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Posted February 23rd 2021

What Have Our Venues Been Up To? Lockdown Continues…

June 2021 Update

As independent promoters, the support from our relationships with local venues is incredibly important, without our amazing Brighton and Kent grassroots where would we be?! Throughout the ongoing circumstances and the pushing back of restrictions easing our venues have been keeping busy and are planning for re-opening. So here’s a look over what they’ve been up to since we last saw them:

Brighton Dome

Support the arts / Brighton Dome

This June Brighton Dome partnered with East Sussex Music and Brighton & Hove Music and Arts to host Make Music Day 2021. This annual event is the largest in grassroots music movements, in a UK-wide coordinated event which showcases musicians of all ages, genders, races and levels to make themselves and their music known. The event took place on and offline across the country, with Brighton Dome becoming the home to a number of musical streams and videos throughout the day.

The incredible performances included an East Sussex Music staff rendition of ABBA’s Waterloo, an orchestra rendition of The Simpsons theme tune, along with a competition to win tickets to any Brighton Dome show this year. To see the events from the 21st of June follow this link (2) Brighton Dome (@brightdome) / Twitter !

Chalk

Chalk – Brighton (chalkvenue.com)

Despite the current circumstances Chalk continues to book and re-book many incredible artists for the near future. These include a sold-out YungBlud concert, the living legend, Sir Tom Jones in September and our very own Pompoko this September (more info – Pom Poko + Legss | Melting Vinyl ) !

Folkestone Quarterhouse

Quarterhouse Events – Creative Folkestone

Throughout lockdown we’ve been working closely with this Kentish art filled music, theatre, comedy and film venue, to book (and then reschedule) a number of gigs for the upcoming year, including British Sea Power (POSTPONED), The Staves (September) This is Kit (November) and Lau (February 2022) – For more information check our our ‘What’s On’ section – What’s On | Melting Vinyl

Along side this Creative Folkestone have been busy this June running the Creative Folkestone Book Festival at the Quarterhouse, which is an exciting hybrid programme combining the works of writers, critical thinkers and musicians including talks by the renowned Kureishi, Hollie McNish and Luke Harding. We are loving the work of Creative Folkestone to keep the creative nature and talent of those in and around East Kent thriving particularly at a time when the creative industries are struggling to get back on their feet post lockdown.

Last week the programme also announced at the end of July they are running a four day Music Summer School with Metaxu Collective, including production based workshops at the Quarterhouse for local young people. The workshops are hosted by industry professionals to aid in confidence building and knowledge into attendees music interests. The mentors include Ed Thomas – singer, songwriter and producer for Stormzy and Jorja Smith – Jack Norris – producer at Century Audio and director of Paperchain Recordings among many others. For more info on how to get involved follow this link: Metaxu Collective: Band Skills – Creative Folkestone

Green Door Store

The Green Door Store

Along with continuing to promote #saveourvenues and #revivelive to help get grass roots venues back on their feet post lock down, Green Door Store have been busy booking themselves up with gigs ready for re-opening including a number of our own shows this Autumn, like Sonic Boom this September (Sonic Boom – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl ) PINS ( PINS – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl )and Rival Consoles ( Rival Consoles & Kayla Painter | Melting Vinyl ) this October and Leifur James in November. Hit the links for more information!

Komedia

Komedia – Comedy / Music / Club / Cabaret / Food / Drink

This comedy, music, arts and overall entertainment venue have spent the last 14 months whilst being closed to the public to conduct a full refurbishment, inside and out! Their Instagram features images of the new and improved Komedia which we can’t wait to get inside as part of their newly extended (following the pushing back of government restrictions easing) socially distanced programme of comedy, music, kids shows and much more from now until all the way until July. Don’t miss out of this diverse selection of shows, comedy nights and even bingo, by following this link: https://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/whats-on/?utm_source=ep&utm_medium=body&utm_campaign=linktrack&utm_content=wysiwyg

Join us at the Komedia this October for the wonderful Laura Veirs! Laura Veirs | Melting Vinyl

St. George’s Church

Home | stgeorgesbrighton

We have been working closely with St. George’s and Arts City Council this month to present a series of incredible streamed shows from historical setting of the church. The shows offer a unique opportunities for upcoming, grassroots artists to perform at the large and beautiful space which is normally reserved for internationally profiled touring artists.

So far their have been two streamed events by the likes of Brighton based Sea Dog and the gorgeous Bella Spinks, with more already announced such as pysch rock band GËNN ( ĠENN- St George’s Streamed Grassroots Events | Melting Vinyl ) and creative sensation Johanna Bramli ( Johanna Bramli – St George’s Streamed Grassroots Events | Melting Vinyl ) performing this July. There are still three shows left to be announced so keep your eyes peeled!

Image: Bella Spinks stream from St George’s

We also have a number of in person shows arranged at St George’s once the restrictions have lifted, including the mesmerizing genius Erland Cooper ( Erland Cooper – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl ), folk legends, The Staves (sold out) and Brooklyn bombshell Joan as Policewoman (Joan As Police Woman Live 2022 – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl ), along with a number of live streamed shows.

The Charities, who hire St George’s, continued hosting on and offline events, Brighton Early Music Festival, Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, with The Hanover Band receiving the Culture Recovery Fund and Hullabaloo Quire hosting safe outdoor singing session events every Saturday this month!

Image: Sea Dog stream from St George’s

The Charleston

As well as opening their stunning gardens this July for their four day Gardening festival with gardening legends, designers and activists, The Charleston are also allowing Melting Vinyl to take over their gorgeous, historic grounds with the folk legend Shirley Collins! Both Shirley Collins dates are already sold out (Shirley Collins | Brian Catling | Matthew Shaw – RESCHEDULED – SOLD OUT | Melting Vinyl) and we can’t wait to loose ourselves in not only the house, garden and art gallery’s beauty in the spectacular South Downs National Park but the musics to!

The Greys

The Greys have been filling our Instagram feeds and our stomachs with their sensational food menu since opening! Now with the newest beer garden in Hanover, The Greys have been open non stop by serving weekly Sunday Roasts, Apperol Spritz’s in the sun and fresh fish dishes supplied locally by Brighton Fish. Other than food The Greys is also a fantastic grassroots venue for music and have a range of exciting events coming up this year including our first in-person gig of the year, Lunatraktors this July! Lunatraktors + M. Butterfly | Melting Vinyl

Image: The Greys pub and new beer garden

The Gulbenkian

Gulbenkian (thegulbenkian.co.uk)

This dynamic Kent based arts centre has been able to somewhat re-open this month with their cinema and cafe being up and running after keeping us all active during lockdown by regularly posting creative ways to entertain ourselves when stuck at home like, Free Online Play Readings, Virtual Date Nights and Exercise Classes with Motion House.

We are looking forward to heading down to get again later this year to present our shows including legends Gruff Rhys ( Gruff Rhys | Melting Vinyl) and Erland Cooper! ( Erland Cooper – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl )

The Hope and Ruin

Hope and Ruin

This week sees the penultimate ‘Tuesday Takeover’ continues over on The Hope and Ruin’s Instagram, where each week an upcoming local artist takes over their Instagram page including our very own, Gaffa Tape Sandy (Gaffa Tape Sandy + Special Guests | Melting Vinyl) , in the countdown to the return of live shows.

This sensational Brighton based venue continues to line up a number of events to look forward to this year. We have been working closely with TOM to present a few of our own, including Rival Consoles (Rival Consoles & Kayla Painter | Melting Vinyl) this October and BC Camplight (BC Camplight + Special Guests | Melting Vinyl) in November!

This month the venues has been thriving having re-opened their bar doors 12PM-12AM Monday-Sunday and 12PM-2AM Friday-Saturday. We look forward to seeing you there and at our Hanya (HANYA – Rescheduled | Melting Vinyl) event this November or Pictish Trail (Pictish Trail – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl) in March 2022!

The Old Market

The Rose Hill

The Rose Hill, Rose Hill Terrace, Brighton, Music Venue and Arts Hub, formerly The Rose Hill Tavern.

The fun, artsy, community space that is, The Rose Hill continue to keep us entertained by showcasing showcasing new DJ’s every Saturday this month with fine drink, bespoke projections from JOMO and Benedict Sheehan and a VR experience. The events are 5-11pm and completely free! You can’t pre-book so make sure to head to The Rose Hill early this weekend.

And be sure to catch Brigid Mae Power at The Rose Hill this November! (Brigid Mae Power – RESCHEDULED | Melting Vinyl)

To help keep the venues we love alive please donate here: Fundraiser by Mark Davyd : GMV Crisis Fund with Music Venue Trust (gofundme.com)