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Brighton Music Directory

Live Venues

BRIGHTON DOME, CORN EXCHANGE & PAVILION THEATRE

Newly renovated and much needed quality venues in the centre of town hosting mostly music, dance and comedy. The versatile spaces can cater for anything between 200 and 1800 people, from serious sit-down concerts to the jump-up and get sweaty 'Jazz Bop'. The Dome is a first class concert hall boasting the big names and a state-of-the-art acoustic system.

BRIGHTON CENTRE

Conference centre-type venue where the big names go. Comedy and music can be found here and at its sister venue, the Hove Centre.

CONCORDE 2

Successor to the much missed Concorde, this place has maintained its quality. The bar is long and sufficiently detached from the music so tiresome support bands can be comfortably ignored.

THE FREEBUTT  

Still hosts the odd punk gig but more often varies from insipid to inspired indie pop/rock bands.

GARDNER ARTS CENTRE

Top notch venue for theatre, dance, comedy and non pigeon-holeable performance. Big names and smaller ones too. Also houses a great gallery.

THE GREYS

Cosy pub, Michelin-starred restaurant and great little venue for acoustic, folk, country and all sorts.           

HANBURY BALLROOM

Luxuriously domed and carpeted venue where it’s all right to spill your beer. Monday night jazz plus laptop jams, flamenco and occasional meetings of the occult.

KOMEDIA

Fills the North Lame with its neon glow and the sound of laughter. The theatre and cabaret bar host loads of comedy (much of it actually funny), cabaret, cult musicians, experimentalists, international theatre and kids shows too. A real asset to Brighton.

THE OLD MARKET  

Classical concerts and some big name jazz musicians. Home of the Brighton & Hove Theatre Company, plus hosts regular readings and literary lunches. Also has regular rock gigs and have recently hosted bands such as Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, The Black Keys, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and British Sea Power as well as many first class world musicians.

PRESSURE POINT

Youth club-esque venue for local bands, plenty of rocking out, and occasionally more adventurous sounds.

RAY TINDLE CENTRE

A great little venue that often has all day ska events. Many a good time has been had and it is very surprisingly overlooked considering its size and central location.

SALLIS BENNEY

Quiet for ages then suddenly there’ll be a great show. Mostly music and dance with lots of international artists/world music.  

THE SANCTUARY              

Many open mic nights, poetry readings, singer-songwriters and stereotypical Brighton offerings, although it’s in Hove, actually.                                               

SUSSEX ARTS CLUB

Private members club that is home to the Brighton Jazz Club every Friday. Catch some top jazzmen and women on national tours.

Reviews by Nick Elson & Lyndsey Winship.

Directory listings are mostly kindly supplied by:

The views expressed above are those of the given authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editor or of Sounds Phenomenal.

These listings are not meant to be exhaustive and their accuracy will change over time as old venues close and new ones open. There may also be establishments that have been missed out in this directory. If you would like your live music venue to be included here, or your details as given above are inaccurate or incomplete, then please submit the correct information to mail [a] soundsphenomenal [dot] org and we'll endeavor to include or update your details as soon as we can.

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