Subsource 'The Reason' Video Shoot

Breakbeat/drum n bass influenced band Subsource are sharing the stage with legendary reggae act Dreadzone tonight at a totally sold out gig at the Komedia, which should prove to be a fruitful night for ticketholders.

Subsource, if you’ve never heard of them, have been an awesome player in the breakbeat scene and this year were nominated as best live act at Breakspoll International awards in London. They are like a cross between a world music act and a dance music cross-over band, but with some attitude in the same vein as bands like Asian Dub Foundation.

The band have just finished work on their first album, “Tales from the Doombox”, bringing in mastering engineer John Davis (The Prodigy, Pendulum). The tracks are less cheesy than I’d expect from a cross-over band and a few tracks where I even forget I’m listening to live music. “New Bones” for instance, where the Muse-sounding vocals are dropped for a deep dubby rumble. Nice.

The album’s due for release in 2010, so keep an eye out for it.  Komedia have added a second night to the billing for Subsource and Dreadzone, and tickets are now on sale for 4 June show – if you’re a bit of an early bird !

We’ve got a Subsource t-shirt and track for anyone who can name of the band members – email us at contribute@brightonfusion.co.uk with SUBSOURCE in the header.

In the meantime, check out this remix from Raffertie.

http://files.me.com/getinltd/tvwmhk.mp3 (right-click to download)

2 bit thugs: roland and guy, gangster like

Another big night for Supercharged’s mid-week meltdown on 21 October, as Rusko and 2 Bit Thugs come to take Audio down. Feel a bit like the weather forecaster when I say that I think this one’s going to be mucho packed.

Rusko’s version of dub has impressed the likes of Annie Mac and Fenchurch label, while his tracks must be okay enough to get on labels such as Mad Decent and Fabric. Meanwhile 2bit thugs will provide the wobble for the night, taking their cues from hip hop, electro and fidget house. Having met in Brighton, the boys are now based in London, pumping out remixes and tracks.

See the facebook event for a list of who’s coming; some downloads for you to listen to in the meantime: 2bit thugs’s mix All Bases Covered (zshare link).

Audio, 10 Marine Parade, Brighton. 11pm – 3am. £4NUS/£6

Photo from New Hero's Facebook

Somewhere in the Universe was one of those nights I noticed back in 2006 and every time I saw their flier, I thought “A for effort” – it definitely looked like a different sort of night, quite underground and unknown with their Ponana venue and clearly good music policy with a lot of the electro pop contingency brandishing their names.

Three years down the line, the promoter’s completely changed the vibe and clientèle of what used to be a never-ending series of bad salsa nightclubs (The Church, Club New York) and transformed into a big neon calling card.

I can also finally wipe the nervous sweat of my brow. I went to the night, several times, to catch La Roux, Golden Filter and before she went big Little Boots.

Every time, the place was packed with trendy uni kids, fay boys and big haired girls. Friendly crowd though, on the whole and obviously some majorly hot acts – like Datarock, DJ Mehdi, Friendly Fires, Hercules & Love Affair, Heartsrevolution, MSTRKRFT, Feadz, Busy P, Surkin and a million more.

Okay, the place is a bit like a Vice magazine police line up, but the youthful exuberance cheers me up.

So, the promoters have announced that they’ll be launching a ‘new breed’ of Friday night parties at New Hero club and they’ll be spreading their carnage across the city over at C2.

[facebook group]

Nab their special ‘yay for September’ mixtape on the site – it’s good!

Throw Some Shapes

If you’re in Brighton this weekend, this should be an interesting night of music and definitely one worth checking out.

Throw Some Shapes headlines Bullion, a West London hip hop producer who I can only compare to a UK version of DJ Shadow in terms of mind-altering productions at a slightly downtempo pace and who’s ego must be massive with the number of fans he’s won over, including Radio 1’s Mary Anne Hobbs and Zane Low, Busy P, and Goldie. With gigs like Sonar, Glastonbury and Big Chill, this intimate Brighton one should be gentle mid-summer treat.

Support comes in the way of chilled out ambient sound from Brighton act Atalanta, who’s doing a DJ set, hip hop goodness from Figure of Wax and some floor-cutting funk and soul from promoter Dave Richtor.

What they say:

“After listening to the new Bullion joint, i drove back to Detroit, and punched my mom in the stomach. FILTHY.”
House Shoes (USA)

“Insanely good!”
Busy P (Ed Banger Records, Paris)

“If only I had this guys range of music at his age, 2009 is going to be Bullions year, so you better watch out for him”
Goldie (Metalheadz)

“Absolutely loving this”
Mary Anne Hobbs (BBC Radio 1)

“Sounds great!”
Osborne (Spectral Sounds, USA)

“This is future music…”
Zane Lowe (BBC Radio 1)

Try before you buy:

Download audio file (FaderMixbyBullion.mp3)

Fader mix – Bullion

Throw Some Shapes – Friday 24 July, 10pm-2am. Jazz Rooms, Ship Street, Brighton. 5 pounds. [facebook page]

For one night only, SoundCirque transforms the Komedia Studio Bar into a dark, dirty, weird and witty Lynchian night scene; with slide projections, themed cocktails, cherry pies, masked people and music from: Twin Peaks & Lynch Soundtracks, Julee Cruise, Pixies, Bowie, Roy Orbison, Danger Mouse, Elvis, Thomas Truax, Sparklehorse, Nina Simone, Rammstein, Rock’N'Roll, Surf, Rockabilly, Blues, Experimental, Jazz and much much more…

DJs will be:

DJ Hey Neighbour – Factory Films Director (and uber Lynch fan), WIZ
DJ David Lunch – Chris Griffin; member of no less than three excellent upcoming bands: Win Prizes, Duke Raoul and Le Band Extraordinaire.

Live bands playing covers between 10-11pm will be:
ELIZABETH (your host)
Dark Horses (Lisa Lindley-Jones)
Le Band Extraordinaire

- Guests are being strongly encouraged to avoid coming as ‘themselves’ by wearing costumes, or simply just masks.

- Playing cards and dice will be available for your own private table games.

- The bar will serve Lynch themed cocktails at £5 each.

- Cherry pie/s will be on sale.

Get your ticket by doing any of the following:

A) Buy one from Resident Records for £4.50 or call them to book one over the phone: 01273 606312

B) Send an email to: elizabeth@soundcirque.com to join the SC mailing list and get your name on the £4.50 door list (entry is not guaranteed if we have reached capacity by the time you arrive).

C) For cheapest entry at £4, come to the Cable Club gig @ The Prince Albert on the 24th (the night before) to see Le Band Extraordinaire + Chechnya Blast + The Creaking Chair, and write your name down on our special guest SC door list at the merch table (again, entry not guaranteed lest you arrive early).

Entry is otherwise £5 on the door. Remember DOORS ARE AT 8.30PM, GET THERE EARLY!

SOUNDCIRQUE: WRAPPED IN PLASTIC!
David Lynch inspired DJ Sets & Live Covers

Sat 25 July, 9 – 1am (Doors from 8.30pm)
Komedia Studio Bar
Brighton
BN1 1UN

Elephant on Brighton beach. Photograph: Robin Hughes

Writer Tara Gould joined me in the studio for this month’s edition of Writers’ Hub. We chatted about her night Short Fuse, which is currently looking for readers, for Brighton and for Hastings events, and her new literary ambitions: a first novel.  We discussed some upcoming opportunities for writers, via New Writing South and Myriad Editions, and we also presented the writing for this month’s theme: seaside and seaside towns.

For published writing, I took two slightly off-kilter takes on the traditional seaside theme: the very dark tale, ”The Pearce Sisters” by Mick Jackson, from The: BrightonBook, published by Myriad Editions (2005), in which two eccentric sisters’ hospitality goes one step too far; and an extract of the sci-fi story “To Walk Upon the Sea” by Larry Matthews, from Fabulous Brighton: An Anthology of Short Stories by Peter James, Lynne Truss and others (2000), in which a man’s strained relationship comes to a head amongst dolphins, corporate Brighton and a mysterious discovery.

“The Pearce Sisters” is read by Wil Jones (Boutique Theatre), and “To Walk Upon the Sea” is read by Peter Taylor. Both books can be found in Brighton’s Jubilee Library.

I got some great original writing submissions via Twitter: two short shorts from Emma Cave (new Fusion writer) and Nigel Cooper – see further down to read the pieces.

Finally, it was a great pleasure to have Jon Cotter, Director of Company Paradiso in the studio. Jon recently ran a project in Berkshire prisons working with young offenders called “The Ballad of Reading Jail”.  He shared some of the stories and played clips from their show on BBC Radio Berkshire. Here’s one quote from a young person who took part in the project:

I’d never really written much before. It was while I was sat in a prison cell, and I had all this stuff going through my head, that I decided to pick up the pen. I needed to express myself. I still keep things in perspective with my poetry, as in not wanting to go back.’

– Participant, Shaun D

We were meant to have an interview and readings from an Ian Breckon, author of Knight of Swords [Old Street, 2009], but weren’t able to due to technical difficulties.

Many thanks to Donald, Grant and everyone at RR for helping me navigate the station’s equipment.

The theme for August will be Pride, inspired by Brighton Pride, which takes place in Brighton on 1 and 2 August. The show is open to all stories, poems and non-fiction relating to pride, in any sense of the word. Please email your submission to amy@brightonfusion.co.uk , no later than Monday 3 August.

The next Writers’ Hub will air on Sunday 9 August, 1-2pm on Radio Reverb 97.2FM.

You can listen to the show on the Brighton Fusion player or download by right clicking.

Download audio file (writershubjuly09final.mp3)

Writers’ Hub July 2009 – Radio Reverb

Seaside resorts
by Emma Cave (@Emsbabee)

The shingle has misled me. It feels like I’m sitting on bones. From the slow-burning tarmac, it had seemed like the more comfortable option, but now I’m down here, I’ve realised that the sun was in my eyes, and making everything look shimmery and soft. The sea, for example. Right now, it’s the exact shade of a raspberry Slush Puppy, and just as tempting. But I can’t bring myself to brave the inevitable ice-cream headache which will commence in the ankles and work its way petulantly up my bloodstream as I wade out.

Yards from my outstretched feet lies the sulking remnants of a driftwood fire. I think I unwittingly chose this spot because I love the smell of wood fires, even when they’ve been extinguished with left over cider, as this one appears to have been. They remind me of midsummer teenage free-for-alls. The hissing flames on my face, and the tentative arm of a very nice boy round my waist, taking it in turns to sip bravery from a shared plastic cup.

There are a couple, just a few feet away, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort of the pebbles. She has mounted him and is squirming about on top like a sand worm. A seagull is eyeing the remnants of their picnic with increasing malevolence. I lie back, carefully, arms folded protectively across my torso, in case the seagull decides to hop onto my stomach and start some investigative pecking. They put me in mind of medieval executioners, something about the way they dispassionately size you up.

I’m sleepy. I blame the tide, which matches the rhythm of my dawdling heartbeat. The clouds are slowly pulling across the sun, like curtains. The sound of flapping beach towels and wind shelters could almost be mistaken for the swaying of palm trees. I dream of finding a mermaid’s purse, and buying myself a stick of rock the size of a pleasure boat.

The Beach in 66 words
by Nigel Cooper (@nijay)

A baby listens to adult voices singing lullabies over the sea. The child, trussed warmly to her father’s chest, watches waves lapping pebbles, lapping pebbles, lapping pebbles.

She is comforted by her mother’s gentle voice. Rocked by her father’s breathing. Made drowsy by the sun’s fading fingers.

She hears less fortunate children wailing from deep within graceful, white, feathered bodies. She gurgles. Snuggles into daddy’s jacket.

Most people get really excited when I tell them I’m doing a radio show, thinking I’m going to play some incredibly cool music, but sadly, it’s not that kinda thing. Although I do play music. And it’s usually pretty good music.

My show is called Writers’ Hub and it’s all about getting writing out of the ghetto – on it, I interview local novelists and playwrights, event organisers and writer wannabes, plus I feature real writing from real local people and extracts from books written by people who might live round the corner from you – Brighton’s that small, most places practically are.

For the first show, I interviewed Sue Eckstein, the author of The Cloths of Heaven, who’s first novel was published through Myriad Editions and focuses on the story of new High Commission recruit Daniel Maddison, who, in his first days stationed in West Africa, finds himself enchanted by a mysterious woman selling cloth in a warehouse – someone who reminds him of someone from the past.

Sue, who worked for the VSO in Africa for a number of years, cited Tracey Chapman and an African choir as inspirations for her novel, which she started and finished as a graduate writing student at the University of Sussex.

Tara Hanks, author of The Mmm Girl

I featured an extract from Sue’s novel (read by James McVeigh).

I also featured an extract from Brighton novelist Tara Hanks, The Mmm Girl (read by Shannon Magness).

The Mmm Girl tells the story of Marilyn Monroe from her point of view, charting her dusty origins as an adopted teen to the mega screen starlet she became.

The book got rave reviews from Marilyn experts and fans.

The show also features interviews with:

• Sarah Cross, MA student at Sussex University
• Max Crisfield from city-wide book reading project City Reads who were promoting this year’s big read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I’ve got original writing  based on the theme of festivals from Ed Siegle (”Too Old For this Shit”) and a poem from Tara Hanks (”Music Reminds Us”).

The show’s a bit rough n ready, but hey – it’s my first one. The next one’s marginally better, but expect great things on the horizon.

May 2009 Writers’ Hub (RadioReverb show) (right click to download)

The next show airs on Sunday 14 July from 1-2pm on 97.2FM or www.radioreverb.com. I will be posting the July show here. Check out the June show on Brighton Fusion, which features Sarah Lee, Tim Lee, Bridget Whelan and a little bit of MJ.

My main interview is with Brighton scriptwriter Sarah Naomi Lee, a BBC radio producer who’s first lucky break into Radio 4 broadcast was with her radio play “I Can See You”, which tells the story of a mixed race woman who has three voices inside her head: a Jamaican man, a white English woman – and the sadly recently deceased Michael Jackson, who passed away yesterday.

Sarah talks to me about the process of writing the script and how she got it on air, as well as some interesting facts about MJ.

She also discusses what music switches her on to writing – tracks played include Alabama3’s hit song “Woke up this morning” from “The Sopranos” soundtrack and The Smiths’ “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others”.

With June being the real start of the festival season in the UK, with Glastonbury now well under way, I decided the theme for this month would be music.

I got a tremendous response from local writers and the show features original short stories and poetry about music from Neal Pearce, Yassin, Josie Darling, and Sally Latter.

Bridget Whelan

The show also features extracts from novels from Brighton writers, Bridget Whlelan and Tim Lay.

Bridget Whelan’s A Good Confession, which came out in hardback in November 2008,  tells the story of an Irish single mother, struggling to bring up her children in 1960s London, who meets and falls for a priest, to whom she accidentally confesses her troubled love to.

The book is coming out in paperback this summer so watch her website for more details.

Tim Lay’s The Sewerside Chronicles, which was published in August 2008 and has become a cult hit on the literary underground scene, charts the rise and fall of Che Capri’s underground fashion label, co-run with best friend Travis, in deepest darkest Devon.

Tim Lay, author of Sewerside Chronicles

After a stretch of runway success, the business plummets and to salvage their slipping fortunes, their friends pitch in their soundsystems, DJ, MCs and creative talent to put on raves.

The novel covers Glastonbury to May Day riots in London to the counter culture skateboard scene in 2000.

Both authors read extracts from the book.

Radio Reverb show Writers’ Hub – 14 June 2009 (right click to download)

The next Writers’ Hub airs on Sunday 12 July from 1-2pm on 97.2FM or www.radioreverb.com. The theme for July is seaside towns – send me your submission (700 words max) to amy@brightonfusion.co.uk.

Mesmer

This weekend, Brighton welcomes a new addition to the club night gliterrati: The Box. Promising techno for the brave and breakbeat for people who eat it for breakfast, The Box capitalises on a expertise gained by the two promoter’s many years of DJing and producing in the city.

The Box launches at The Jam (formerly Sumo) this Saturday 20 June, bringing in three guest DJs from Swedish breaks label Sound of Habib – London-based BETA, label founder Johan Soh and 26-year-old Romanian Mesmer- and fellow Brap FM-er, Clodhoppa (Midnightminustwo), straight from the dales of Yorkshire.

Not heard of Sound of Habib? Go and have a listen to some  of the label’s fresh sounding breaks releases on their site – such as Mesmer’s “Rowlacoster”,  J Hazen “700ft”, Karton “Mugstar”, Digitalis “Dealing with it” , plus remixes of all, already loaded in their player. You can also download Johan Soh’s Truskool Session (see end of this post).

The night’s the evil brain child of Pav N LuQas, best known on the breakbeat scene as stalwart DJs for Slackers Convention and co-radio show hosts on Brap FM and NSB Radio. With Luqas recently signed to south west breaks label Dead Famous Records, the boys are more than ready to push things a notch, offering up their own brand of techno and breakbeat. Expect some edgier limits to be pushed, a night for people who have cultivated tastes – connoisseurs if you will  (jesus, I couldn’t spell that word without a dictionary!).

So in the midst of a burgeoning summer, in the context of a very chilly recession, you might ask: Is Brighton ready for a  futureProgTechAdventure like The Box? Yes-no-maybe? Or how about just yes.

About a year and a half ago, when the recession was simply a rumour, one rather wise friend made an interesting observation: in economic downturns, while high streets get boarded up and unemployment threatens new record charts, music goes underground – like really far, subterranean levels and this is when it all gets good: in the depths of the darkness, there’s creativity and light and music pushes to new levels, more than we could ever imagine.

Which half explains how in the midst of doom and gloom, Brighton’s seaside entertainment business keeps bubbling away with hen nights, day trippers and the rest of the Britain looking for some cheaper charm. Perhaps there’s no better time to start a night.

Here’s what the Box promoters have to say for themselves:

“We wanted to have an outlet for some of our favourite labels to showcase their talent. We’ve noticed alot of the real credible underground label/artist’s don’t get the recognition they deserve, so by hosting a night we can give people a chance to hear new music or, at worst, we can satisfy the purists! Ideally we would like to carry this forward with regular monthly parties as they’re is plenty of labels to target. We listen to and play a wide range of genres, from breaks to psy trance, techno to electro, always leaning to the underground techy sound so plenty of scope! “

The Box present Sound of Habib, Saturday 20 June, Jam, (formerly Sumo), 9-12 Middle Street,  Brighton.  Doors- 11-4am, £5 entry.

As a bonus, Pav and Luqas have offered us some special mixes to whet your appetite PLUS a mix download from Sound of Habib.

Download audio file (PAV_Comedownonasaturday.mp3)

The Box – Come down on a Saturday mix – Pav (right click to download)

Download audio file (jariten-truskool_session_5_mix.mp3)

Johan Soh’s Truskool Session (originally featured on Sound of Habib’s site)

Photo from Plaza de Funk's MySpace

I just broke my cardinal rule of never becoming friends with people I don’t know on Facebook. It was a case of mistaken identity and the poor man never asked it upon himself.

It was after a long chain of ‘reply to all messages’ and little sleep that saw me accidentally become ‘mates’ with Marcello De Angelis aka Plaza  de Funk (West Famous Records), who’s headlining at this Saturday’s Slackers Convention. He was so nice about it all that he even sent through a special mix in honour of his sea-sprayed evening (see below for download).

Slackers. Yes, you’ve heard me bang on that tired old breakbeat drum for many years now and I’m sure you’re wishing breaks would die a brittle, crunked death like some old sad piece of vinyl, the way I once wished it upon many genres that will go unnamed…..anyways.

This Saturday, come down at check out 2008 Breakspoll breakthrough DJ Plaza de Funk play a monster breaks set along with equally cool Robosapiens ((Dead Famous Records).

Sweaty dirty Volks, Saturday night – you know the score.

Expect bass-whomping breaks and a little bit of old school if you’re lucky from Pook; tech house and minimalist brilliance from Pav and Lucas; free party drum n bass from Biggsey and dubstep/bootybass/whatever’s down in Londontown from old Slackers favorite Symmetrik, and possibly anything else from Toxic Shock, Granted and Old Ma Quest.

Need more advance notice? Join the Facebook group.

Slackers Convention, Saturday 23 May@ The Volks, Madeira Drive, Brighton. 11-4am. £4 B4 12 £5

BONUS TRACK from Plaza de Funk

Download audio file (PlazaDeFunkDjMixmay09.mp3)

Plaza De Funk – Slackers Convention DJ Mix May 09

Tracklist
AFRIKA BAMBAATAA – INTRO
AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & SOULSONIC FORCE – LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT BEAT
SAMIR’S TOWNSHIP – MUMDANCE REMIX FT. JAMMER
HAGGSTROM – BE MY BABY [PEO DE PITTE REMIX]
GROOVE DIGGERZ – FUNKY HEROES [PLAZA DE FUNK REMIX]
DJ PHUNKAE – SUPERSTAR BASS [PLAZA DE FUNK REMIX]
BEAT ASSASSINS – PUT ‘EM UP
HUDIA HUDIA – ONE FUNKY FRESH DJ [MR. MEGLO 2009 REMIX]
JACK BEATS FT. DYNAMITE MC – WHAT [WITH N THAYER WUT REMASH]
PLUMP DJ’S – BEAT MYSELF UP [PLUMP DJ'S NIGHT REMIX]
AC SLATER – BANGER [PLAZA DE FUNK REMASH]
PLAZA DE FUNK – DO IT
SLYBEATS – JIGGAMAN PIMPIN’
SPLITLOOP – PARTY PEOPLE [ADSORB REMIX]
BASS KLEPH FT. STELLAR MC – SPEND MY MONEY [NICK THAYER REMIX]
MARCUS ROMBO – BRINGING [PEO DE PITTE REMIX]
BEAT ASSASSINS FT. SWEETIE IRIE – BOOM STYLE
FREELAND – UNDER CONTROL [ALEX METRIC REMIX]