Hello and happy hot and sweaty Monday! Anyone else got random burnt bits that somehow escaped the sunscreen? We’ve acquired a cute new triangle on one ankle. (Unlike the guy above who’s clearly got the right idea.)
This week, don’t miss the last remaining Fatboy Slim beach tickets, a new deli, comedians battling for a mug and the chance to take your side project to the sauna. Brighton’s nothing if not eclectic! We’re off to slather ourselves in more sunscreen – see you later in the week for the weekend guide.
MONDAY
See a film about doing the thing that terrifies you
Getting on the Tube is something a lot of us might rather avoid at the best of times. But for filmmaker Orla Smith, stepping back onto the London Underground after a panic attack became the basis for Tube Film – an honest DIY documentary (on a budget of about £20) about anxiety, resilience, friendship, and the unexpected role filmmaking can play in recovery. Watch it at Pink Moon, then stay for a Q&A with co-directors Orla Smith and Kimia Ipakchi.
Mon; 7.30pm; £5
Book tickets
Don’t mug this one off
Most comedy competitions promise glory. This one promises a mug. Manic Mugday sees a mix of amateur and professional comedians battle it out in front of a live audience at The Walrus, with the winner decided by cheers measured on a ‘reliable’ Temu decibel meter. We reckon you’re in for an evening of big laughs, unpredictable sets and maybe even the chance to say ‘I saw them before they were famous’. (We did say maybe.)
Mon; 8pm; from £2.50
Book tickets
Take a musical trip to Brazil
No passport required for this one. Gainstage Promotions is taking over the Caroline of Brunswick with an evening celebrating Brazilian music, from bossa nova and samba to jazz and contemporary sounds. Headliners Marina Decourt and Daniel Rodrigues are joined by experimental duo Borges Machado and newcomers Nick & Rio, who’ll be putting their own Brazilian spin on everything from samba to well-loved covers. The weather’s already totally tropical, so why not add in the music too, right?
Mon; 7pm; from £4
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TUESDAY
Check out a new indie deli
If you’ve been wishing Preston Village had a proper neighbourhood deli, you’re in luck. Larks Deli is opening on Tuesday (on Preston Road opposite Preston Manor) serving freshly made sandwiches, Roman-style pizza, salads, cakes and locally sourced produce, Skylark coffee, alongside shelves of artisan deli goodies. It’s family-run too, with two sisters and the wider family behind the counter.
From Tues
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Join the hospitality conversation
We all know that hospitality’s having a rough time. Restaurants are closing, costs keep rising and everyone’s got an opinion about what’s broken. Hospitality-focused event series Best Before is back with another event that brings together chefs, operators and hospitality founders for an honest conversation about where the industry actually goes from here. Expect a heavyweight panel (including the people behind Voya, Decatur, and Sambal Shiok) followed by an audience Q&A, with food from Cin Cin’s Barbino concept, cocktails and kombucha, and rooftop networking all included in the ticket.
Tues; 4pm – 8.30pm; £20
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WEDNESDAY
Dance it out at a silent beach disco
For when you want to have a proper dance on the beach without subjecting everyone within a 200-metre radius to your playlist, there’s Hush Beats Disco. The silent disco specialists are back for a low-tide dance east of the pier with three music channels to choose from (including some tracks selected by ticketholders) and the chance to really embrace the ‘dance like no-one’s watching’ vibe thanks to immersive headphones. Let’s face it, everyone else is probably listening to something different anyway.
Wed; 6.15pm – 7.45pm; £10
Book tickets
Meet other LGBTQIA+ creatives
Networking events can be a bit… networking. This one sounds infinitely more fun. Outwardly Creative is bringing LGBTQIA+ artists, designers, makers and allies together at Helm Gallery for an evening of talks (artist, filmmaker and campaigner Fox Fisher is headlining), creative encounters, maker demos, badge-making, canapés and a drink, with the emphasis firmly on making meeting like-minded people enjoyable rather than awkwardly clutching your glass in the corner wishing you hadn’t come.
Wed; 6.30pm – 9.30pm; £18.04 (includes a drink and canapes)
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Meet more creative people minus the awkward networking
If you’re over Hove way, then you might prefer the relaxed monthly social from Brighton & Hove Creatives at the Post photography space. The events always have an optional theme (this month it’s ‘Texture’) to help spark conversation. Bring something you’ve made if you fancy, get stuck into the evening’s artist-led cyanotype workshop, or simply rock up for a couple of hours of chatting, sharing ideas and meeting people who’ll probably ask what you’re working on before they ask what you do.
Wed; 6.30pm; from free
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THURSDAY
Grab the last tickets to Fatboy Slim’s beach party
Thought you’d missed your chance? Not quite. While the first three Big Beach Boutique 7 shows sold out in record time, the new Thursday date still has a handful of standard and VIP resale tickets up for grabs. But with Fatboy Slim headlining another huge hometown party alongside a ridiculous support line-up (Seth Troxler, Derrick Carter, CC: Disco and more), these aren’t going to hang around either. So if you’ve been meaning to go, we’d stop meaning and start booking.
Thurs; 2pm – 10.30pm; from £67.26
Book tickets
Take your side project to the sauna
A sauna might not be the first thing on your mind given the current temperature, but turns out there’s a link between heat, flow state and creative thinking. So if you’ve got some kind of project on the go (writing, sketching, planning or finally tackling that idea you’ve been banging on about for months), now’s your chance to actually make some progress. And if it all gets a bit too sweaty, don’t worry, there’s an ice bath too. Side Project combines an hour of sauna and cold plunges at Saltdean Lido with a short talk on creativity before everyone settles in to work on their thing with a friendly and supportive bunch of people.
Thurs; 11am – 2pm; £20
Book tickets
Read a book, challenge your perspective
Looking for a book club with conversations that go a bit deeper than “I liked the ending”? Afrori Books’ monthly feminist book club explores books by Black authors through a feminist lens, with discussions led by Dr Nat Arias. It’s open to all genders (no, you don’t have to call yourself a feminist to come), and all that’s expected is that you’ve read at least some of this month’s pick – July’s choice is The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins – and you’re up for a thoughtful chat.
Thurs; 6.30pm; £7
Book tickets
FRIDAY
Get your Wurst on
Bratwurst, schnitzel, proper German and Czech beers… it’s all happening at The Brick from Friday as Wild Flor is back with the kind of Brat summer we can get on board with. That means Bavarian-style house-made sausages, Bier cheese, Käsespätzle, curry ketchup, deep-fried strudel and a giant crispy pork knuckle for Sunday lunch if you’re feeling ambitious. Jawohl to all of that.
Fri – Sun
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