Great Escape Line-up
It’s the most exciting weekend in Brighton’s musical year and The Great Escape looks like being every bit as cutting edge and interesting as ever before. They’re filling more than 30 venues with bands as diverse as the dreamy Unknown Mortal Orchestra, neo-r&b outfit AlunaGeorge and the euphoric synth pop of Chvrches. Bastille are the first of the big Dome shows announced. TGE takes over the city from 16th-18th May and you can see the line-up here.
Hip Hop Workshop
Brighton-based music charity AudioActive are putting on another Hip Hop Foundation, a series of free weekly workshops starting in March and running throughout the year. If you’re young and want to learn about rap, music production, live looping, collaboration or performance skills, have a look on the website audioactive.org.uk. Hip-pop princes Rizzle Kicks started out on the programme and play a one-off AudioActive benefit gig at the Dome on Weds 27th.
Young Pride
National Student Pride comes to Brighton from Fri 1st – Sun 3rd, for a weekend of entertainment, networking and support aimed at the city’s LGBT youth. Events include a meet-up with live music in the Dome foyer on Saturday afternoon, with a club night featuring The X Factor’s Lucy Spraggan in the Corn Exchange that evening, plus an LGBT pub crawl and plenty more clubbing at Revenge, Charles Street and Legends across the weekend. See studentpride.co.uk for details.
Let There Be Light
With construction work underway on the new skatepark at The Level, Brighton’s skate community are hoping to raise extra cash to put floodlights in. A fundraising gig takes place at the Latest MusicBar on Fri 1st, with music from Dub Organiser, DJs including Roots Garden and DJ Format, raffles and merch and a chance to take a close look at the new Level plans. Admission is £5, with all proceeds going to the lighting fund.
It Came From Africa
An exciting first for the city this month: Afriganza! is a four day extravaganza of African sounds and culture at the Blind Tiger, across Thurs 14th – Sun 17th. Music comes from African bands and afro-inspired UK artists, embracing everything from Congolese soukous to electronica infused with Nigerian funk. Highlights include Egypt 80 member Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Orchestra, Brighton’s resident Gambian kora king Jali Mbye and electronic producer Bass Clef. Art, films, dance and drumming workshops and a spot of grub ought to keep everyone happy.
Veg Out
The nation’s vegans can rightfully get on their high-horses over the current Dobbinburger scandal, so it’s perfect timing for the Hove Centre’s annual plant munchers’ jamboree. Vegfest is a great excuse to fill your non-leather boots with an array of tasty free samples and discounted goodies while brushing up on animal rights issues. There’s also kids’ entertainment, music and comedy, headlined by Sara Pascoe and Andrew O’Neil. Vegfest runs across Sat 16th & Sun 17th, admission free.
Hope For Lido
Just as we’re emerging from another dreary winter comes this splendid news: the iconic Saltdean Lido has gone to tender. The previous leaseholder had plans to partially fill in the pool and build 102 flats, but campaigners are now bidding to take control of the site for another 50 years and bring the much loved lido back into use. Dig out your bathing suits, don those cats’ eye shades and keep your fingers crossed.
Words by Steve Clements, Nathaniel Forrester, Stuart Huggett, James Kendall, Jessica Marshall McHattie
