These New Puritans: Southend’s prodigal son breaks his silence and speaks to The Badger

The Badger caught These New Puritans in sound check before an eagerly anticipated Brighton show – fresh from releasing much-lauded sophomore album Hidden, we sat down to talk shop with Jack Barnett, lead singer.
Read more

The Sunshine Underground: Leeds’ finest exports raise the alarm in Brighton

If my stint in student journalism has taught me anything, it is to always expect the unexpected.  The PR guy promises you half an hour with the band?  You’ll get ten minutes at best.  The interview is scheduled for five o’clock?  Don’t count on asking anyone anything before half past.  And when you finally sit down with the band in question, whether they’ll be extraordinarily polite, discernably unimpressed or remarkably tolerable is anyone’s guess (I’ve experienced all three).

Thankfully, my interview with The Sunshine Underground is free of such surprises.  Well, almost.  “We’ve driven down to Brighton from Leeds today,” the tour manager informs me as we pace through the venue last Wednesday afternoon, “and experienced every weather condition going: ice in Leeds, fog as we left the city, snow between Nottingham and Northampton, and now sunshine in Brighton.  We’ve got a touch of cabin fever.”
Read more

Brighton bards

Brighton now boasts an array of Poetry and Spoken Word events on a regular basis. The Badger sent writer Helen Grace to check out the latest offerings

It has to be said that ‘E.G. Poetry’ is the straightest poetry reading I’ve been to for a while, in the sense they were literally reading the words off the page. But, don’t get me wrong, it was no less exciting for this. Although slam poetry in its improvised spontaneity is all the rage in some circles, the night proved that the written word still packs a punch.

The event showcased the work of four poets; Alex Brockhurst, Vidran Ravinthiran, Sonya Smith and Ken Champion from ‘tall-lighthouse’, one of the country’s leading poetry presses. And four strikingly different acts they were, but with one thing in common – a complete lack of pretentiousness. This couldn’t have been further exemplified by one of the highlights of the evening for me, Ken Champion’s poem ‘Anthropomorthingy’, poetry without pretense if ever I heard any. ‘E.G. Poetry’ didn’t pretend to be anything else but as the title suggests, examples of poetry. And it was brilliant.
Read more

“Are you allergic to me?!”

Questions are raised in SUDS’ new production

Last week I was invited to watch a twenty-minute snippet of SUDS’ (Sussex University Drama Society) week seven production of Blackbird, followed by a short interview with the cast and director of the play.

As I watched in the cold rehearsal room in Falmer House, I was already impressed by the level of commitment these students were giving – a good sign of quality. The extract I saw was very intense, but not exhausting (I wish I was able to see the whole thing!).

My first question after the performance, and perhaps the most obvious, was why this play? The director, Stefan Adegbola, informs me that he saw this play performed a few years ago and was instantly impressed. “It was my first experience at the theatre with a ‘taboo’ subject being treated so subtly. It wasn’t ironic, there was no jokes, and no happy ending. A fascinating play.”
Read more

Popular Poetry

A poetry collection called ‘The Scattering’ by Christopher Reid has become the surprise winner of one of Britain’s most prestigious literary prizes, the Costa Book of the Year Award. Reid is the sixth poet to win this accolade and marks a poignant moment in poetry’s history.

Not only has he won an award that is normally received by novelists, but has also undermined those critics who say poetry is only for the educated and sophistocrats of our society. This award undeniably signifies how in recent years poetry has become a significant part of our popular culture.
Read more

Pappy’s Sketches

Pappy’s are hard to define. They effortlessly blend the surreal and the sublime with visual, musical and physical comedy. There is a striking moment when you first realise that there is no ‘edgy’ humour of that tired brand involving racism, paedophilia or crudeness. There is no swearing and there is no attempt to shock; the most shocking joke of the night was announced as ‘Anne Frank’s boyfriend,’ a perfectly constructed and simple piece in which ‘Karl’ was summoned downstairs, ‘not because they didn’t like him’ but because he just ‘had’ to leave. Queue appearance of ‘Karl’ trudging dejectedly through the attic door complete with One-Man-Band drum kit, cymbals et al.
Read more

Audience Theatrics

Embarrassing stories from the Stalls

During a performance of Breakfast at Tiffanys in November last year an audience member vomited over a balcony, showering six people below with sick and nearly distracting Anna Friel from the song that she was singing.

Most people have a story like that; ones which involve inappropriate behaviour and moments of acute embarrassment. In the case of the poor soul who threw up everywhere, perhaps they had suddenly fallen ill, or perhaps as with someone else I know, they had drunk too much; after a performance of Bernard Shaw’s St Joan at the National, she tipsily tripped, lost her footing and  subsequently completed a spectacular descent (incorporating two roly polys and a mildly serious blow to the head), down a stair case.  It’s always at the venues which seem synonymous with behaving in a mature and refined manner (at least that’s how it always seems to me when I go to the theatre)  where  you end up making a complete tit of yourself. Perhaps what signals your entrance into the real adult world (university doesn’t count) is when you can start behaving in a moderately normal manner in places such as the theatre.
Read more

Live review: Beethoven with Brighton Philharmonic at the Dome

It may be said, with the exclusion of cynics and the ill-informed, that there is not one iota of love and passion missing in the music of Ludwig van Beethoven.  In the hands of his music, whatever we may call a soul is ignited and made evident with visions akin to those we may privately daydream.  Throughout time, his music has been the paragon of self-expression and the lunchtime concert at the Brighton Dome was no exception.
Read more

Twisted Folks: Stornoway meet their public

Stornoway are on the cusp of big things. The Badger chatted to Brian Briggs, the Oxford group’s lead singer, before the band took to the stage, in front of a sell-out crowd in Komedia’s large main room. The band has recently embarked on only their second full-length UK tour; this most recent jaunt is under the direction of Twisted Folk – known for their brilliantly eclectic lineups – and  sees Stornoway supported by foxes! and Beth Jeans Houghton.
Read more

Album review: Neil Young, ‘Dreamin Man Live 92′ (Reprise)

I hadn’t much listened to Neil Young until recently. For Christmas I bought my girlfriend a newly issued live Young recording, and soon realized exactly what I had been missing. When people had referred to Young – bands that I like, and friends that are fans – I had just nodded, and hadn’t bothered to correct this massive hole in my musical knowledge.

Read more