The 1980’s in Brighton saw some of the greats such as U2 stroll through the town and captivate audiences with live rock music, before a wave of Acid House music and accompanying culture took a grip.
Brighton has always had venues that will leave a lasting impression and keep you coming back for those mad weekends. In the early 80s it was venues such as ‘The Basement’ (now under the Phoenix Art Gallery) that would host world class acts like U2, who came to town to cause a stir on their ‘Boy’ tour. During this period you might also have discovered Killing Joke making an appearance at The Basement and shocking the crowd as they set the venue’s ceiling on fire.
Brighton didn’t have a great deal of venues like London did, but they had a core following of music lovers and weekend drinkers alike basking in the sun and the thriving music scene. The Thistle Hotel on the seafront was once known as Alhambra and would put on local acts such as The Midnight Lemon Boys and the Piranhas.
If you have been to Brighton a few times you may have walked past The Foundry on your way to the North Laines. This was called ‘The Pedestrian Arms’ in the 1980s and was known for being particularly strict on the clientele passing through the doors. It was not uncommon for you to be turned away from the venue if you had the wrong hairstyle.
One of the most notorious venues in town was The Crypt on Queens Road by the station. The Crypt is now a homeless refuge but was once a dark and sometimes frightening underground venue for head-rattling punk or laid back reggae.
Another popular venue was The Escape, which saw bands such as Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle and Test Dept make appearances. The club eventually evolved into Audio. Oceana, one of Brighton’s largest venues was once called Jenkinsons, and put on The Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes. You could always find the hardcore fans of New Model Army and Sisters of Mercy around.
If you ventured into the Laines in the 80’s you would have seen the independent shops emerging, selling all variety of essentials. It was a dark and mysterious place and also had a large amount of pubs to offer the people of Brighton and the London weekend crowds. The pubs were what we would now call ‘good old fashioned boozers’ and have since diminished and been replaced with high end bars or clubs, though some can still be found.
Digital Club on the seafront was the first place to take Acid House on board in 1987, at this time it was known as The Zap. It took two years for the media to cover this and more venues jumped on board to spread the scene and arguably spoil it. The community found at the Zap was strong, in part due to the drug culture that glued them with a shared love for the music.
The Zap got nationwide coverage and people would travel from all over the country to revel in the party culture that it promoted.
The echo of this movement lives on, and Brighton is still the proud home to a thriving club culture. Today it is venues such as Coalition club and Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar that champion independent music and truly represents the modern musical culture of Brighton.
Tom Clark is a travel writer who lives in the UK, absorbing the beauty and madness that is Brighton. In his spare time he likes to visit the best bars and clubs in Brighton and the south coast.
(Image credit to Idleformat)
