Brighton Nightlife Tips by Mariajoy Top 5 Page for this destination

Barfly: The Gloucester

A spacious underground venue at The Gloucester is the very popular Barfly gig venue. Ticket prices vary according to the who's playing and students get a £1 discount. Drinks here were cheaper than other places too.

We saw the amazingly talented David Ford and had a spot right at the front of the stage (as usual) and enjoyed every minute - especially when they turned off the air-con!

Check the website for current gig listings.

Dress Code: Anything

Address: 27 Gloucester Place

Directions: Central

Theme: Live Music

The Hope Bar: Luke Jones

For a great night out in Brighton, visit the Hope Bar. It's busy and popular and there is live music most nights of the week. It's a two level bar with music being on the upper level, though seating is limited upstairs. It's £4 entry on the door. Downstairs is a large open central area with big comfy sofas. A rum and coke or vodka and tonic will cost you £2.65.

We saw Luke Jones here, a hugely talented singer song writer, local to Brighton. It was an excellent evening!! Check out his fabulous new song "The Fear".

Dress Code: Trendy-ish.

Address: 11-12 Queens Street

Directions: Just down the road from the station.

Theme: Live Music

Ocean Rooms: David Ford - State of the Union

We saw the fabulous David Ford performing here at the Ocean Rooms. The venue is off the beaten path up a side road from Grand Parade. There is a market opposite the venue which was closed and a really good little cafe (Market Cafe) which stays open all hours - serves big mugs of coffee for a pound and has some seriously dodgy toilets...

But more about the Ocean Rooms. When we arrived we really weren't sure if we had found the right place as there is nothing saying *Ocean Rooms* ANYWHERE - just three large black doors with some VERY strange writings above it that look like biblical sayings but not quite - sorry that doesn't make much sense but you would know if you saw it!

We stood outside for ages chatting to other gig-goers waiting for the sound checks to be completed before we went in 15 mins later than the time specified on the tickets (which were 6GBP btw). The interior is very dark with just a few red lamps. There is a bar and some nice long red velvety raised benches along on the other side of the room. The stage is VERY small and there are no barriers. A really friendly and intimate little place.

David Ford was fabulous and sang all the songs off his debut album
I sincerely apologise for all the trouble I've caused

The album is fantastic and he signed mine for me at the bar at the end of the night :)

Dress Code: Anything - this is student-town - wear what you like!

Address: 1 Morley Street

Directions: If you are coming into Brighton turn left off Grand Parade before you get into the centre.

Theme: Live Music

Concorde2: A Great Venue on the South Coast

This is a great place for seeing and hearing lesser known but hugely talented bands and artists! Concorde 2 is an intimate venue and has a nice bar and friendly staff. I have never know there to be any trouble as there is plenty of security. Sometimes they even let you meet the band after the show!

Dress Code: Anything....but you would feel a bit out of place in a suit...

Address: Madeira Drive Brighton

Directions: Go to the seafront and turn left.... just keep going until you see it on your left.

Theme: Live Music

Concorde 2: Magic Numbers Gig

Saw two great bands here last night...

Hal and the Magic Numbers. Hal are an Irish band and the Magic Numbers are English. Both are fab! Go and see them if they are anywhere near you!

Dress Code: Anything. Shell suits would look a bit silly here though and anything too *chavvy*.

Address: Madeira Drive Brighton

Directions: As before

Theme: Live Music

Concorde 2: Hal

These guys were supporting the Magic Numbers... They are ok but not really the sort of thing I would listen to.

Dress Code: Anything

Address: Madeira Drive Brighton

Directions: Same as before

Theme: Live Music

Grand Central: Brighton bar

Busy bar serving great food (up until 6pm) right next to Brighton station. Very Very crowded on a Friday night but it all adds to the fun and great atmosphere.

This is a nightlife tip rather than a restaurant tip but as we ate there too I can recommend the food - steak and chips for the carnivores and wild mushroom risotto for the veggies. No puds served here - it's not that kind of place. Dinner with wine/soft drinks came to roughly £12 each.

Dress Code: Anything trendy/casual

Address: 29-30 Surrey St Brighton

Directions: it's on the right across the road as you come out of the station

Theme: Eating and Drinking

club/bar/restaurant: The Joogleberry

A really cool, intimate venue tucked away in Brighton's Manchester Street where we saw Kevin McGann performing. He's a young acoustic folk guitarist singer songwriter with a great voice and bags of talent.

Anyway they serve tapas for £4-5 at the tables during the gigs and the bar staff are really helpful and friendly. There is a tiny stage and the decor is mostly funky and dark, small tables and not very comfy chairs - there are one or two padded chairs with arms so look around for those before you sit down! :)) Disabled visitors have unlimited access as there is a chairlift down to the bar venue and sloping floors throughout to the loos etc.

There are loads of other gigs going on here so check the listings on their website for more info.

Dress Code: Anything

Address: 14-17 Manchester Street

Directions: At the main roundabout by the pier, turn left. If you get to the Amsterdam Bar then you've come too far.

Theme: Live Music

Website: http://www.joogleberry.com

The Mint: An indiscriminate Act of Kindness

Small but beautiful, newly re-vamped bar/restaurant/live music venue with a great atmosphere, in the heart of the Laines in Brighton where we saw Foy Vance, the talented Irish acoustic guitarist/singer-songwriter. As this was a special night for friends of the restaurant owner and Foy to celebrate the re-opening, food wasn't being served but the menu looks great and I shall certainly be back to check it out again - especially if Foy is going to be playing there.

Drinks are around £2.60 for Vodka & Tonic or Rum and Coke.

The Mint Restaurant/Music Bar

The title of this tip comes from the song - see it, hear it, here:

An Indiscriminate Act of Kindness

Dress Code: Smart-casual

Directions: The Laines

Theme: Live Music

Website: http://www.foyvance.com

The Hope Bar: Formerly The Polar Bar

Luke Jones was followed by The Diagonals - not my kinda thing really - a bit too heavy, but very popular and well supported by the crowd, and by the time they came on there was "quite" a crowd. I'm not sure what the capacity is for this venue but there was still plenty of space at 10.30pm. Entry is £4.

Dress Code: Anything

Address: Queen Street

Directions: Just down the road from the station

Theme: Live Music