THE STASH
Jam Sat 7th
It’s hard to believe that The Stash has been showcasing the best of Brighton’s whippersnapper bands for five years now, so fresh is their approach to hunting out unsigned talent. Now moved to Jam, Al and Robbie will be spinning tunes and presenting Rob The Rich, Amity and The Wellingtons this month. The former have a huge buzz about them, which you can read about in the Critic section. (JK)
FAKE BLOOD
Digital Thurs 12th
There’s always lots of rumours about Fake Blood, but we’d heard a while back that he was going back to his old alias (we think it’s still supposed to be a secret, but you can read who he is on Wikipedia). No sign of that, and a remixes of Mars imminent, so hopefully we’ve got more aggressive electro nastiness that’s full of ideas. Much as we like Hervé and Sinden and the like, Fake Blood really is the boss. (JK)
TRAILER TRASH
Komedia Fri 13th
In the list of coolest things in the world right now (what you didn’t know there was a list? It’s right there on the web), No.1 is zombies and No.2 is vampires. And as True Blood develops on Channel 4 that’s only going to get more so. Great timing then for Kitty Peels’ Vampires Vs Zombies night of “neo-cabaret, fire hula, aerial and sideshow burlesque live acts”. She’s joined by Anna Hulagan and Baby Bones, while Rosy Carrick, Dave Grinnel and Dirt Dom provide a soundtrack of dirty electro, alt. rock, vaudeville swing and punk metal. Bloody marvellous. (JK)
NORMAN JAY/MR SCRUFF
Digital Sat 14th/Sun 22nd
Good party tunes never go out of style, and Norman Jay and Mr Scruff have been trotting up and down the country, not caring about musical styles, for years now. We haven’t seen either for a while now but expect – hope – that they’re both still ploughing that girl-friendly, good time grooves. Hell, Norman Jay was inducted into the royal family for it. Or something. (JK)
BONOBO
Coalition Fri 13th
Fresh off his American tour, Simon Green pops into his old hometown for a bit of action behind the decks. He’s always welcome here, especially when he’s got a new album of tracks to preview. The Keeper has been his biggest track for ages – including up a Single Of The Week on Clash’s website – so we’re very excited to hear how he’s twisted his relaxed, jazz-tipped grooves now. (JK)
ROCK IDOL
Lectern Weds 18th
If you’ve ever fancied being an actual rock star in an actual rock club fronting an actual rock band, you won’t want to be pissing about with these computer games pretending to be in the Beatles with a crappy plastic pretend guitar. Rock Idol lets you live the dream, with a proper band who know loads of rock songs, that you can get on stage with and give it some. They’ve been a hit on the corporate circuit playing parties for Big Brother and XFM, and now they’re hitting Brighton. Groupies not included. (NC)
NOVEMBER SPAWNED A MOZZER
The Loft Fri 20th
With Morrissey’s gigs averaging at 30 quid a pop, NSAM provides the perfect alternative for cash-strapped lovers of the quiffed one. Dance your legs down to the knees as DJs Some Girls play all your favourite Smiths tracks, wave a gladiolus at a life-size projection of your hero or worship unashamedly at the official Mozzer shrine. Cakes iced with lyrics and even Morrissey bunting all feature in this affectionate tribute, which has drawn a loyal following since 2004. The angst-ridden are particularly welcome, and fancy dress – girlfriend in a coma, anyone? – is encouraged. (CB)
POP MUSIK LIVE
Coalition Sat 21st
As if the main club night wasn’t enough, Dynamite Sal’s insanely popular night of good time music now adds an earlier live element. And what a debut. Heels Catch Fire bring their complicated heavy indie, The Half Sisters are sure to delight with their joyous post-folk, and Achilles explode with modern rock. If you’ve got the energy then you can stay for the club night – staring our own Mattatat, with Eddie The Goatboy – for gratis. (JK)
THE BAYS
Concorde 2 Tues 27th
Performance is the product with this improvised dance music troupe, who in the past have blown the faces of many an audience member, including ours, with their impressively unrehearsed live shows at Playgroup and elsewhere. But being improvised, they feed from the atmosphere and mood so you really could get anything. With their talent to encompass and engross many genres it will more than likely be something spectacular. The only way, literally, to hear The Bays is to see them live. (AS)
TODD TERJE
Audio Fri 27th
What is it about Norwegians that have made them so good at super-cool disco? Following Prins Thomas and Lindsrom, Todd Terje is set to be a big star, although he doesn’t head as deeply down the space disco route as some – even headlining for Hed Kandi at Space last month. He’s joined by Dan Beaumont from über-hip London club Disco Bloodbath, who’s hot enough himself that he was nominated for best newcomer at the DJmag Best Of British Awards. If you wanted to catch him in London, you’d be sharing him with a decent-sized warehouse full of people. (JK)
JERRY BOUTHIER
Audio Sat 28th
The former Parisian has well and truly left BoomBox behind now. What do you mean you missed it? It was the most fashionable party of new rave electro, full of models, drag queens and Kylie. It was ace. Apparently. We missed it too. Now the Kitsuné DJ splits his time between spinning in his place of birth and his London hometown. SOURCE’s manager played with him at the old Water Margin and he was good, though no one seemed to know who he was. Fashion is fickle. (JK)
WORDS BY Colette Bernhardt, Nick Coquet, James Kendall, Adam Standt
Photo by Abigail Horn and Claire Griffiths