August bank holiday: Spoiled for choice

Fun on the run: a shot from Playgroup

Okay, I’ll admit it: when I first got an inkling about Beachdown going kapput on Tuesday night I wasn’t at all gutted. Call me a scrooge, but I didn’t fancy forking out to go rough it on the Downs just so I could spend two or three days watching my friends get munted in the same way they do every weekend.

Bands? What bands? Yeah, you get my drift.

Living in Brighton, with the dirty pebbled beach right on our backdoor, life feels like a permanent camping blowout anyways .

So with no great plans to crush like human-sized jenga construction made of shreddies, this weekend’s musical lineup is like manna from heaven. Oh what, all of the bands that can’t play at Beachdown are now playing in town? Perfect.

Just in case you’re stuck for a plan, here are the biggest and bravest of the choice for your musical pleasure.

FRIDAY:

Playgroup take over Hector’s House for their own mini-festival Funk Beachdown, sharing their festival-tinged love to masses, who will no doubt be streaked with face paint and come bearing straw strategically placed in hair.  It’s free fun.

They’re throwing the doors open at 4pm, just in case you don’t work, and it kicks out at 2am.

They say:  ”It’s not windy, the drinks are cheaper and there’s no sign of Grace Jones – although we did have a call asking if she could play. We said no…”

Line up includes: ASTRO PHYSICS; WIDE EYED ORDER; LAYTH; BAD SANDWICH; BABA SLIPS; THE RESONATORS + DJs Shamblin’ Sexton, Dad Disko, Baca.

Free entry. Oh yeah, I said that already.

Meanwhile, over at Audio, Beardyman & JFB’s ever popular Battlejam presents an interesting night of live drum n bass with Jungle Drummer and DJ Fu, along with Mr Jean Marc himself and breaks DJ James D’ley. Apparently Jungle Drummer can drum at 180bpm for two solid hours. Seen to be believed I think.

2 quid before midnight, a million after.

SATURDAY:

SCHTUMM! are manning the reign’s of Audio’s free night, Summer Of Love, with a guest so special, they’re keeping the identity of said famous person a secret. Hm. I wonder who it could be?

Better than a secret, they’ve pulled in Jon of the FC Kahunu brother fame, which should be pretty nifty as he hasn’t played in Brighton for a while.  Five hours of house, electro and I reckon some sneaky techno for those of you who like it that way. 11pm – 4am, free.

Meanwhile, over at New Hero, there’s It is still 1985. How can I not push a night that ticks all of the right boxes for me:  ”hair metal, mega movie tracks, pop masterpeices, epic power ballads and more…”. And Karate Kid. 10pm-4am, 3 quid. All good.

Also, KLIKS are having the totally fabulous MIA and Alex Smoke at their making-up-for-the-loss-that-was-beachdown, at LIFE. It’s free if you’ve got a Beachdown ticket, 5 quid if not.

3am – 8am for those of you who also don’t sleep.

SUNDAY:

It’s all about the LIFE venue on Sunday, which I’ve still not been in yet  (next to Fortune). Have you? Maxxi Soundsystem throw down the first party, which is free before 10pm and goes on til 3am, when the after hours crew take over (see below).

The night features local legends including: GREG WILSON; SOFT ROCKS; MAXXI SOUNDSYSTEM (Sam Watts & Neal Lewis); PABLO CONTRABAND (Contraband/InsideOUT); JOHNNY ROCKS (Videodrome / Rounder Records); SENOR MICK (ATT100); AFFY (Go Bang / Calabash); ALI BROADCAST (Go Bang)

AND STOP THE PRESS!!!

Tuesday, Peaches and Drums of Death are playing at Concorde 2. 3 quid tickets. Sick. And not only that, there’s an after party with a DJ set from Peaches, Drums of Death live and Milk Teeth DJs.  Somewhere in the Universe are hosting with the mostings on this occasion – nice one.