ZYGOTIC FUNKY
We all know the Hare and Hounds pub has had its ups and downs in the past musically. However, under new management and promoters the Zygote Collective, the wheels of change have been set in motion! Upstairs is being transformed from its current musty state into a shiny new venue upstairs and new PA to boot. Zygote Collective have an ear for the left-field and experimental, with Drum Eyes, Ümlaut and Hind Ear set to play in the coming months.
OOPS! OH MY
Those in the North-Laine-know will possibly already be aware of Oops!, a small independent fashion label and studio. Traditional tweeds and jerseys with bright African prints, hand-dyed silks and vintage fabrics, there’s a definite emphasis on multifunctionalism in the garments. Emily Bosence, the label’s head honcho, is looking for collaborators to push the creativity into new directions, so up and coming talents from the worlds of photographers, designers, illustrators, rappers or even choirs should get emailing at [email protected]
BEAUTIFUL MINDS
If there’s one thing most people agree on with regard to mental health issues in young people, it’s that there’s an inclination to brush it all under the carpet. An illness like any other, there’s still too much of a tendency to stigmatise sufferers, so it’s a good thing that Hove YMCA and Mind in Brighton & Hove have come together to create experienceinmind.co.uk, a new website dedicated to all areas of mental health issues. From reaching out to those in need of help to educating volunteers, this has to be a good thing.
NONE MORE BLACK
Mammoths, according to history and that, were large, hairy types who didn’t keep apace with emerging civilisation and died out. So it’s with a presumed keen sense of humour that Mammothfest is the name of Brighton’s new metal festival, with a launch party at Hector’s House on Saturday 5th. L’esprit du clan, Godsized, Blind Eye Fury, HTBM, Lithurgy, Swallowing Shotguns and loads more of the best local metal bands from 2009 will be gracing the stage from 1pm, and it’s only four quid to get in. Brighton’s metal scene just keeps getting bigger; see what all the fuss is about.
ALL TIME EXTRA TIME
The good people of All Time Top 100 are going on some extra-curricular manoeuvres over the festive period, as well as upping sticks to a new venue. It’s bye bye Globe and hello Thomas Kemp (on St Georges Road in Hove) for their monthly nights – the music policy stays the same, with guest DJs like Kirk Brandon and Pete Wiggs this year spinning their favourites. The Kemp is hosting the ATT100 Christmas Party on Friday 18th with a line-up of local DJs, and the Fortune of War has the honour of their New Year’s Eve party. Catch the ATT100 radio show on radioreverb.com 97.2FM every other Thursday from 9-10pm.
OLD SCHOOL SPOOL
Here’s a couple of nice new items on the local horizon that could end up filling a gift-shaped hole for someone – especially if they’re a bit of a film buff who’s more at home at the Duke Of York’s than the Cineworld. Back Row Brighton is a memoir to movie going from yesteryear, when practically every street had its own cinema and bingo was a far-off prospect of greedy granny grappling. Accompanying the book is a Lost Cinemas Of Brighton & Hove 2010 calendar, with then-and-now pictures of lost establishments. Borders and Waterstones are obvious first-try purchase points.
BOW TIE’S NOT A NO-NO TIE
Rag & Bone is one of the most innovative boutique gallery spaces we’ve seen, literally like walking onto a film set. They run a really cool business concept there, with the contributing designers working shifts in the shop themselves instead of losing big chunks of commission on sales. Brett le Bratt is our favourite new designer in there, striving to make the bow tie an accessible and contemporary fashion item again, with a younger, definitely non-antique shop owner image. A series of foppish and dandy styles together with more art-based designs with layered silk flowers and leather-look rubber can be ordered alongside Brett’s bespoke shirt designs for a completely one-off look.
AKA IS SPECIAL
Life is putting Mondays on the dubstep map with new night Aka Aka Roar pushing the progressive buttons, with fans of the past, present and future developments the genre has to offer. Funkstep, future garage, melodic dub – whatever you want to call it the Aka people love it and want you on board. This is obviously one of many dubstep nights the city has to offer but it sounds like an altogether more discerning night for the connoisseur. Kicking proceedings off on January 11th is Bristolian legend and Skull Disco co-founder Appleblim.
ROBOTS TAKE SAN FRAN
Like a benevolent dance music puppet-master, Pop Musik resident Eddie Goatboy is serving up not one but two excellent nights, both kicking off this month. First is the robo-clad synth fest that is Robot Rock, every Wednesday at Coalition, which spans the gap between the first wave of 80s synth pop and the current crop of remix royalty and keyboard kings. Next up is San Frandisco, another cross-generational dance party, marrying today’s nu disco cool with the golden era of flashing-dancefloor Chic – this time at the Funky Buddha every Tuesday.
WORDS BY MATT BARKER, NICK COQUET, LYDIA STOCKBRIDGE
