Boards
How good/ bad/ out of date is this guide to Brighton?
Clubs
Sweden Made Me
Upstairs at the Prince Albert pub, dates vary check the website for info, Adm £1, 7pm-11pm
A cool pub hours club night that promises a "smorgasboard of contemporary Swedish sounds". Come here for your fix of The Cardigans, The Concretes, Jens Lekman, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, Popsicle, Acid House Kings and so on.
(www.swedenmademe.com/)
DaDooRonRon
The Sussex Arts Club, dates vary, check the website for info
7, Ship St, Brighton, BN1 1AD , Admission: £5.
Superb girlgroup soul extravaganza, based in the austere environs of the Sussex Arts Club. Da Doo's musical menu is a femme-centric celebration of 60s girl groups, embracing Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, Tamla Motown, 60s girl pop, northern soul etc. You will NEVER hear a MALE lead vocal at DDRR! (AW)
(www.dadooronronclub.com/)
The FreeButt
1 Phoenix Place, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 2ND
A tiny live music venue, which plays host to anyone who is anyone on the indie music scene. They put on indie music most nights of the week, with varying quality. It is well worth checking in one of the free listing guides you can pick up in most bars in Brighton to get an idea of who is playing. If you don't fancy a band, the venue has a nice little bar upstairs. (AW)
(www.zelnet.com)
Concorde 2
Madeira Drive, Brighton. BN1 4ED. Tel: 01273 697888
Quite an obvious choice, as this is the main live music venue in the town. The quality of nights here tends to vary, depending on who is playing, but the venue is very personal and right by the seafront - Quadrophenia fans will recognise it immediately! The beer is very reasonably priced and the venue is very well run. (AW)
(www.concorde2.co.uk)
Hold Up!
The Arc, 160 Kings Rd Arches, BN1 1NB, Saturday, 10pm-2am £5
An unpretentious indie night spread over two floors – pose on the balcony or shoegaze in the shadows
depending on mood. Guest DJs have included Andy Rourke, Shaun Rider and Stuart Murdoch. Just be prepared to feel old if you’re over 20 – the "strictly over 18s only" rule seems more of a guideline. (SV)
(www.arcbrighton.co.uk)
Funky Fish Club
New Madeira Hotel, 200 yards east of the pier on Marine Parade, Friday and Saturday, 10pm-2am, £5/£4
The coolest mix of music - Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin – in a tiny venue that’s always heaving. No dress code – all they ask is that "you do not turn up covered in food or smelling of wee." (SV)
(www.funkyfishclub.co.uk)
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Bars
The Great Eastern
103 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4ER, UK
Taking it easy is the order of the day in this small, friendly pub. Books adorn the walls and the atmosphere is quiet and reflective. Particularly fine on a Sunday afternoon after you have filled up on top veggie food across the road at the busier George pub this is a great pub to while away the hours and watch the world drift by. (AW)
The Mash Tun
1 Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1UE, UK
Chilling out to The Mash Tun's choice of relaxing tunes - Belle and Sebastian for example - is made easy by the very laid back atmosphere in this pub. The bar staff are friendly and the crowd is mixed. Super-trendy students rub shoulders with scruffy indie types. The beer is reasonably priced and the food is pretty good too! Best avoided on Saturday nights as it is often heaving. (AW)
The Dorset
28 North Road, Brighton, East Sussex
Very laid back pub in the heart of the fashionable North Laines. You can sit outside and watch the world drift by over a very reasonably priced pint of beer! Their food menu is also to die for, particularly the local seafood. (AW)
Ali-Cats
Brills Lane, BN1 1JU
It's tiny and hard to find, but worth tracking down (underneath The Prodigal on the sea-front). They
screen a free film every day at around 5.45pm, but get there early to claim a seat. (SV)
The Hop Poles
13 Middle St, BN1 1AL
The Hop Poles is generally ludicrously packed for a reason – it's welcoming, has a lovely beer garden
featuring an adopted pigeon, is adorned with sculptures made of hubcaps and provides delicious food
from a wittily written menu. (SV)
The Hobgoblin
31 York Place, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 4GU
For punks and rock fans. This is the only pub in Brighton with a late license 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Woo, push the boat out, Brighton council. They also often put on gigs (mainly punk acts, but the nights are often free) (AW)