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October
What's coming up in live music and events in Brighton over the coming month... More
Music Reviews
LIVE: Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks
It should come as no surprise that the most often overheard phrase at a Stephen Malkmus gig is “indie icon”... More
LIVE: Loufah & DJ Chef
When Krafty Kuts comes to town, naturally most are swayed his way by the sincere possibility of breaks mayhem... More
LIVE: One Night Only
Tonight's One Night Only show at Concorde2 was a 14+ show as long as there were accompanying parents. Without that admittance, the venue would have been half-empty tonight and, although I have never been to a Smash Hits roadshow, I suspect it would be something like this... More
LIVE: Cold War Kids
A certain glint filled the audience's eyes tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, the Brighton cherry-pop by subdued Americans Cold War Kids... More
LIVE: At Home By The Sea
Concorde2 is – and has long been - something of a Brighton institution for live music, so a small two-day festival to celebrate its 21st birthday is an entirely appropriate tribute to the joys of alternative music. Read on for At Home By The Sea... More
LIVE: Vodafone TBA featuring N*E*R*D
For those of you not in the know, Vodafone have been putting on gigs all over the country for a while now, bringing some of the biggest names... More
LIVE: Loop
Now in its second year, Loop aimed to bring cutting-edge music and digital art right to heart of the Brighton. With the aid of two impressive stages, Loop turned an otherwise plain bit of grass into such a fun festival atmosphere that it hard to believe that you’re only ten minutes from home. ... More
LIVE: Bonde Do Role
Brazil?s Bonde Do Role is an eight-legged, four-boobed, all-singing, all-dancing tune machine. With a line up consisting of two guys and two girls, these rampant young scamps are notorious in their homeland of Curitiba... More
LIVE: Hadouken!
Concorde2 opened its doors to the mighty neon love children known as Hadouken!, a band hailed as “rather bloody good actually!” ... More
LIVE: Hot 8 Brass Band
Ever wondered what relevance brass instruments have to 21st century music? Mark Ronson-produced schmaltz aside, one would be hard pushed to find a horn section as fresh-sounding and entertaining as New Orleans' magnificent Hot 8 Brass Band... More
LIVE: Boutique Theatre
The Boutique Theatre troupe have been performing their own brand of titillating and teasing burlesque in a recent sell-out run of Brighton shows and have been touting their flirtatious fun since 2006... More
LIVE: Ratatat
The draw for punters at this busy Friday night gig? Brooklyn-based hip-hop influenced electronic duo Ratatat are in town... More
LIVE: Buzzcocks
Back in 1994, I had a ticket to see Nirvana at Brixton Academy, with Buzzcocks in support. Back then, they were already confirmed as a legendary and important band from the English punk movement... More
LIVE: DJ/rupture...
A rare mid-week treat for a lucky few Brightonians as Brooklyn's DJ/rupture and MC Jahdan dropped in for a blisteringly tight bassline lesson at the recently improved Freebutt... More
LIVE: Battles
Battles are a tough proposition for the uninitiated. Whether you tag them with the whole ?math rock? label or not, on early listens they are the aural equivalent of the first time you try to do a simultaneous equation... More
LIVE: Red Sparowes
Featuring members either in or linked to Isis and Neurosis, LA supergroup Red Sparowes' gig at The Engine Room was a memorable and rare occasion...More
LIVE: The Dirty Money
The Old Blue Last is normally a venue more associated with the skinny jeans and leather jacket brigade of London?s trendy Shoreditch. Enter The Dirty Money... More
LIVE: The Presets
When did the Aussies get so damn good at electronic music? France may have Daft Punk and Justice but snapping at their heels come great acts from the land down under... More
LIVE: Revenge of Shinobi
Sometimes you have to re-acquaint yourself with the simple pleasures; like watching unsigned bands in small venues. Freed from all the media hype, without the PR machine churning out yards of empty hyperbole...More
LIVE: Spiritualized
You might think that Spiritualized's albums have passed you by.?If so, I recommend perusing their album artwork if nothing else... More
LIVE: Melt-Banana
Yasuko Onuki, Agata, Rika Mm? and Sudoh Toshiaki make up the troops of a Melt-Banana army that has savagely ransacked any terrain they stood on since their formation... More
LIVE: Cult of Luna
The Concorde2 was buzzing with people to see Swedish metallers Cult of Luna. There was a sense of anticipation and I was genuinely looking forward to seeing them live... More
LIVE: Deerhunter
On paper, Deerhunter should be a great band. In fact, the thought of five kids from Atlanta that play ?ambient punk? sounded cool enough for me to make a special effort... More
LIVE: Atmosphere
Eleven years after their first album, Minnesota?s Atmosphere still shun major records labels yet their latest offering debuted in the Billboard Top 10... More
LIVE: Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell
The walk at sunset to St George?s Church from Brighton city centre is a long but pleasant stroll. Leave the bustle of St James? Street behind, get in character and enjoy it... More
LIVE: Those Dancing Days
After seeing Bruce Springsteen for the first time, producer Jon Landau is famously meant to have said: ?I?ve just seen the future of rock ?n? roll?... More
LIVE: Royworld
Those who peeled themselves away from the Dome bar long enough to check Royworld out seemed to find them acceptable enough... More
LIVE: De La Soul
Coming to light in 1983 with debut album ?3 Feet High & Rising?, De La Soul have had plenty of time to perfect their live performance... More
LIVE: Club NME
The Ghost Frequency have a fresh sound, essential if you're young and want to listen to something that's your own and not what your older brother or sister is listening to... More
LIVE: We Are Scientists
It?s the eve of The Great Escape Festival, and what better way to see in the weekend of revelry and frolics than a pre-festival party with those American indie pop rockers We Are Scientists... More
LIVE: Shapeshifter
New Zealand?s Shapeshifter are a relatively unknown D&B band comprising of singer P. Digsss, a live drummer and a few others... More
LIVE: Rolo Tomassi
Rolo Tomassi are one of those bands that will generate polar opinions in every listener; you will either love them or despise them... More
LIVE: Sad Season
Prolonged sound problems accompanied by the dubious task of tumbleweed clearing preceded tonight?s main act Sad Season... More
LIVE: Centurion
Despite a good turn-out for this seven-band bill headed by Centurion, the crowd seemed reluctant to enjoy themselves... More
LIVE: DJ Yoda
Sampling a variety of film clips and using specialist equipment, DJ Yoda put together tonight?s 90-minute set which allowed him to scratch the actual film footage... More
LIVE: Anton Barbeau
California's self-proclaimed 'cult hero's cult hero' Anton Barbeau plays songs which you might you hear in an American romantic comedy... More
LIVE: Soulwax
Belgian super-producers Soulwax have released three band albums, reworked one of them into dance music, remixed everyone from DJ Shadow to The Gossip... More
LIVE: Adam Levy
Plucking notes strung with emotions, master of the guitar Adam Levy opened his set without so much as an introduction. Feeling the strings like a well-known lover...More
LIVE: Plump DJs
On tour to promote forthcoming album ?Headthrash?, Plump DJs have been at the forefront of the breaks scene since 1999... More
LIVE: Low
With the kind of zeal usually reserved for a church wedding, the arrival of Low, three smartly-dressed Americans, was met with an auspicious round of applause from the audience...More
LIVE: Envy and Other Sins
As The Barfly wasn?t exactly buzzing with people, Envy and Other Sins found themselves battling to generate an atmosphere...More
LIVE: 65daysofstatic
Experiments conducted in the 1960s found that exposure to 65 days of white noise would render the listener insane. Never confirming this as inspiration, 65daysofstatic remain guarded about their band...More
LIVE: The Hacienda
Celebrating 25 years since it opened its doors, Concorde2 paid tribute to one of the most important nightclubs ever, Manchester?s The Ha?ienda. ... More
LIVE: Birdengine
Brighton?s Birdengine descended on Komedia to showcase a peculiar brand of strange and dark compositions. XYZ?s Mo Mostowfi lingered in the darkness amongst the many others who showed up to have a listen... More
LIVE: Rough Trade Unsigned
Having missed its opening night, XYZ?s Andrea Fox was pleasantly surprised at the new decor for Brighton Coalition... More
LIVE:This Will Destroy You
Bathed in a sickly blue incandescent light and emitting a looming, swelling feedback, Texan post-rockers This Will Destroy You begin a near-seamless set with allusions to an epic film soundtrack... More
LIVE: Teenagers
Strains of warm chorus-drenched melody emanated from The Blueskies, a Brighton-based quartet of sharply-dressed young gents. Their vocoder vocals were layered over each other innumerably, to the quality of an audio recording... More
LIVE: The Duke Spirit
Is there a more under-rated band in British indie music than The Duke Spirit? On the evidence of this performance, the answer is probably not... More
LIVE: Totally unsigned
Although newly-opened venue The Coalition can hold around 650 people, tonight there were only around 15, including XYZ?s Mo Mostowfi, on hand to see three Brighton bands in ?Totally Unsigned?. .. More
LIVE: The Subways
Having spent the best part of the last three years producing a follow-up to their debut album ?Young for Eternity?, The Subways have finally made it back to Concorde2 to stir up some pulses. XYZ?s Dave Drummond witnessed their blistering return... More
LIVE: Blood Red Shoes
Brighton?s neo-punk duo Blood Red Shoes returned to the coast to headline The Komedia with two hotly-tipped bands in support. XYZ Ambassador James Watts was part of the welcoming committee... More
LIVE: Rough Trade Unsigned
Kong Promotions and Redhot Promotions have teamed up with Rough Trade to bring us a fortnightly unsigned night at the freshly-unveiled Brighton Coalition. ...More
LIVE: Stone Gods
As a reincarnation of The Darkness, Stone Gods had a lot to live up to without the theatrical Justin Hawkins on board. Tonight they opened for the mighty Velvet Revolver, and XYZ reporter Nats Spada prayed for no shimmering cat-suits. ...More
LIVE: Holy Fuck
So, here?s the recipe for musical shock and awe: First, blend together one thunderous rhythm section that threatens to lay waste to small towns......More
LIVE: Architects
Arriving late, and digesting home-made curry, I managed to miss the first two bands (Whitemare and Brides), but was reassured that the best was yet to come in this Brighton-heavy hardcore line up....More
LIVE: Sam Isaac
It was my first time at Studio bar and I loved its atmosphere; it felt a bit like me and a lot of friends had been invited to a very private party! The room was full so we sat at the front corner ...More
LIVE: Scouting For girls
Ruislip?s Scouting for Girls self-titled debut album has just gone platinum which is somewhat of a rare occurrence in this era...More
LIVE: Jacob's Stories
XYZ?s Mo Mostowfi was expecting a few cups of Fair Trade coffee at St. James?s Redroaster but was instead greeted with the perfect setting for a dark musical feast: an album launch for Brighton-based Jacob?s Stories? ?Undisciplined Art?...More
LIVE: Foals
The NME thought that the tennis-loving Foals were the stars of last year?s SXSW, and as the US music showcase gets underway again, this year could see the band really take off...More
LIVE: My Device
Brighton rockers My Device need no introduction. If you know your local bands, you would at least be aware that this three-piece were awarded NME?s ?Sony Walkman ...More
LIVE: Kid Harpoon & The Powers That Be
Being the final night of Kid Harpoon?s current tour, we are reminded that the ?last date? mentality can dictate either...More
LIVE: Dirty Socials
After the extreme weather that had hit the south coast last week, XYZ?s Nats Spada was in need of a drink and a the music of local band to make her smile...More
LIVE: Sandi Thom
Scottish singer/songwriter SANDI THOM released her debut album ‘Smile... It Confuses People’ in summer 2006 to great commercial success. She holds a record in Australia for having the longest... More
ALBUM: ‘Original Visions’ - SKILF
As an established and prolific MC, SKILF has held down residencies at some of Brighton's most prominent nights, which span several genres, including ‘Devotion’ (drum & bass), ‘Dubpressure... More
LIVE: I-Koma
Although Brighton’s I-KOMA have been around the circuit for a few years, they have only found their feet when settling their current line-up eight months ago. XYZ reporter Mo Mostowfi heard promising reports so went to watch... More
LIVE: The Levellers
It’d be interesting to know what founding LEVELLERS members Mark Chadwick and Jeremy Cunningham would have said twenty years ago if they were asked how long they’d last in an industry so fickle... More
LIVE: Hot Chip
London indie-electro forerunners HOT CHIP have been in the public spotlight for over four years now. Having released their third album in February ('Made In The Dark' follows their Mercury-nominated 'The Warning')... More
LIVE: Rob the Rich
It’s a Friday night and I’m in The Ocean Rooms wondering who thought the psychedelic sixties wallpaper was a good idea when Rob the Rich take to the stage, mercifully drawing my eye as well as my ear... More
LIVE: MGMT
Some of New York’s hippest and hottest bands have been storming Brighton’s shores in recent months and, after Vampire Weekend’s recent gig, psychedelic pop pairing MGMT arrive at Pressure Point to an equal fanfare.... More
LIVE: Kovak
On the hunt for some indie-electro shenanigans, XYZ reporter Jen Blakeley headed down to Hector’s House for the re-launch of Club Kovak... More
LIVE: Desperado
XYZ reporter Jen Blakeley went to her first country music night to see if the Joogleberry Playhouse could disprove her preconceptions of cowboy hats and line dancing…... More
LIVE: The Pursuit
Up and coming young band The Pursuit have been busy gigging all around town recently, followed in their tracks by a wave of great reviews and crowd adoration... More
LIVE: Channel 83
Started at the insistence of guitarist, keyboardist and producer DJ Stantz and featuring no fewer than ten members, Channel 83 are an ambitious band, with big ideas... More
LIVE: The Dillinger Escape Plan
Excited by rumours of light shows, fire breathing and stage dives with guitars smashing into faces, it was with trepidation and some nerve that XYZ’s Nats Spada ventured into The Dillinger Escape Plan at Concorde2... More
LIVE: Manchester Orchestra
An overwhelmingly spiritual awakening has only affected this non-believer once before. At 2004’s Reading Festival, New Jersey’s Thursday tore the stage to pieces during the opening bars of their monolithic ‘Autobiography of a Nation’... More
LIVE: Storm Engine
Last Thursday XYZ’s Leo Rahban and Joel Smedley went to Beluschi’s to check out another new and promising band; Storm Engine... More
LIVE: Broadcast Loft Party
It’s a brand new underground party space! Louis’s Café has been decked out in the classic disco style, a signature disco ball glittering over glamorous red drapes and funky projections... More
LIVE: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
Sam Duckworth was nominated for best solo artist at the annual NME Awards, and having heard that he played a US gig despite being discharged from hospital with bronchitis hours beforehand, our expectations were understandably sky-high... More
LIVE: Laser Crabs
Léo Rahban decided to “gig the heck out of it” and headed down to student haunt Hectors House to check out Brighton’s LASER CRABS... More
LIVE: Kula Shaker
After an eight year absence, psychedelica-rockers Kula Shaker are back in the spotlight with a new album and a brand new sound... More
LIVE: The Foxes
Their happy energetic rock is very contagious and their lyrics can only make you laugh.... More
LIVE: Astro-Physics
It was when Brighton's Astro-Physics burst on stage with '24 hour MC' that things really got interesting.... More
LIVE: The Courteeners
With the healthy balance of songs that hit you immediately or unravel gloriously with each listen, I'd already made my mind up that I was going to enjoy this gig... More
LIVE: Dillinja
Dillinja / Ed Rush & Optical / Ink & Keaton @ Concorde 2 then DJ Krush @ The Loft and back again... More
LIVE: Two Gallants
After two hours and two mediocre bands, a collective restlessness is spreading like the plague around the cinema and a modestly-sized audience glance at watches, shifting noiselessly in their seats... More
LIVE: Iron & Wine
The folk styling of London openers Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit bring to mind a lucklustre Clann Zu and the timbre of Mr. Flynn’s fiddle is lost in the mix, their overall sound fails to lend to the expanse of such a bespoke setting... More
LIVE: The Handsome Family
Daniel Knox shuffles quietly to his piano, a small mouth appearing from the centre of his coarse beard. The Komedia’s dark basement is filled with a congregation of chairs, wine glasses and grown-up patrons... More