-patriotic manifesto in South Thanet. Now he marks 20 years at the lager top. God bless him!
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Running the acclaimed Out Of The Box comedy club for a decade, Brown has broken plenty of household names at his nights. Now it’s time for him to enjoy the limelight. Self-deprecating and astoundingly prolific, this human gag machine definitely has a bright future before him. WWW.KOMEDIA.CO.UK/BRIGHTON
This Brighton institution takes apart current affairs and the vacuous cult of celebrity. It’s been a bumper year for nonsense in the papers, so get ready for an evening of inspired mockery, quickfire sketch and biting satire. No fool is safe…
A charged monologue about expectations and stereotypes, this piece was first presented in 1990 at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre. It challenges society’s gender perceptions and the difficulties of being who you want to be.
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Image by © Idil Sukan
NISH KUMAR YOUR NISH COMES TRUE By Stuar t Rolt Nish Kumar’s style of comedy might be very much in vogue right now, but this is only due to the rich vein of inspiration available. Whilst more a bemused onlooker than crowd agitator, some of his gags do reflect the pathogenic effect the right is having on the UK. The monetisation of the NHS, inherent racism, indifference and corporate sexism all get a bashing, but Kumar backs his mildmannered outrage with statistics, reasoning and humour. “I’ve always carried a keen interest in politics. I’m as interested as the next person… and as disenchanted as the next person,” he tells me. “I get why everyone is becoming disengaged, if you stare into the heart of darkness for long enough you get why that happens. Maybe the way we communicate isn’t ideal. I don’t think the Internet is necessarily the best forum for serious engaged debate.” His new show ‘Long Word, Long Word, Blah Blah Blah… I’m So Clever’ sticks to his continuing theme of using self-referencing titles. “I just like the idea of seeing the titles relate to each other in some way, cramming a joke into them.” But Kumar makes no apologies for being clever and open-minded; his demeanour is flushed with bemusement rather than anger. Yet his all-pervading politeness won’t prevent him from tackling treacherous subjects. “If you’re talking about uncomfortable things, like terrorism or Charlie Hebdo, you do fear being misinterpreted. But you’ve got to take that risk and do your best to explain what you’re trying to do without patronising the audience.” Gregarious and blatantly well-read, he neatly fits into the new cabal of more socially conscious and better educated comedians, a gang which includes his friends Sara Pascoe, James Acaster and Josh Widdicombe. Kumar himself is on the verge of becoming a household name. Already he’s a regular guest on TV’s comedy circuit, and something of an Edinburgh fixture. Now he brings his current show to Brighton Dome’s Studio Theatre on Sat 24 Oct, as part of Brighton Comedy Festival. Thoughtful and skilful, he accepts he is as much an offender as anyone when it comes to institutionalised nonsense. Onstage he tears through multicultural Britain, using moral reasoning to highlight the ridiculous behaviour many can get away with. Of course, if you believe some media sources, all comedy, music and theatre is overrun by weak-minded liberals.
He says he’s qualified to write jokes about politics, but not qualified enough to be in government. “I’m doing everyone a service by staying out of it, because there are enough people who are all mouth and no trousers.” It’s the country’s loss. Injustices and inequalities abound, yet none of Her Majesty’s Opposition seems able to succinctly voice their supporters’ beliefs. Kumar, for all his humour and gentle nature, has some interesting points to make. “I have no vested interested in being electable,” he laughs. “But there’s a real appetite with the British public for that. That’s why Jeremy Corbyn is doing so well. He’s the only person making those arguments. It just seems obvious. It’s not high, fluent principles anymore, it’s an economic reality.” He’s not convinced he would be able to change anyone’s mind, if he wanted to. He’s content simply exploring some ideas and making people laugh. He is mindful of keeping a balance between being smart and patronising his crowd though. “You always have to expect the best out of your audience.” Growing up watching ‘The Simpsons’ had a profound effect on him. It rarely talked down to its audience. The first comedy he really immersed himself in, he’s now growing into a lot of the older jokes. The harsh scrutiny the BBC has endured in recent years is also a source of dismay for Kumar. “The millionaires that run our newspaper industry have a huge amount of influence on the information consumed by the British public. They attack the BBC for being a ‘Stalinist cabal’, when actually they have way more influence, and are using it for their own personal ends. It’s a natural emotion to be offended. You just need to realise, if you believe in free speech, you don’t have the right to impose your offence on anyone else.” Even when the corporation do their best under extraordinary circumstances, they get slammed. He says he’s struggling to understand the furore over Jeremy Clarkson’s recent dismissal, after revelations about the ‘Top Gear’ star’s singular attitude to staff motivation. “He’s still publicly blaming the BBC for that. It’s like… what the fuck is his problem?” Nish Kumar plays Brighton Dome Studio Theatre on Sat 24 Oct. www.brightoncomedyfestival.com
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32.
THEATRE PLANNER
FAKE IT ‘TIL YOU MAKE IT
THE CUBE
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
THURS 10 - FRI 11 SEPT BRIGHTON DOME STUDIO THEATRE
SAT 12 – SUN 27 SEPT THE OLD MARKET
SUN 13 SEPT EMPORIUM
Bryony spends most of her life on tour, trying her best to change the world. Her partner Tim spends most of his life at a desk trying his best to sell the world. Six months into their relationship, Bryony found out that Tim secretly suffers from severe clinical depression.
This individual, multi-sensory virtual reality experience combines cutting-edge Unity3D and Oculus Rift VR technologies with live performance. “You awake to find yourself sitting at a table across from a stranger. Your friends are gone and you are faced with the question: ‘how do you build a reality which doesn’t collapse within three days?’”
A sumptuously sophisticated evening. Musical Director Simon Gray presents world-class opera singers as the perfect soundtrack to a candlelit supper. This evening of operatic highlights features arias and ensembles from popular and lesser known operas. Performers include Veronica Brooks, Margaret Pearman, Karen Orchin, Iwona Januszajtis, Gavin Sayers and Christopher Parke.
This bold, brave and brilliant Edinburgh Fringe First Winner features plentiful homemade music, stupid dancing, on stage arguments, real-life stories, tears and truths. A wickedly warming, brutally honest and heart-breaking show about the wonders and pitfalls of the human brain, being in love and what it takes to be a ‘real man’. WWW.BRIGHTONDOME.ORG
Based on the true story of one of history’s strangest mass disappearances, you are put in the shoes of one of the disappeared. The Cube continues from where 2014’s ‘Beyond the Bright Black Edge of Nowhere’ left off.
The programme at Emporium will include items such as the celebrated duets from Lakme and The Pearl Fishers, arias such as Nessun Dorma, The Habanera, O mio babbino caro, The Brindisi from La Traviata, and many more favourites.
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MEIN KAMPERVAN
OFF THE CUFF
BURNING BOOKS
THURS 24 – SAT 26 SEPT RIALTO THEATRE
SAT 26 SEPT THE BASEMENT
SUN 27 SEPT KOMEDIA
ON!
NG SO
COMI
Achtung baby!
MEIN NV! AN KAM GPSOEOR
N
COMI
This debut play from Simon Levenson features Angela Merkel touring Europe in a battered old Volkswagen Campervan. She’s trying to convince her chauffeur that the continent can exist in peace and harmony without the need for war. But does she really need to, considering her driver has been cryogenically frozen for nearly 70 years? The odds are stacked against her in this musical comedy, but the longer their journey continues the more the selfstyled Queen of the EU is determined to succeed. But are her goals the same as those of her advisers? WWW.RIALTOTHEATRE.CO.UK
Ten years ago, a group of university friends visited the Edinburgh Fringe and were inspired to form comedy collaborative Off The Cuff. Now, to celebrate a decade together, they will host an all-day comedy extravaganza at Otherplace at The Basement on Sat 26 Sept. Performances will come from creative theatre company Have You Lost Me?, Hammer & Tongue Grand Slam finalist Tom Veryzer, and many more of Off The Cuff’s friends, old and new. There will be music and free improv workshops throughout the day and a headline set from the hosts themselves. An unmissable date in your comedy calendar.
WWW.OFFTHECUFFCOMEDY.CO.UK
A tired 60-something fights for her pension on a picket line, while a newly qualified graduate desperately supports Movember. Meanwhile, Sandra the librarian surreptitiously removes ‘unsuitable’ books and takes them to the tip, secretly watched by her assistant. It’s a time public sector budgets are being stretched to breaking point and teachers feel the finger of blame firmly on their head. Jess Green tells the stories of these everyday underdogs with passionate and lyrical spoken word poetry, underscored by a rousing musical soundtrack from her band, The Mischief Thieves, on acoustic guitar and cajon. WWW.KOMEDIA.CO.UK/BRIGHTON
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AVENUE Q
CRUSH
ROMEO AND JULIET
TUES 22 - SAT 26 SEPT BRIGHTON DOME
TUES 22 – SAT 26 SEPT THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON
Possibly the best musical of all time, this multi award-winning show is a masterpiece of mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness. Created by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (cocreator of ‘Book of Mormon’ and writer of the songs for Disney’s ‘Frozen’), this irresistibly charming musical tells the story of the loveable characters on a downtown New York street trying to make sense of life’s burning issues.
Dame Dorothea Dosserdale School for Girls has a proud tradition of fostering free spirits from all walks of life. So it’s a crushing blow when a new headmistress tries to impose her strict Victorian values. This musical comedy is a coming-ofage romp that celebrates schoolgirl friendships and fighting for what you believe in.
WEDS 23 – THURS 24 SEPT THE OLD MARKET
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New Mutiny Theatre Company’s explosive production introduces Shakespeare’s masterpiece to younger audiences. Is ‘Romeo and Juliet’ the greatest love story ever told, or a fairy-tale that went wrong? In an explosive one hour production, we look at the timeless and breath-taking tale of love and loss of innocence.
Hilarious, cheeky and uproariously entertaining, with a terrific batch of songs performed by a cast of hugely talented performers and puppets, it’s a musical like no other.
Starring Rosemary Ashe, Sara Crowe and Kirsty Malpass, the show is directed by Hove local Anna Linstrum and presented by a creative team whose hit stage and screen work includes ‘Waterloo Road’, ‘Footballers’ Wives’, ‘Bad Girls: The Musical’ and ‘La Cage Aux Folles’.
Emily, a seven-year-old girl whose parents have just divorced, is an imaginative, boisterous young bookworm. Living at her father’s new house, she happens upon an old dusty book, and assumes a fairy-tale ending will be on the cards. As she reads, the world of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ comes alive around her.
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OUTPOST
REBECCA
MON 28 – TUES 29 SEPT THE OLD MARKET
MON 28 SEPT - SAT 3 OCT THEATRE ROYAL
WEDS 30 SEPT OTHERPLACE AT THE BASEMENT
Absurd comedy and grotesque puppetry combine to explore nationalism, leadership and the terrible consequences of using another man’s toilet.
Through the book loved by generations and the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, the story of Rebecca has become timeless. Now award winning director Emma Rice has created a spellbinding new production of Daphne du Maurier’s masterpiece, which combines romance and theatrical magic. Following the mysterious death of his first wife, Maxim de Winter returns to Manderley with a new young bride. Surrounded by memories of the glamorous Rebecca, the new Mrs de Winter is consumed by jealousy. She sets out to uncover the secrets of the house and a past fiercely guarded by the sinister housekeeper Mrs Danvers.
Inspired by Kafka’s Metamorphosis, H to He adds new twists in the maze of gender identity and sexuality. One morning a woman wakes up to discover she is turning into a man.
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WWW.OTHERPLACEBRIGHTON.CO.UK
Luis and BK are stationed at a border crossing between their two countries. Luis believes in order and discipline. BK believes in taking things easy. And he believes that somewhere out there, the spirit of a mysterious creature haunts the desert. The chance discovery of a strange other-world takes the two guards on a journey into the dark heart of politics, tyranny and murder. WWW.THEOLDMARKET.COM
H TO HE (I’M TURNING INTO A MAN)
This strange, shocking and poignant piece challenges common preconceptions, whilst managing to be funny, shocking and thoroughly entertaining. Written and performed by Claire Dowie, this multi-award winning show is a thoughtful mixture of monologue, comedy and cabaret.
Image by © David Smith
MAMMOTHFEST WITH STEVE DICKSON ROCK TACTICS By Stuar t Rolt Mammothfest has become a true entity in the UK metal scene; building momentum and fans with its grass roots approach to music show promotion. We’re catching up with headhoncho Steve Dickson a year on from the multi-venue festival’s reinvigoration. Last year they sold out completely. Now for 2015, despite tripling in size and huge competition from other local festivals, all their weekend tickets have been snapped up. There’s obviously a big demand for an event like this, and with good reason. “We offer a rare opportunity to see fantastic bands up close and personal in limited capacity venues,” he tells me. “There’s a growing risk some people will not be able to get in!” Nationwide, the Mammothfest crew have presented nearly 200 bands on their 30-date “BEST OF BRITISH” UK-wide tour. This allowed them incredible new bands, 37 of which have been booked at the main Mammothfest event in Brighton on Fri 2 – Sun 4 Oct. “Aside from our main event, we’ve also hosted another 40 bands at smaller Mammothfest events throughout the year. So, over 1,100 musicians will have performed at our events in 2015!” This touring metal bash certainly lives up to its name. Already this year, 4,000 people have attended Mammothfest events across the country, before it even hits Brighton. With a team of more than 20 volunteers, including promoters
from across the country, they’re actively working to develop the brand and bring the metal community together as one. “No other festival does this like us, although we must show our respects to Simon Hall and Bloodstock for doing a great job with the underground scene.” Many of the major festivals are struggling. Even mega metal event Sonisphere didn’t hold an event this year, after delivering the biggest line up on the planet in 2014. Now questions are being asked about where gigs on this scale can go. It all feeds into a lack of support for the underground scene. Dickson and the Mammothfest team recognised this situation a while back, and so fuelling the future of metal across the country. Every bit of profit is reinvested, working towards a major outdoor festival, which brings the biggest bands in the world to Brighton. And have the same support as major festivals do year on year. Every member of the event’s team of volunteers is working tirelessly to realise the event’s potential. With this sense of cooperation stretching out across the country, the possibilities seem endless if given enough time and enthusiasm. “I feel hugely assured now I have a far better understanding of the metal community across the country. This includes press, promoters, bands and the fans. There is nothing better than the human connection when doing business and being a part of
helping to build a brighter metal industry for all.” So has the festival and tour had a positive effect upon the scene? “We hope so, there are a lot of bands that have a new door opened to them now and we have implemented solid relationships with promoters and put in place a new Mammothfest infrastructure that will benefit many more bands in the future. We have not had any complaints to date. This is about making a real positive new channel within the industry from the grass roots up. This will take time, patience and a lot more bands and tours but we have proven this model now works so roll on 2016, bigger and better we hope!” Obviously there are challenges with organising anything of this magnitude. When they set up a website last year, so acts could register interest in participating, over 1,000 bands contacted them. “Managing this is difficult, but crucial to finding the best bands.” “A core value behind Mammothfest is for the team to push ourselves and learn where the limits lie.” Dickson’s own band, Meta-Stasis, offer a technical and aggressive take on metal. A unique blend of dubstep, techno and jungle, they’ve had an exceptional year. They’ve played a number of festivals this year, released a new album and toured the UK. They’ve also wowed at a few of the dates on the Mammothfest tour, but Dickson tries his best to keep the two entities separate, “Mammothfest merely offers the opportunity to do some shows and offer as much exposure for all the bands that we can.” Mammothfest has meant Dickson has been able to book his dream acts. Listening to Onslaught since he was a child, he says it’s going to be an honour to meet them and a privilege to host them at the Brighton event. “It is as much about all the other bands who have personally moved me in one way or another during their performances.” He’s also promising appearances from heavyweights like Feed The Rhino, Hang The Bastard, Psycroptic and Amputated. There are also some exceptional international bands including Japan’s Cyclamen and Sweden’s Syn:Drom. Over 50 incredible underground bands are booked too, all hard working and eager to entertain. “They are hungry, they want to get noticed and they will do some crazy things to get attention. You only need to look at bands like Hell Puppets, aAnd? or King Leviathan to see how metal bands are very creative about how they present themselves.” For a minimal £15 a day, and a seriously high standard of bands, there’s little chance of any self-respecting metal fan being disappointed. Especially when you see the standard of ALL the bands playing this year. “Things are different in the metal industry now, we need your help but my god we are giving a huge amount back in return!” www.mammothmetalfestival.co.uk info@mammothmetalfestival.co.uk www.facebook.com/mammothmetalfestival
DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN: BURGERS AND BOOZE, SHAKES AND SHAME. COME HUNGRY, LEAVE WOBBLY. 22-23 York Place, Brighton, BN1 4GU 01273 917710, Call for reservations @MEATliquorBTN
@meatgram
DELIVERIES: to your home, office, and the beach see www.meatliquor.com/brighton
LATEST CINEMA RELEASES SEPTEMBER 2015
DOPE - FRI 4 SEPT Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Festival this year, ‘Dope’ is directed by Rick Famuyiwa and tells the story about Malcolm, a geek who’s surviving life in a tough neighborhood. After a chance invitation to an underground party, him and his friends find themselves heading into a Los Angeles adventure. The film sees an all-star production team - Forest Whitaker (‘The Last King of Scotland’), with Pharrell Williams and Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs as executive producers. No wonder the reviews are already looking positive for this comedy/drama/coming-of-age flick.
LEGEND - WEDS 9 SEPT Seems like enough time has passed now since Tom Hardy cemented our love for him in the magnificent ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, so now to bang on about him appearing in something very different. What better film than ‘Legend’ – the story of infamous London gangsters, the Kray twins. Hardy has not one, but two star roles (selfish), playing Reggie AND Ronnie Kray as he takes us through their run of criminal notoriety in the 50s and 60s. Directed by Brian Helgeland (‘A Knight’s Tale’), ‘Legend’ is set to be an exciting watch.
MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS FRI 11 SEPT Following swiftly in the footsteps of dystopian futuristic teen thriller series ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Divergent’, ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’ is the second installment in the ‘Maze Runner’ trilogy, originating from the books by James Dashner. Director Wes Ball is also back for this next chapter, where Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and friends - having escaped the maze – must now search for clues about the powerful organisation that started it all, the WCKD. Their journey takes them to the Scorch - a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles…
RICKI AND THE FLASH - FRI 18 SEPT So ‘Ricki and the Flash’ should be an interesting one. Directed by ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ Jonathan Demme and written by Diablo Cody of ‘Juno’, it stars Meryl Streep as a musician who gave up her whole family for her rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. When her ex-husband (Kevin Kline) asks her to come home to look after their daughter at a difficult time, this is her chance to make amends. This is the third time Streep will be starring in a movie alongside her real life daughter Mamie Gummer (‘Side Effects’).
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THE BETTER HALF A FINER SLICE OF LIFE By Freya Hughes When I think ‘better half’, I usually assume it’s just a phrase used to refer to somebody’s partner, especially if said partner is just a bit nicer or well adjusted. But if you really think about it, it’s quite a broad term. In terms of Hove’s The Better Half pub, it’s more of a nod to the quite unique, united yet competitive, nature of our city. Brighton is known for the buzzing nightlife, while Hove has always been to me more of a laid-back enjoy-an-afternoon sort of place. Different but equal, I’d say, but a name that gets you thinking. Walking into a pub during an average weekday afternoon, the chances are there’ll be just a handful of diners, and a sprinkling of one-pint-wonders. After its regeneration from The Red Lion, this Hove watering hole has blossomed into life over the last few months. Hearing great things about the décor and fine selection of drinks, soft and otherwise, we eagerly enter on a day with flashes of torrential rain, happy to find safety inside. From the second we entered, the keen eye landlord Simon has for creating a sleek and artistic, yet warm and inviting aesthetic is evident. The walls, a shade of green, are complimented by running greys, browns and metallics throughout the interior. These seamlessly match the exterior of the building, giving a strong sense of the brand Simon has created. One thing really taking our attention is the perfectly polished metal bar top, maintained fantastically well by attentive staff. Our eyes flick around the entrance to the establishment, taking in all manner of sights including fresh flowers adorning the windowsills and tables, and portraits stretching up onto the ceiling. And what portraits they are: Victorian-esque, with the gold of The Better Half’s theme outlining them, some with the geometric pattern running through the pub and some with song lyrics and sayings. The colours combine to create a relaxed and comfortable environment, which is clean and effortless. I even spot Leo, Simon’s gorgeous dog, waiting patiently near the entrance to the kitchen, enjoying the smells wafting out of there almost as much as I am! We get ourselves acquainted with the long ‘L’-shaped bar, ordering a pint of Grolsch (£4.20) and a pint of Thistly Cross cider (£4.20). We then take a seat in a light and spacious booth-like table, with a soft, brown leather banquette parallel to one side. We’re both happy to be served classic brews, which I personally consider to be on the higher end of the spectrum. Then we begin a lovely chat with Simon who tells us he’s delighted to have “good beers, nice wines and fantastic, friendly staff”. We find out the establishment entertains all walks of life: from the retired to students, it caters for all. Introduced to a regular customer by the name of Jack, he assures us it’s not just this particular afternoon which has a fantastic foot-tapping soundtrack, but in general he tells me: “the music is mint!” Having the menu quietly tempt us with luxurious sounding yet affordable delights, we turn our attention to this fully stocked list of treats. Sectioned off into their own respective favourable halves, we debate between testing out the general mains or ‘The Burger Half’. The à la carte winning out, I go for a spectacular chargrilled salmon fillet (£10.95) on a bed of Niçoise salad with juicy cherry tomatoes and fine green beans. A poached egg, cooked precisely and seasoned perfectly is balanced on top of the fillet. I was originally unsure about having fish and egg together in this way, but decided to take the risk. It certainly paid off; resulting in one of the best fish dishes I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying in a long time. My colleague went for a spicy beef salad (points to both of us for being so healthy, thank you very much) at £9.95, it was accompanied by sesame and soy dressing. The meat is cooked to accentuate the fullest flavour possible and served with delightful complimentary ingredients, including fresh lime, spring onions and peppers, with chillies bringing a subtle heat to the dish. As the intermittent rain from that day seemed to have stopped just as we ordered, we enjoyed our meals whilst the sun escaped the cloud cover and shone down through the window onto our table – I couldn’t imagine enjoying a Wednesday afternoon more. To quote one of the more tongue-in-cheek portraits decorating the walls, “let’s drink to that”.
The Better Half, 1 Hove Place, Hove, BN3 2RG www.thebetterhalfpub.co.uk @betterhalfpub
What’s on: Mark thomas 16 sep addictive tv: orchestra of samples 19 sep romeo & juliet 24-25 sep every brilliant thing 19-20 oct
beardyman 21-22 oct copperdollar: back of beyond 29-31 oct
A multi-sensory virtual reality experience 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 Sep
the cube
Hove’s Independent, High Quality Live Theatre and Venue
theoldmarket.com
BRIGHTON UNSIGNED PRESENTS do you fancy a good rockin’ DIRTY WEEKEND IN BRIGHTON?
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The Latest Music Bar. 14-17 Manchester St. Brighton. BN2 1TF tel. 01273 687171 www.latestmusicbar.co.uk dirtyweekendINBRIGHTON.COM FACEBOOK.COM/DIRTYW
NORTH LAINE BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH WELCOME TO THE BRUNCH By Stuart Rolt Let’s be honest, if you’re eating brunch on a Saturday, you’ve probably been ‘having it large’ the night before. Whilst the previous evening may have witnessed you strutting around like a superstar, with the world at your feet and a head full of promise, the morning after is a different prospect entirely. So how do you revitalise that battered body, short of popping paracetamol and staying in bed until ‘Final Score’ hits your TV? Offering a new and sociable way to kick-start your abused system or even begin those weekend antics, The North Laine Pub & Brewery now serve a Bottomless Brunch from 11am - 1pm every Saturday. Here you can fill up on copious quantities of overly indulgent foods, and quench any thirst imaginable with bottomless cocktails. Despite being radiantly hangover-free, we ventured down to sample their range of late morning treats. This buzzing gastrobrewpub is big both in scale and personality, with elegant and interesting modern design features dotted about the place. Dominating the rear of the bar is an on-site microbrewery, where their own brew-master concocts a lush variety of traditional and innovative craft beers. Although this £15 menu is compact, its dishes are big in both size and quality. Instantly springing off the page was the Eggs Royale. As everyone knows, this is the breakfast of champions. You can judge a lot by the quality of an establishment’s hollandaise sauce; if cooked badly it has nowhere to hide. This one had a gentle consistency, with a welcome but subtle citrus note. It presented a wonderful finish to two perfectly poached eggs, fine smoked salmon and an English muffin. It was a textbook example of a much-loved dish, and should provide a great start to anyone’s day. For the seriously ravenous, the only choice is the Breakfast in Bread. This featured oven-roasted tomatoes, oyster mushrooms, sausage, smoked bacon, leeks, gruyère cheese and egg, all
served in a bread bowl. This was a hearty take on the traditional British fry-up, with quality ingredients and different tastes in every mouthful. It seemed amazing value for money… just don’t try to eat this bad boy like a giant sandwich! The non-meat eaters were well catered for with the Veggie Brek, a toasted wholegrain bloomer topped with mascarpone and beetroot spread, poached egg, avocado and finished with crushed pistachios. This was also varied, the fresh flavours of the avocado keeping matters light. Accompanying these sizable brunch dishes was a choice of two cocktails, both classics receiving a little North Laine magic. There was the traditional hangover-busting Bloody Mary or a more uptown Mimosa. With the Bloody Mary, we went for the spicy version, which was rich, earthy and garnished with celery and olives. Whilst not overpowering, there was enough heat to dust off any palette, no matter how much abuse it received the night before. There was possibly a large chunk of your five-a-day nestled in there too, which leant to its overall appeal. The Mimosa was probably at the other end of the cocktail spectrum, but was just as satisfying. A perfectly balanced blend of delicious orange juice and prosecco, this was tangy and light - enough to make you believe it’s actually doing you some sort of good. For those unquenchable thirsts, the bar staff will top up your cocktails all day long. Obviously this lies within reason - anyone unable to stand unaided certainly won’t be blessed with more booze. For anyone looking to get a good meal inside them, the Bottomless Brunch is a strong option. Factor in the addition of some tasty alcohol and it’s a near unbeatable experience. It doesn’t matter if you’re a late-riser or weekend offender, it should be on everyone’s list of places to try. North Laine Pub, 27 Gloucester Place, Brighton, BN1 4AA www.drinkinbrighton.co.uk/north-laine
16-17 MARKET STREET @brekkyclubBTN
NO.32 CAN WE MIX IT?
The first memory that sprang to mind when I was asked to review No.32 Duke Street was an incident involving my boyfriend and an excitable hen party. Outside the popular eatery just off West Street, the latter took a shine to the former and attempted to smuggle him in by means of a merry and feather boa-clad Trojan horse. They were adamant that he should join their party at No.32 and since then, I have been meaning to ascertain what all the fuss was about.
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By Maddie Maynard Premium and Sparkling, with each section bursting with exciting new combinations as well as the old favourites. My colleague decided on a Mai Tai (£9) and I plumped for the Lemon Tart (£8.50) with Kyle also joining us with his favourite Lychee and Rose Martini (£9.50). During the short wait for our cocktails (which could only be put down to the meticulous nature of the barman) Kyle introduced us to the owner, Ben, and explained that he was responsible for the entirety of the restaurant’s interior design. This was impressive as the stylish, industrial-themed décor looked effortlessly classy. Our drinks soon arrived and were accompanied by a description from barman Rico, who detailed the ingredients, method and special touches he had employed when making them. The Lemon Tart was sweetly acidic thanks to the addition of lemon juice, Absolut Citron vodka and Limoncello. This delicious tartness was balanced out by a silky and delicate coconut and egg-white foam, adding a tropical taste that was quite perfect. Featuring two types of rum and with a punch of almond from the Orgeat syrup, the Mai Tai was also sweet, refreshing and finished far too soon.
We were led through the high-ceilinged, naturally lit restaurant area which opened out into a gallery above, and shown to one of the venue’s three enticingly well-stocked bars. We were greeted by Kyle, No.32’s charismatic brand manager, who took us on a precursory tour. We were shown the private booths that can be reserved for parties and the most sought-after table right beside the DJ booth. Kyle also explained that the restaurant floor doubles up as a dance floor on weekend evenings, when the venue transforms from elegant lunch spot into packed nightclub. Upstairs we explored the gallery, a dining area that leads out onto an open-air terrace lined with sofas. With the afternoon sun shining and a view of the lively street below, the terrace would be the perfect spot to soak up the Brighton atmosphere and enjoy a few drinks during the day or lounge under the heaters in the evening.
By now we had worked up a thirst for cocktails, so we settled into the easy chairs that flanked the bar to peruse the drinks menu. We took a good few minutes to decide on our first tipple thanks to the wonderfully extensive range of options. The cocktail menu was divided into seven categories including Classics, House,
So it was on to the next round with a vibrant Pornstar Martini accompanied by a shot of Champagne for my colleague (£12), a sparkling Apple Crumble (£9.50) for Kyle and for me it had to be the house special, the No 32 (£9.50). This was a long, fruity drink packed with rich berry flavours provided by the Cherry brandy and freshly pressed fruit. The No 32 was topped with a sculpted ice shell which held a fresh blackberry and raspberry; a subtle but impressive touch which spoke of the barman’s talent as well as pride in his work. Sipping on our drinks and sharing stories about work and Pride, we were seduced by the chilled-out soundtrack (not to mention the gaze of Marlon Brando, who watched down from his photograph above the bar) until we forgot all about the pretext of our meeting. Tempted by the smells escaping from the kitchen, we took a look at the menu and agreed we would be back again soon to sample their lunchtime burger deal, extravagant lobster dishes or ingenious all-day brunch. No.32’s slogan is ‘Eat. Drink. Dance.’ and that sounds like a challenge I’m willing to accept. No 32, 32 Duke Street, Brighton, BN1 1AG www.no32dukestreet.com www.facebook.com/no.32dukestreet @No32dukestreet
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BE GLUTEN FREE
Tandoori Tofu Bites By Mila Statham (MAKES 12) 1 X 396g PACK TOFU 1 RED PEPPER 5 TBSP TANDOORI POWDER 4 TBSP OLIVE OIL PLUS EXTRA FOR ROASTING & FRYING 6 TBSP POLENTA SMALL PINCH OF SALT LIME WEDGES, TO SERVE PLUS 12 COCKTAIL STICKS
Pho Cafe, Brighton WWW.PHOCAFE.CO.UK
Drain the tofu and set on a board. Place another board on top along with a heavy object such as a saucepan, and press the tofu for at least 10 minutes to make it firmer. Once pressed, cut into 12 even squares or rectangles. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the tandoori powder, olive oil and salt together. Add the tofu pieces to the bowl and toss until each piece is nicely coated. Scatter the polenta on a tray and add the tofu, leaving behind any excess liquid. Toss the tofu until coated in polenta. Cover with foil and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 210c. Deseed and slice the red pepper into squares, place on a baking tray and drizzle with the extra oil. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, turning regularly, until it starts to char and blacken. Heat some oil in a frying pan, add the tofu and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes, turning regularly until each side has crisped up slightly and gone golden brown. Skewer each piece of tofu with a piece of red pepper and serve with lime wedges (or some mango chutney).
Despite being a chain with restaurants in London and Leeds, Pho is still a family-run business serving great value and authentically prepared Vietnamese food. The Brighton branch, located on Black Lion Street, is a lovely Vietnamese restaurant that serves delicious, healthy dishes. Many of their dishes are low in calories – even the fried ones – and are suitable for vegetarians and those who can’t eat dairy, eggs or gluten. Although lots of the food is naturally gluten free, soy sauce is often added. But if you let the staff know that you cannot have gluten they will simply leave it out. The staff really look after you and are knowledgeable about food allergies. I was really impressed with my visit and the crispy spring rolls were amazing!
19 & 20 SEPTEMBER 2015
IN VICTORIA GARDENS BY THE PAVILION
NATIONAL CHILLI AWARDS CHILLI EATING COMPETITION Cook-off Great Food COMEDY LIVE MUSIC Beer Cocktails BUY TICKETS ONLINE OR ON THE DOOR £5 PER DAY, ALL-WEEKEND £8, KIDS UNDER 16 FREE
WWW.FIERYFOODSUK.CO.UK
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GIVE OUR CRYPTIC CROSSWORD A TRY!
ACROSS
DOWN
1.
Rose painted ‘Bats in Despair’ (11)
1.
Last month I printed the first of that woman’s work out (8)
7.
Greek character is staunchly shedding skin (3)
2.
Regular supply said to be finished. Great (8)
9.
Mark’s eyes in smiley face (5)
3.
Starts to experience new nadir, undergoing intense boredom (5)
10.
Do something evil, taking a left maybe before end of lane
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Bees can fritter the time away (7)
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Meanwhile in the heartless border... (7)
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Lift managed to cradle half of medic’s sedatives (9)
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Desire to have T-shirt redesigned (6)
11.
12. 11 endlessly sad indie songs, number one for this band (7) 13.
Building might be somewhat dismayed if I celebrate (7)
8.
Uncomfortable and hard? (6)
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Disable computer’s brain in the year 2000 (4)
14.
Inactivitly in Scottish city: not very time-comsuming (9)
18.
Be afraid of Iron Maiden pieces in autumn repertorie (4)
16. Green Party is initially expected to excite (8)
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Team is bottom as well, as it’s heard on the terraces? (7)
17.
Drama over starter of meal consumed with childhood friend (8)
23.
Get on top of big hill (5)
19.
Breed of rodent working a 9 to 5 job (3,4)
24.
Could be uber communist returning with my stuffing (9)
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A new 11 yet to dissipate worry (7)
26.
Old friend’s impasse (9)
22.
Person originally evil becomes ethical (6)
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String instrument I love to twirl is there! (5)
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To David, not diamonds or a flipping piece of turf (5)
28.
Ready to cut short partnership (3)
29.
Agree to view report to illuminati’s full range (3,3,2,3)
Crossword provided by Thom Punton visit www.bn1magazine.co.uk for the answers
p u e z e e br to the Downs
77
go kids E! RE
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aflets See le tails for de
You can now breeze up to Devil’s Dyke on an open top bus.
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/breezebuses for times, fares, leaflets and walk ideas or call 01273 292480 Or visit www.traveline.info/se to plan your journeys.
5569
Go to Stanmer Park and Devil’s Dyke by bus seven days a week, and up to Ditchling Beacon at weekends.