Brighton after dark: 15 April 2014

Sade Ali takes another lick of the lollipop

So here I go again with another review of Lollipop’s return. Brighton’s most loved urban night yet again re-launched on 4 April. After years of being messed around and moving from club to club it looks like Lollipop has found its final destination. Over the past few years the night has built an incredibly loyal following of people who share a genuine love and passion for the sounds of R’n’B, Bashment, hip-hop and most of all Afrobeats!

Lollipop’s crowd are not just out to rave and get drunk. They go out to enjoy the vibe, the music and the company. Plus, I have to say, the talent level of dancing in Lollipop is way higher than any other night in Brighton. With new management, new door staff, new venue and a brand new design, it was either going to be a complete success or a miserable fail. The doors opened at 11pm and I was there ready to go! 12 o’clock came and there were still only a few people in the club. As soon as 1 o’clock came, that was it. People were piling in and it felt just like old Lollipop times. DJ Elzih, Lollipop’s resident DJ, had the crowd on their feet all night long! Even some of the old Lollipop regulars who no longer live in Brighton travelled down just for the re-launch. Im happy to say that The bermuda Triangle club will now be Lollipop’s new home once a month and hopefully this time for good!

Open mic night!
I can now reveal that the open mic night I shared a bit of gossip about last week is infact going to be held at 24 Karat Club! (just up from the Clock Tower). Deftone Media, a brand new promotions company in Brighton will be hosting a competition for singers, rappers and bands. I even hear that there will be a cash prize for the winner. The thing that most attracts me to this night is that it’s not just an open mic night. It’s an open mic night on one floor with live music and downstairs is a club night that plays everything form garage to reggae! So you can enjoy the live performances and then get wasted downstairs after. Being a bank holiday weekend I’m sure that’s what we’ve all got in mind!

Follow: @SadeAli

Brighton Noise
Oli Knowles on the week’s best gigs

There are plenty of musical treats this week, many of which include some of Brighton’s finest upcoming acts. Wednesday’s highlights sit uneasily at the opposite end of the noise spectrum. Garage riff monsters Death Pedals take the stage at Sticky Mike’s alongside another formidable Brighton force, Vincent Vocoder Voice. These bands will challenge you to the point of blissfully chaotic enlightenment.

Anyone who likes an eclectic bill should wander down to The Green Door Store early on Thursday for a mixture of heart-wrenching post-hardcore, intensely emotive indie and moody synth-pop, courtesy of Seahaven, Nai Harvest and Leed’s Battle Lines, respectively.

Canadian punkers, Comeback Kid, return to the touring circuit after a short hiatus in support of their first recording in four years, Die Knowing. Catch them at Audio on Friday if early noughties hardcore and sweaty mosh pits are your thing.

If you’ve blown most of your gig budget on the aforementioned shows but haven’t quenched your thirst for new live noises then fear not. No-fi indie fuzz enthusiast, Eugene Quell is playing his debut show, and EP launch, at The Hope on Saturday night for a ticket that’ll cost you less than a pint (lager, not milk). Having given away his debut EP on 1 January 2014, Eugene Quell has turned many heads with his charming brand of infectious grunge. Said EP is now getting a physical release on 21 April via Sonic Anhedonic Recording Company. He has ignited nostalgic flames in critics, tastemakers and listeners and been compared to Thee Oh Sees, Nirvana, The Lemonheads and The Eels, but there’s no denying that Eugene Quell is a gloriously refreshing sound at a time when 90’s alternative fever envelopes the globe in waves of mediocrity. Catch him with label buddy, Chalk, and the brand new band from former members of Krill, Brunch, for £3. That’s the actual price so there’s no excuse not to come down and get your fuzz on.

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