TESCO WITHDRAW
In a massive victory for common sense and an affirmation of the power of public protest, Tesco have sensationally abandoned plans to open their 13th Brighton & Hove store on the site of the former Lewes Road Community Garden. A few weeks ago things were certainly looking bleak for the opposition – a 2am raid by the developers had flattened the site by daybreak, its floral demeanour replaced by imposing fencing and the occupying protesters removed. But since then the strength of the uproar against the development plans seem to have sunk in with the supermarket giant. Fearful of lasting brand damage in a city whose customers they rely on to support their many existing shops, they’ve gone away with their tail between their legs. Now of course the question remains – what’s to become of the site? The campaign against the Tesco development had told us they’d confirmed sufficient sponsorship support to secure the land themselves, paving the way for affordable housing and independently owned retail units, but it would seem more likely that the development will continue more or less as planned. While Tesco are no longer in contention for the space, planning permission for the build is presumably in fairly advanced stages and the developers will in turn presumably want a quick resolution to their newly lost leaseholders. But while it may well turn out to be something of a hollow victory depending on who ends up cutting the ribbon, we shouldn’t underestimate the power of the people – SOURCE doffs its hat to everyone who made the garden happen and stuck with it through thick and thin. So who’s next?
BEAUTY BALLS-UPS
There’s nothing funnier than when a mate’s trying to cheer themselves up with a beauty treatment or a new hairdo and it goes tits up. Or they come home with a tattoo and the spelling’s all wonky. Or they go for a relaxing massage and lose an eye or something. With the obvious comedy potential of this in mind, as well as the social conscience of future disaster prevention, TV company Optomen Television are putting together a cavalcade of salon catastrophes for us to point and laugh at. If you want to warn the world about your own agoraphobia-prompting results, email [email protected] and get yourself on the telly.
CLASSICAL MASH-UP
This is always a slightly crazy sounding event – on their own the audiences for classical, folk, jazz and world music are a piece of work, but throw them all together and it’s cultural carnage akin to the mods and rockers of 1964. The Brighton Early Music Festival does just that though, and this autumn’s outing, beginning on Friday 22nd, promises performances around the central theme of Ritual, with performances based around marriage, religion and death and stuff. Go to bremf.org.uk for the full skinny on the fest.
RECORD MILESTONES
Brighton certainly has its fair share of record labels – around 80 at the last count we think. Most are one-person bedroom affairs, but two of the bigger names have coincidentally just hit something of a major milestone in their catalogue. Skint release their 200th record, a storming JFB remix of Fatboy’s Right Here Right Now and FatCat notch up their 100th album release with Maps & Atlases – both reviewed in this month’s Critic section. Good work, local label fellas!
GET A ROOM, BOOKWORM
Normally the Hotel Pelirocco concerns itself with more hedonistic pursuits than book-learning, but they’re running a season of live literature events as a kind of carbon offset equivalent for booze and bad behaviour. This month, on Sunday 10th, Australian novelist MJ Hyland is there, reading from her latest novel ‘This Is How’ and talking about writing books and that. She’s backed up by local authors Matthew Loukes and Martine McDonagh and there’s a raffle to win bookish prizes.
EYES DOWN FOR A FULL FUCKING HOUSE
If the actual idea of bingo appeals to you – you know, crossing out the numbers and winning a bunch of prizes – but you’re put off by the aura of despair, false hope and futility that inhabits its traditional venues, then Underground Rebel Bingo is for you. ‘No old people, no boring people and no wankers’ are their three golden rules, and they’re more than made up for by loud music, shouting and swearing. And people scribbling on each other with pens like pesky kids in the back of a car. It’s coming back to Brighton on Wednesday 13th, the venue’s a secret at the moment but go to rebelbingo.com to find out how and where.
PLOD FILM IN EVIDENCE
Saturday 2nd sees the Odeon cinema screening a short film made by, wait for it, members of Sussex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Making a nice change from being filmed pushing folk over at demos, they’ve been filmed properly acting and that, in a piece called Yule. It’s a spooky tale of a weird village where the inhabitants celebrate Christmas every single day. Profits from the screening go to the Sussex Police Charitable Trusts, which it seems helps cops out when they hit the skids.
DRUIDS ARMS FOR AIRSTRIKES
Nice Weather For Airstrikes make it their daily business to promote the cause of post rock to the masses – indeed their previous forays into the post rock realm have seen live events in Portsmouth, Chichester and London as well as Brighton. Saturday 16th has them scheduling an all-dayer at the Druids Arms, with a bill of post rock, shoegaze, math and experimental acoustics beginning at 4pm. The local, national and international exponents of these rarified genres should be announced by the time you read this – go to niceweatherforairstrikes.co.uk for confirmation and stage times.
OXJAM TAKEOVER
Oxfam take over the city for the month of October to jam (musically speaking) for beehives to be sent to the Honduras, amongst other charitable things. Tomorrow, Saturday 17th sees the Brighton Blast group raising money on their first birthday at the Sidewinder, accompanied with music, bbq, competitions and games; donations welcome. Tuesday 19th the Big Brighton Buskathon takes place in the Pavilion gardens, continuing at the Western Front later in the evening. Expect some familiar faces laying down their caps.
TELEGRAPHS ARE NO MORE
After five years on the road, The Telegraphs have decided to put the brakes on their time together. It’s always seems that the tricky second album can make or break a band, and unfortunately, due to a lack of funds for the foreseeable future, they decided to call time. They split on a high though, playing their last ever show at this year’s Bestival, and continuing their musical pursuits, with Sam now drumming for Eager Teeth, too. Those who pine for what once was should look out for their soon to be released album of demos The Light From Dead Stars.
EPIC FILM
A real turnaround for the books, EPIC is the first British-made documentary focusing on the audience, not the bands, as the great heroes of live music. With the opinion of watching a band play live as a near-religious experience, an obsession, or simply just having to work at the venue, the EPIC crew are on the lookout for gig-goers with those kinds of passions to come and take part in the film. Email them at [email protected] and get your 15 minutes.
DONKY PITCH
Brighton’s purveyors of all things skweee, wonk, and everything in between are bringing it to the mainstream. They’ll be launching the Donky Pitch label and new residency at Jam on Saturday 23rd ; with a 12″ EP release already on the way, due out Monday 1st November. Featuring major playas of the niche scene, Slugabed, Ghost Mutt and remixes from Mweslee, get your hands on a piece of history as the hip hop swung, 8-bit bass sub-genre enters a new era.
CONTACT PUBLISHING
If writing’s your bag, put your pen down and get a load of this – Contact Publishing are offering £1,000 and a three book publishing deal to the winner of their competition for aspiring writers. Writers must submit a plot synopsis, character sample and outline of the mini-series, around the loose theme of suspense, although fantasy and horror fans need not apply. Authors will then be shortlisted for the grand prize, with 60 days to complete the 40,000 word challenge.
RESIDENT INSTORE GIGS
So many releases, so little time. Maps & Atlases will be gracing us with their presence this month when they will be performing an acoustic set instore at Resident Friday 8th, supporting the release of their album, Perch Patchworks, out now. A limited edition 7″ release from The Bees sees them paying a musical instore visit as well Monday 4th October, and The Strange Death Of Liberal England will be popping in Tues 2nd November in support of their positively-titled album Drown Your Heart Again, on CD and digital download.
WORDS BY NICK COQUET, LYDIA STOCKBRIDGE
