BLACK BLACK HILLS •
Pavilion Theatre Thurs 1st Dec
It’s SOURCE New Music time again and, following from the mind-blowing AK/DK night, it’s another beauty. Formally known as Pope Joan, Black Black Hills have grown so much recently that they needed a new name. With fire and brimstone synth pop, they bring to mind Depeche Mode at their most southern gothic, or maybe a stripped-back Bad Seeds. Much of that is down to Samuel Aaron’s expressive performances, coming on like a possessed preacher. Intense stuff for four quid. (JK)
ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA
Dome Thurs 1st Dec
After last year’s success, Dweezil Zappa and The Zappa Family Trust are bringing their show to the UK for a 13-date tour. Zappa’s eldest son will perform dad’s 1974 album ‘Apostrophe’ in sequence whilst also combining unreleased video footage of Frank Zappa himself. If you’re interested in a 70s revival evening and a celebration of one of the world’s best guitarists, head down to the Dome for a truly unique musical experience. (HM)
ROCK SOUND RIOT TOUR
Concorde 2 Thurs 1st Dec
Fancy kicking off your advent in alternative style? Why not head down to the Concorde 2 to catch Rock Sound magazine’s Riot Tour. It’s set to be a mammoth gig with headliners Every Time I Die returning to the UK for the first time in over a year. The hardcore heavyweights are also joined by thrashers Trash Talk, punks Deafeter and Spy Catcher with their self-described brand of ‘grit pop’. This won’t be the most talked about riot of the year but it’ll be the biggest to hit Brighton. (AJM)
MUSHROOMHEAD
Haunt Thurs 1st Dec
One of the few remaining bands from the nu metal explosion around the turn of the century, Mushroomhead hit the Haunt. They’re here to turn teenagers’ hair black and their trousers low, and engineer a love for throwing each other around whilst geared up in spiked jewellery. The eerily masked eight-piece industrial act are supported by (Hed) PE, rap metal legends who helped influence the sound of bands such as Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. (CB)
JUDGE TREV MEMORIAL
Hydrant Sat 3rd Dec
Space rock fans will in for a treat when Krankschaft and Nik Turner’s Inner City Unit will feature among a host of musicians gathering in memory of Judge Trevor Thoms, who died last year. ICU will be joined by their original drummer Dino Ferari, flying in specially from Italy, and the group will be playing together for the first time in 27 long years. Also on the bill are Monty Oxymoron, Mick Farren, Whimwise, Bubbledubble, Paradise 9, Sumerian Kyngs, Slim Tim Slide, Jaki Windmill and Dirty Scavenger. (KM)
BRIGHTON CHRISTMAS COVERS PARTY •
Green Door Store Sat 3rd Dec
Beginning in Nottingham a decade back, this seasonal indie offering has since spread to London and, for the first time this year, Brighton. As you might imagine, various fun-seeking pop groups (The Bobby McGees, The Sticks, Summer Hunter) will be knocking out back-to-back quickie sets of Christmas covers, temporary supergroups appear (I Can Tina Turner? Throbbing Tinsel?), tins get rattled for Shelter. Moreover, it’s free entry, and you just know someone’s going to attempt ‘Christmas Wrapping’, so get merry. (SH)
HARD-FI
Concorde 2 Sun 4th Dec
With the 2007 release of third album ‘Once Upon A Time In The West’, Hard-Fi unveiled bold plans to redraw the musical map. Bearing the legend ‘No Cover Art’, this revolutionary act mirrored ‘The White Album”s white sheen wit of three decades earlier. And lo, what happened? Universal lampoonery, that’s what, the deafening sound of failure which still haunts a pointless career spent scavenging for scraps at T4’s cat-flap, begging Johnny Borrell for career advice. Hard to beat? Hard to listen to, more like. (BG)
NORTH SEA RADIO ORCHESTRA
Komedia Sun 4th Dec
Though the phrase ‘chamber orchestra’ might ring alarm bells amongst those not of a Radio 3 disposition, this is a far more contemporary take on classical music than most. Poems, folk songs and the group’s own lyrics are sung in harmony by up to 20 chorus members, over a small orchestra whose tone and tempo have post-rock leanings. That the orchestra includes current and former members of cult psychedelic band Cardiacs adds knowing muso appeal to the whole spectacle. (AP)
BOOTLEG BEATLES
Dome Sun 4th Dec
The world’s “most successful and longest-running tribute band ever” are coming to Brighton, and they’ve now actually been around longer than the original fab four managed themselves. They’ll be emulating the atmosphere, aesthetic and audio of the group Alan Partridge once said ‘could have been Wings’ to near perfection. As an added incentive, entering December and the whole festive season, we may even be treated to a wonderful Christmastime. (JC)
TORO Y MOI Coalition Thurs 8th Dec
Born Chazwick Bundick, it’s no surprise the South Carolina native adopted a stage name for his tilt at the music game. Roughly translated as ‘Bull and Me’, Toro Y Moi makes music very much unlike the proverbial buffalo in a china shop. Rich with whacked out, woozy effects and phasing, melodic synths, an inevitable pigeonhole has found the 24-year old jostling brightly for attention under the kaleidoscopic chillwave sunbeam. First reader to name their son Chazwick wins a night on the tiles with SOURCE’s editor. (BG)
JOOLS HOLLAND
Brighton Centre Sat 10th Dec
It’s like watching David Frost interrogate President Nixon again and again. Whenever Jools Holland tackles a music icon on Later, eyebrows are raised knowingly across the UK, shockwaves reverberating throughout the studio, prompting one audience member to actually stay awake. So just how did the former Squeeze ivory-tinkler become the nation’s much-loved boogie woogie go-to man? Tonight is your chance to find out. Any talk of a mid-gig Q&A with the man himself should be met with your immediate departure/suicide. (BG)
DEATH IN VEGAS
Concorde 2 Sun 11th Dec
Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes were the toast of the indie underworld and the hottest act around for five minutes about a decade ago. With good reason. Bobby Gillespie, Liam Gallagher and Iggy Pop were amongst the definitive rock leviathans to throw black paint all over their psychedelic-grunge snapshots of pills and thrills and bellyaches. Holmes might have left in the years since, but new album ‘Trans-Love Energies’ confirms Fearless is going to ride this trip until the fuses blow. Vegas can wait. (BG)
EXAMPLE Brighton Centre Weds 14th Dec
Example’s certainly gigged at a variety of venues across Brighton; he first appeared at The Freebutt in 2008 and since then has performed at Tru, Audio and the Dome as well as playing at The Great Escape Festival and Shakedown. Now he finishes his very successful year by headlining the city’s biggest music venue. Perhaps he’ll soon sell out the AMEX stadium with his own version of the Big Beach Boutique, or is that too ambitious? Support comes from Fenech Soler. (AJM)
LOL COXHILL & STEVE BERESFORD Open House Weds 14th Dec
Safehouse Brighton’s twice-monthly evening of improvised music finishes the year with a return visit from two of Britain’s best-known figures in the field. Coxhill’s soprano sax and Beresford’s playful multi-instrumentality have appeared, together and apart, in countless combinations over the years, making connections between jazz, folk, punk, pop and comedy (seek out The Promenaders’ sole 1982 LP for some Brighton busking lunacy). Tonight they perform once as a duo and again with members of the Safehouse Collective. (SH)
SWEET SWEET LIES •
Haunt Thurs 15th Dec
Alt.country six-piece SSL used to pitch up on stage somewhere in Brighton every few days, their suits as sharp as their biting lyrics charting doomed relationships. Local gigs are now intentionally less frequent for this spiritual offspring of Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen having a drunken one night stand in a motel in Austin. This festive night features two other local showcase veterans; Mean Poppa Lean, all funk rock and facial hair, and the honed disco pop of Kovak. (AP)
FEAR OF MEN •
Green Door Store Fri 16th Dec
A fear of men surely would be an unpleasant affliction, but this Brighton band plainly aren’t afraid of anything. Their sound is kind of fuzzy, atmospheric indie – dreamy ethereal vocals and jangly guitars with pronounced nodding to shoegaze and art pop all the while. Tonight they grace our favourite DIY music venue the Green Door Store and it’s not to be missed – the band are tipped to be definite ones to watch out for in Brighton at the moment, not least by SOURCE. (HP)
BRIGHTON’S FINEST •
Pavilion Theatre Fri 16th Dec
A timely reminder of the quality regularly bestriding Brighton’s stages, this five-band showcase gathers some of the most accomplished within the city walls this evening. Headliners The Mojo Fins continually impress with their evocative melodies and polished sound, while there’s a solid dose of melancholic lo-fi experimentalism from Man Ray Sky. Recent discovery Twin Brother is a definite one to watch for vocal dramatics, and sets by The Gypsy Switch and Fellow Stranger round off a solid evening’s entertainment. (NC)
THE INDELICATES •
Ranelagh Fri 16th Dec
It’s been quite a busy 2011 for Julia and Simon Indelicate. In between running one of the country’s most innovative online record labels, touring the States and explaining digital media to bamboozled Parliamentarians, they’ve found time to release concept albums about David Koresh and the Biblical Job. Leaving the rest of the band at home for this intimate pub gig, the Lewes couple present stripped-down versions of their poetic pop, country and cabaret songs, with cynical lyrics to the fore. (AP)
GLENN TILBROOK
Komedia Mon 19th Dec
Glenn Tilbrook is not only the lead vocalist, guitarist, and one half of the musical genius that created Squeeze, but also a genuinely bloody nice bloke. Glenn has toured almost endlessly since Squeeze split up (whilst also finding time for a fistful of reunions), and he never takes his crowd for granted. Urging sing-a-longs and often taking requests, he plays solo material and Squeeze classics whilst engaging in friendly chit-chat and displaying his fantastic guitar skills. An intimate experience that’d make your mum go weak at the knees. (CB)
ELECTRIC SIX
Concorde 2 Tues 6th Jan
Yes, you heard it here, the band that brought us the seminal hits ‘Gay Bar,’ ‘Danger, Danger, High Voltage’ and er, ‘Gay Bar,’ is playing in a city packed with gay bars. It’s a beautiful thing. They’ve released a heady seven studio albums since the glory days of 2003, so expect to hear some unknown material between those disco classics. (JMM)
ONE DIRECTION
Brighton Centre Sun 8th Jan
The X Factor is in trouble. It’s not just SOURCE who has tired of the show to the point self-cannibalism seems a better option once that theme tune rockets into earshot. What’s the problem? The hosts? The format? The stars? One critic recently summarised the issue thusly: “Its artists appear to have had not just their voices but their entire brains Auto-Tuned.” Are One Direction the act to reverse this slide or do pop fans deserve no more than Frankie Cocozza’s bare ass? Over to you, Harry. (BG)
APPLES AND EVE •
Ranelagh Fri 13th Jan
Having played the first SOURCE New Music Night at the Pavilion Theatre in the summer, Eva Rose and her band have their taken their soulful doleful blues folk across town, gathering plaudits like squirrels gather nuts. Instead of hibernating with them until Brighton audiences emerge from post-NYE detox, they headline Pubs Are Dead In January, a night celebrating all that is good – such as the lack of queues – about Brighton’s ‘quiet month’. London folk cabaret singer Jack Weissman supports. (AP)
THE XCERTS • Haunt Tues 17th Jan
They’ve supported Biffy Clyro, they’ve toured with Taking Back Sunday, they’ve opened for Manchester Orchestra – they’ve shared the bill with some of rock’s biggest names but now it’s their time to be the main act. Earlier in the year they made a big impact when their Great Escape slot resulted in a riotous show at The Pav Tav. Since then they’ve been back to the city for a freebie at The Haunt with Jumping Ships in September and now they return to the same venue, but you’ll have to pay this time. (AJM)
FOUR YEAR STRONG
Concorde 2 Weds 25th Jan
Hairy, Massachusetts-born pop punk outfit Four Year Strong are returning to the UK to tour the long awaited new album, ‘In Some Way, Shape Or Form’. After removing synthesizers from their sound, and therefore their fifth band member, the now four-piece’s new sound has been stripped down to raw pop punk, with a mix of hardcore, aptly known as beardcore. Go and see, or face their hirsute wrath. (LJ)
CANTERBURY Hydrant Sat 28th Jan
On their first UK headline tour in a while, Surrey’s Canterbury head south again to win us over with their brand of melodic pop rock, combining fast-paced drums, synthesizers, catchy guitar riffs, and two angelic-voiced vocalists. Having supported the likes of You Me At Six and The Blackout, the well-baited hooks of this hugely energetic band will get any audience dancing, be it as an opening support act or headliners. They look set to be a huge hit in 2012, so definitely worth seeing in such a small venue. (LJ)
ROOTS MANUVA
Concorde 2 Tues 31st Jan
Rodney ‘Roots Manuva’ Smith is one of British hip hop’s finest and most impressive musicians, and anyone who disagrees with that statement needs to sit down and listen again. Properly, this time. His dub-heavy, deep-voiced raps are distinctly unique, and have clearly influenced the charts today, not to mention been the soundtrack to many a smoky late night stoner fest. His eighth studio album ‘4everevolution’ cements his style as a British icon, complete with a track battering the NHS. (JMM)
WORDS BY CHRIS BIGGS, NICK COQUET, JAKE CUNNINGHAM, BEN GILBERT, STUART HUGGETT, LIZZI HART, JAMES KENDALL, JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE, AMY JO MCLELLAN, KATHERINE MULRANEY, HELEN MURDOCH, HAYLEY PEARCE, ADAM PETERS