We’d never noticed before but the numbers on the doors at the Green Door Store are two, three and four. Combine those digits, Carol Vorderman style, and you end up with the title of this weekend-long celebration of the Brighton scene. With 20 of the region’s finest bands on offer, plus guest headliners Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs and The Xcerts, this would already count as unmissable, but then they’ve only gone and made it free entry too. Here’s our guide to two days of the new musical generation.
Animal Language
Still to release their first demos, cerebral guitar group Animal Language surfaced late last year from the remains of choppy indiepoppers The Vaudeville.
Birkwin Jersey
The sole venture of musician Graeme Coop, Birkwin Jersey assemble beat-driven collages of samples, vocal fragments and acoustic instrumental snatches. Folktronica, as it was once awkwardly called.
Charlie Boyer And The Voyeurs
Following the demise of his band Electricity In Our Homes, Charlie Boyer struck lucky quick, bagging a deal with Heavenly off the back of a bundle of supports for fellow motorik enthusiasts Toy. The Voyeurs bring organ-driven punk psychedelia in the Velvets/Modern Lovers vein for their Saturday night headline.
Demob Happy
Grunge kids Demob Happy caused quite a stir this spring with their finely poised single ‘Wash It Down’, then hit the news when they caused the floor to collapse at a rather too lively house party gig. Whoops.
Faux Flux
Stomping and clomping electronic pop from producer Alex Ensoll, whose analogue-rich sounds are underpinned live by drummer Demelza Mather. The pair’s bright new EP ‘Come Alive’ was released just last month.
Foreign Skin
Lush ambient electronica from Hong Kong-born Brighton producer Flavia Aliverti. Foreign Skin’s intricate compositions are frequently airy, delicate and beautiful.
GAPS
Echoing, ethereal dreampop duo of reunited schoolfriends Rachel Butt and Ed Critchley, currently picking up a lot of attention thanks to their debut 7” ‘Keep You’ for Sexbeat.
The Hundredth Anniversary
Stately, luminous guitar pop, topped by the sighing vocals of Eleanor Rudge. Fittingly, this spring’s debut 7” ‘The Jump’ was limited to 100 copies. Yes, it’s sold out.
I Like The Go Go
Stupidly enjoyable trash duo Benn and Ross Go Go lace their ace garage sound with a dose of seaside humour and buckets of fuzz. I Like The Go Go and so does your mum.
Kill Moon
Initially gigging as What’s Your Vice?, the stylish Kill Moon play glittering gothic pop and release their new single ‘Black & Blue’ later this month.
The New Union
Epic, keyboad-led pop quartet, who balance yearning understatement with flashes of chest-beating grandeur. Currently doing quite nicely with a pair of singles on Two Sisters Records.
Ed Prosek
A Californian singer-songwriter now living in Brighton, you’ll likely have heard Ed Prosek already, after his cover of ‘Homeward Bound’ soundtracked a cheese ad last year. His sensitive folk EP ‘Willow Tree’ is out soon.
Shudder Pulps
Evolving from the latterday line-up of underground darlings Epideme, Shudder Pulps are a driving, minimalist post-punk trio with a Faux Discx 7” in the pipeline.
Spit Shake Sisters
Psychedelic in the heavy American way, Spit Shake Sisters bow down at the altar of Roky Erikson and Iggy Pop, piling on the garage splurge of modern scuzz rockers Ty Segall and White Fence. Dirty fun.
Telegram
Stupidly hot right now (they recorded a Marc Riley session before they’d done a gig or released a demo), it’s no surprise to find Telegram are mates with Toy, The Horrors and Charlie Boyer. Shady pasts in art school covers band Proxy Music influence their energetic punk glam hybrid.
Tigercub
Growly grungepop trio, fresh off a nationwide tour with Dinosaur Pile-Up last month. Trustworthy Tom Robinson recently picked up their ‘Centrefold’ demo for his 6 Music show.
Tyrannosaurus Dead
Fuzzy-edged super-melodic girl-boy indiepop with a big, bright 12” EP out on the delightful Odd Box Records. Music to grow your fringe to.
Theo Verney
Heavy sludge surf and blues from Mr Verney and pals, soaked in Mary Chain gloom. His debut ‘T.V. E.P’ can be found on cassette via Italian Beach Babes records.
Wild Cat Strike
Fabulously crunchy math rock band Wild Cat Strike manage the neat feat of fitting their complex riff structures around some smart and catchy songwriting, as evinced by their fine, excellently titled EP ‘Shout At Satan’.
Written In Waters
Humongous, progressive, operatic metal, fronted by the powerhouse vocals of the endearing Beth Cannon. Written In Waters’ self-titled album is truly a storm in heaven.
The Xcerts
Originally from Aberdeen, noise rock trio The Xcerts made their name once they’d moved down here and immersed themselves in the Brighton scene. Following two albums for Xtra Mile and a European tour with Biffy Clyro, they return to close the festival on Sunday.
Green Door Store, Sat 3rd – Sun 4th
