PRJCT MYHM Jam Fri 9th
We just love these vowel dodgers and have seen a new side to them over the last couple of months when we met one of their lovely mums and another professed a love of Bonobo’s music. Don’t tell anyone though. On stage they’re complete hooligans – musically we mean. Dubstep beats that need a good wash and rhymes that are just as filthy. ‘Easy Sex’ could have made our Six Of The Best this month, but they’re a long way from being one trick ponies. There’s a really depth to what they do. This show is for their excellent Booty Galaxy empire and also stars the promisingly named Brown Noise. (JK)
BUTCH Audio Fri 2nd
It’s the Minimal Kids’ 1st birthday and they’re growing up to be quite a movement. With over 2,500 Facebook fans, photos that make your mouth water and now they’ve hooked up with Butch it’s obvious why Audio never fails to throb on their nights. Butch has been getting his global jet-set on and doesn’t forget the UK, bringing his tech house and deep progressive grooves to Brighton’s shore for an evening of minimalism that’s bound to be big. (ZC)
LOLA LO Sat 3rd
Regulars at Po Na Na on East Street might be confused to see a new name over the door – it’s reopening this weekend as Lola Lo. Contemporary beats and credible club classics form the soundtrack to you getting the ride side of some South Pacific-style cocktails, rums and champagne. If you’re looking for a summery early doors start to your night out, this looks like a good bet. Although you might not end up leaving in time to go anywhere else. (NC)
HAT CLUB Honey Club Sat 3rd
The Honey Club are excited about the return of the Hat Club, describing it as being back in it’s spiritual home. And why not – the big venue really suits the night and with a crowd that likes to dress up the hats ought to be entertaining on their own merits. If that’s not enough the excellent Oliver Lang is providing the tunes in the main room. By the way, you can buy hats on the door but they’re encouraged not compulsory. We’d be more draconian. (JK)
TIMO MAAS & THE JAPANESE POPSTARS Coalition Sat 3rd
Timo Maas has turned his back on his pop star past and joined forces with Santos for a new experimental form of music that’s showing up on Sven Vath’s Cocoon imprint. Proper techno then, with ‘Jetstream’ hitting No.2 in that chart on Beatport. He’s going to need some bangers to follow the excellent stadium dance of The Japanese Popstars. They’ve got a whole new album to draw from. We’ve not heard it yet but we’re pretty excited. They probably rocked that festival you went to. If not they’ll rock one this year. (JK)
POP KRAFT Hanbury Sat 10th
While all around him are buried in tech house, glitch and dubstep, Boogaloo Stu continues to revel in the glorious plasticity of unashamed pop. Despite nods to credible chart fare like MIA and Marina, Stu revels in what some call the guilty pleasures of Britney and Girls Aloud. Hey, if you like it, celebrate it – don’t feel guilty. We evangelise about S Club’s ‘Don’t Stop Moving’ and know every word of ‘Wham! Rap’ and we don’t care who knows it. (NC)
JOEY NEGRO Digital Sat 10th
Dave Lee has adopted many an alias for over two decades at the forefront of the international dance scene. Under pseudonyms like Jakatta, The Sunburst Band and Z Factor he’s released countless productions, some great albums and a generous dose of hit singles. His love for funk, soul and disco gives his tunes a blissful blend of past and present styles that you can’t help but move and shake to. There’s also support from Pablo Contraband and Marlon Mahroyan. (ZC)
JOHN 00 FLEMING Concorde Fri 16th
Coming home for a night in his hometown J00F is aiming to bring things back to the music. “I want to return the musical journey to the people,” he says, “in events devoid of props, pyrotechnics and faux VIPs, instead returning to a world where a DJ can musically breathe with extended sets and creative sounds.” Those sounds are trance, progressive and psi-trance, of course. John is programming the whole night, so expect some purity. (JK)
BURNS Digital Sat 17th
SOURCE cover star Burns doesn’t get to play here much cos he’s always being dragged off round the world. This is certainly the most exciting booking for Shades Rave so far, and with the Blah Blah Blah boys in tow it ought to go off. Surely readying his album by now, Burns will have plenty of new stuff to drop. With his way with melody, and an understanding of electro bottom ends, whether new tracks or favourites his tracks will be pretty accessible. There’s little doubt it’ll be an immense night. (JK)
CAGEDBABY Audio Sat 17th
With his new EP ‘Mercy Hump’, which is a proper ravey little anthem, Thomas Gandey’s night at Audio will be a fidgety house techno orgy of sexual proportions. The Brighton to Bordeaux boy’s ticked all the boxes over the past few years; Radio 1 Essential Mix, Ibiza on a regular, and well received remixes for the likes of Grace Jones, Editors and The Temper Trap. More recently he’s been buried in his studio so we can look forward to a wealth of nu disco material. (ZC)
SCHIZOTHEQUE Digital Fri 23rd
If you’ve been down to Schizotheque at Digital’s Micro ‘rave tunnel’ you’ll know why it’s outgrown its measly monthly scheduling ? it’s quickly become one of the city’s definitive nights out. So it’s only right and just that it’s gone weekly ? residents IDC, Drum Monkeys and King High giving up their Friday nights and persuading big-name DJ pals to do the same. The weekly launch on Friday 23rd features Beat Assassins, with further guests announced on the Facebook group page a week before the event.
MY SECRET DISCO Secret Location Sat 24th
Now this one seems pretty interesting. The guys behind the event are calling it “a magical all-day summer party at a secret outdoor location in the heart of Brighton.” We don’t know where it is so you’ll have to sign in to the mailing list at mysecretdisco.com to find out. We do know that Damon Martin from Disco Bloodbath is playing, alongside The Cosmonauts. There’s a theme (we don’t know, sorry) and it starts at noon so if you like Italo and spaced out disco it’s going to be a lot more fun than shopping. (JK)
SANDY RIVERA Coalition Sat 24th
A massive clear out of records chez SOURCE led to the rediscovery of pre-electro deep house. One of the finds was Kings Of Tomorrow’s vocal epic ‘Finally’ and another was the jabbing basslined ‘I Can’t Stop’ – both killer records from the hand of Sandy Rivera. Hey, he was good. To be completely honest we lost touch with him since his Defected mix album but he’s always judged the house music that’s right for the room. A torrid trip to Cardiff to see him five years ago proved that to us (don’t ask). (JK)
HYPE Concorde Sat 24th
DJ Zinc might have hit the crack [our lawyer want us to stress here that he’s making record in a self-proclaimed crack house genre not caning nasty drugs] but DJ Hype is still representing the tru playaz of drum’n’bass. He’s been around for as long as the genre so he doesn’t need a explanation here. But it’s worth pointing out that he’s joined by Camo and Krooked for this Devotion appearance. (JK)
CODE PRESENTS POPOF Audio Fri 30th
Audio has definitely got a thing for minimal techno this month and the last Friday of July hails a brand spanking new night called Code. Kicking things off as they mean to roll on they present POPOF, a French DJ whose rave party roots serve him well. His remix of John Starlight’s ‘Road Rage’ has a beautiful bounce and he’s currently delivering this seductive electro tech around the world. The promoters also promise the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Dubfire in the future. (ZC)
GREG WILSON King & Queen Fri 30th
Brighton loves Greg Wilson, and we’re pretty sure Greg loves us back. He keeps popping down to play at the very least – making up for lost time – and he’s selling out well in advance every time. The King & Queen is the kind of interesting venue we can see him working at. If you’re new to the electro funk master he plays the best 80s-flavoured, post-disco tunes but disappeared for a couple of decades before returning with the ace ‘Credit To The Edit’ series. A real prodigal son. (JK)
RORY PHILLIPS Audio Sat 31st
As Erol Alkan’s right-hand man at Trash and stepping into the limelight for its successor Durr, Rory Phillips ought to be fanfared into town like a god, but we’re not sure anyone even thought to ask him down to Brighton before. Certainly his profile seems higher abroad than here. Shame, cos he’s one of the best remixers around – understated, intelligent, innovative – and though we’ve never had the chance to hear him play he’s on our list of must-sees. Musically we’re expecting him to play a pretty broad selection, but he seems to like a bit of disco mixed with electro at the moment, like the rest of London. (JK)
WORDS BY ZAC COLBERT, NICK COQUET, JAMES KENDALL