Celebcity: The Great Escape

The Great Escape, Komedia’s 20th Anniversary, The Rose Hill Tavern, McBusted & Sophie Ellis Bextor

Great Escape line up
It’s countdown time again to one of the country’s major music festivals which is held right on our doorstep. Yes, of course I’m talking about the Great Escape, your chance to catch up on all those bands you’ve missed in the past year and to see the next big thing before it happens.

This year the Brighton Centre is getting involved and has been added to the 35 plus venues across the city taking part from May 8-10.

The acts just confirmed for their Syndicate Wing venue include Nothing But Thieves, NEØV, Little Matador, Jimi Goodwin, Albert Hammond Jnr, Alvvays, Marika Hackman, Blaenavon, Famy, Dry The River, Gnarwolves, The Xcerts, Sundara Karma, Young and Sick, Wet and MØT. No, me neither, but that’s the whole point about the Great Escape – broaden your horizons and discover something new.
The full festival line-up schedule and ticket information can be found at greatescapefestival.com

Komedia celebrations
The Komedia is holding a special 20th anniversary party at the Gardner Street venue on May 1. The Kalakuta Millionaires are performing and there’s sure to be many other surprises from the eclectic club’s illustrious line-ups from the past. It’s invitation only though, so if you haven’t had yours you might be stuck with your local morris dancers for entertainment on May Day… Twenty years? We remember when the Komedia used to be a funny old supermarket, before Dave Minns moved his fledgling Borderline records upstairs before then moving again to his permanent home just up the road. As well as running the shop, he used to promote a lot of great live blues and country music in town. Now he and partner Sian have just closed their lovely little shop. We wish them all the best on their future ventures.

Murder on the dance floor
Sophie Ellis Bextor didn’t disappoint at her low-key gig at the Concorde 2 last week. In a show of two halves the Strictly star has obviously learnt a thing or two about costume changes – starting off in a little red fairytale number before going all disco and changing halfway through into a sequinned leotard. There was murder on the dancefloor…

Rose Hill Tavern
One of Brighton’s best little pubs, The Rose Hill Tavern, just off Preston Circus is under threat from developers. It seems ironic that this 144-year-old green-tiled gem is under threat just as the area is on the up – have you been into the Hare And Hounds recently? Pop in to the Rose Hill for a pint and add your name to their call to register it as a community asset before another part of our heritage is lost forever.

Get Busted
Tickets are still available for the Frankenstein pop creation that is McBusted at the Brighton Centre for two nights on May 24 and 25. The group have just announced three huge outdoor shows later in the summer when they will be joined by The Backstreet Boys.

Ink_D Gallery
It’s your last chance to visit the Signs Of Light show at the Ink_d gallery which ends on Friday. Andy Doig’s brilliant Airing Your Dirty Laundry – neon undies on an imaginary washing line – are selling fast, and there’s also one-off pieces by the likes of Brighton’s own superstar artist Dan Baldwin, whose fans include TV presenter Holly Willoughby, whose husband is also called… Dan Baldwin.