SOURCE NEW MUSIC
Putting on even just one gig a year exhausts us and gives us so much appreciation of the hardworking promoters in this town. But we really want to share all the amazing bands we hear, so when the Dome crew asked us to help out with their monthly new bands night at the Pavilion Theatre we couldn’t say no. It’s a win win situation for all concerned – the bands get to play on a decent stage with great acoustics ideal for professional showcasing, and we get to get behind them beyond the pages of the mag. SOURCE New Music starts monthly on Wednesday 8th with the return of Gloria Cycles’ bassist Jennifer Left (pictured), now a delicate solo singer. She’s performing alongside Apples & Eve, whose quiet, spooky yet seductive jazz folk grooves won them many fans at The Great Escape.
EAST COMES TO THE SOUTH
Brighton’s annual celebration of all things Japanese looks like a winner this year, with live bands and singers, sushi-making classes, vintage art shows, origami puppets, films, and anime. The festival ‘hub’ is outside Moshi Moshi, with nightly live music and a weeklong festival vibe including stalls, food stands and impromptu performances. Whether you’re a well-established Japanophile, or just quite like the idea of trying out some raw fish and strange liquors, you’re in for a treat. It runs from Saturday 18th – see brightonjapan.com for details.
SPORT FEST
If you have sporting ambitions but a dull imagination, the TAKEPART Brighton & Hove Festival Of Sport might show you something new. Over 80 different sports and activities are on hand for you to try – from yoga and tai chi to mountain boarding and canoeing, there’s something for all ages and abilities. The opening event is on Saturday 25th in Preston Park, with more than 15 activity zones to tempt even the most pallid-skinned couch potato. Duncan Goodhew and Sally Gunnell are also there to satisfy your Olympian-gawp requirements.
RADIO PLUG
Radio Reverb 97.2FM is Brighton’s only community radio station on the FM dial, and they’re looking for new programme ideas for their expanding roster. From five-minute shorts to specialist music and live magazine shows with the potential for pretty much everything in between, you could be making radio in Brighton, for Brighton. It’s easier than you’d think to do at home with just a free Audacity download and iTunes, or you could use the Reverb studios – visit the website at radioreverb.com for information on how to get involved.
SUSSEX VARIETY SHOW
The Green Door Store is hosting a new event called Sussex Showcase on Wednesday 15th, taking the concept of a live gig and adding a varied mixture of creative local talent. The Brighton Sausage Company are running a barbecue from 5pm, the Handmade Co-Operative have a pop-up shop and there are exhibitions of work from local artists and illustrators. The music kicks in at 7.30 and features sets from Blind Eyes, the Susie Clark Collective and Faye Houston. It’s a nice idea that shows off our city’s creative quality in a great setting – just what we’re about.
FAIR CORP, GUV
The Fair Corporation is a thriving local business, online at thefaircorp.com, offering fair trade everything – from condoms to footballs with some pretty snazzy footwear somewhere in between. They’ve been involved in sourcing planet-and-people-friendly goods for over 30 years now, so are pretty good at spotting both a good design and a good deal for the supplier. We like them for that, and we like that they’re offering the SOURCE reader a 15% discount on footwear, from wellies to trainers and flip flops, to polish up your festival season wardrobe. Use the code SOURCE11 at the website checkout, until June 30th.
WORDS BY NICK COQUET, JAMES KENDALL, JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE