Venues

The Freebutt, it is, it isn’t, it is, well it, isn’t. Even though it has changed hands, it’s relaunch appears to still be delayed and dogged by the same council/venue issues as from before. Here’s hoping that it gets a makeover soon and doesn’t go down the abandoned route that the Barfly has fallen prey to. In the meantime the last Freebutt manager has turned his hand towards latest Brighton venue Sticky Mike's Frog Bar (formerly Jamm). Watch that one then.

Meanwhile, underneath the train station the bass was booming, the moose head was talking and business was flowing. The Green Door Store has planted itself at the centre of Brighton and the music scene, shooting up the bamboo cane of infamy, opening full bloom in a short period of time. How has it done this? One explanation is that is has attracted a crop of well rehearsed and established Brighton promoters, as well as keeping the programming fresh and interesting, swerving out the way of the formulaic student type nights that are commonplace round these parts.

Bands

After a while off the radar, post punkers SHRAG (Sussex Heights Roving Artists Group) made a live return to their hometown and played a packed out gig at the Store in June. Their set hinted at the sound of their 3rd album to be recorded up in Scotland, August time, by Andy Miller - think Life Without Building, Mogwai and Sons & Daughters.

Another band in the process of recording is Ninja Tunes’ Grasscut, with their experimental electronica, they are due to complete their follow up to debut 1 Inch/1/2 Mile with live shows to follow.

For up and coming bands to watch out there are a handful bubbling under. For starters there are lo fi popsters Fear of Men on the verge of releasing their first 7” Ritual Confession/Spirit House on Italian Beach Babes, The Cramps missing siblings, Agatha and the Christies, then surfing the new wave of grunge sounds is Gross Magic and if none of those are enthralling enough how about the hypnotic guitar fireworks of Tense Men.

Labels

The ever intriguing Fat Cat label keeps on innovating and has started a new imprint called Palmist, it’s first four limited edition 12 inches are available now. The most recent release features Lotus Plaza (from Deerhunter) on one side and on the flip, brand new raucously psychedelic signing, Odonis Odonis.

It's summer and the Sex Is Disgusting boys are activated. They have a whole host of things going on from gigs with Glasgow’s Divorce (11 August, Green Door Store), the haunted post punk noodlings of the Ganglians (30 September, Prince Albert), along with Iceage, Francis Harold & The Holograms, Hygiene, Woolf, Satellites Of Love, Roseanne Barrr. They are also talking about putting on an all dayer in September that will take their Dudefests of years gone by into new waters. And then there’s their latest release, a 7” EP from Human Hair that sounds like punk rock, circa ’77 with a blues soul.

Another much loved Brighton independent is Faux Discx. They have two new split 7” releases that continue their CMYK series. The first is MAGENTA featuring San Diego’s genre hopping weirdos Ale Mania and Brighton punkers with fx Sauna Youth. The second release is YELLOW, it features two Canadian bands: Friendo with their punk fused with noise 60s pop and dreamy lo fi rockers Lab Coast. Events

The latest instalment of Fat Cat’s Furballs nights has to have a mention. This time round it’s going to be held at the Store on 21 July and is co promoted by one of Brighton’s leading independent promoters/record labels One Inch Badge. This soiree is more of an experience than an average club night, so sitting at home listening to the band’s mp3s will definitely not be an option. Furballs promises a fully decorated room, film installations, live art and fanzine stalls. Oh, and bands? You have, the soon to be performing at ATP, Foot Village, 2 lots of 2 piece wonders: BITCHES and part local, Peepholes, along with the kaleidoscopic noise of Negative Pegasus who are completely local. As a bonus there will be a free CD-R featuring all the bands from that night and will be given to the first 50 people through the door. Intriguing.

Heading off to Edinburgh festival but pretend you are still in Brighton?? Well, tweeting personality and musician Chris T-T has a free show at Ryan’s bar every afternoon called Disobedience, which see him put the children’s poetry of A.A.Milne music. Curious.

What else? In the coming months Brighton will see a whole host more of electrical audio sonic activity with 2011 hypee Anna Calvi, Wild Beasts, Zappa Plays Zappa, TEETH, EMA, Meddicine and The Fall passing through, along with the art explosion of David Devant, the 29 collective harmony of I’m From Barcelona and Brighton bands The Sticks, Gazelle Twin and Rizzle Kicks to name a few. There’s plenty to dip in to.