Tag Archives: Pav Tav

Alcopop at the Great Escape (Friday May 11th)

We’re all going to the SEASIDE! To play the Dolphin Derby and watch some bands. We might even indulge in an ice cream or two, and we’d bloody love for you to come join us. So we’ve got together with our pals at BSM and 7 Bit Arcade to put on a little free show at the Royal Pavilion Tavern as part of the Alternative Escape on Friday 11th May!

If you were there last year (pictured), you’ll well remember that it was an understated tea party style affair, completely suitably for all the family – very polite, and not at all a debauched boozefest which ended with insane stage diving, chandaliers being ripped from the ceiling and yours truly being threatened with expulsion from the venue for ‘inciting chaos’. Put simply, it was bloody amazing – and you should TOTALLY come down this year too. We kick off at 1 in the afternoon, bands on till 2am (13 hours – yup!) with the 405 DJs till 6am. This could be the party of the Spring!

Check out the line up, remember it’s free and get there early. Last year it was one in one out from 5pm…

Katie Malco 1.15 – 1.45
Delta/Alaska 2.00 – 2.30
Glow Kit 2.50 – 3.20
Gunning for Tamar 3.40 – 4.10
Big Success 4.30 – 5.00
LightGuides 5.20 – 6
Jumping Ships 6.20 – 6.50
My First Tooth 7.10 – 7.40
Shoes and Socks Off 8.00 – 8.30
The Social Club 9.00 – 9.30
Stagecoach 10 – 10.30
Hymns 11 – 11.30
Johnny Foreigner 11.50 – 12.30
Tall Ships 1.00 – 1.40

YEHAA! Then off to the Dolphin Derby at 7am yeah?

Great Escape photo diaries and fun, fun, fun!

Hmmm – so it seems I haven’t even mentioned The Great Escape on this blog yet – which is fairly dumb, as as far as strong moments in Alcopop history go, this one was a fair old cracker to be true! Presumably most of you saw the line up which we were punting all about in the run up to it, and together with the lovely kids at DIY Records – we truly had a rather funtime Alcopop showcase at the Pav Tav. It all started non-official, but by the time the thing came round, we’d been ratcheted onto the bill – with all acts spread liberally across the programme – much to our delight.

From a personal point of view the whole thing was rad. We were 1 in, 1 out from 4.30pm, and by the time midnight was approaching, bouncers became crowd barriers – as various hip kids flung themselves at Stagecoach and The Xcerts – ripping down chandeliers from the ceiling and variously being thrown out, shouted at, sneaking back in and so it went on…. Basically – Team Pop rocked it!

The venue was decimated, we were dancing on floors of shattered pint glasses but noone cared- the likes of Jumping Ships, LightGuides, The Xcerts, Freeze The Atlantic, My First Tooth, Dad Rocks, Stagecoach, The Social Club, Ute and We are the Physics were ripping shit up! Drowned in Sound were pretty damn complimentary, efestivals had a cracker and the 405 simply deemed in glorious. Thanks The 405!

You must check out this too. How much fun! A photo diary of a selection of Team PoP at TGE, which includes nudity, mini golf and the most magnificent toaster we’ve ever seen.

So basically – thanks for coming down, and eternal love to you all for (in the words of Ben Folds) rocking that bitch! Next show kicking will be Alcopopalooza on 9th July at the Windmill, and hopefully that will be just as fun!

Photo nicked from The 405

Alcopop showcase at The Great Escape festival

Ah the stony beaches of Brighton! Wind whipping bitterly through your bones as you breeze (quite literally) along the pier, rich with places to literally throw your money away. Whether you want to roll balls at holes to win a crap cuddly fish, or spend 30 seconds asking ‘how do I make this computer horse fucking move’ and paying £1 for the privelage. Brighton is an idiot’s dream… And I love it.

For me it’s synonymous with great times, excess and horrible drunken behaviour with horrible drunken bands (AKA Stagecoach, Blakfish et al) – oh and the first ice cream of the year, complete with flake, and usually kicked out of my hand.

In short it’s brilliant! But with money so easily parted from fools, how on earth are you supposed to live frugally at The Great Escape, whether you have a wristband or not? Well here’s the answer in poster form… Courtesy of Wowee Zowee promotions and our good pals Idle Hands and Ray Gun (design by @ryannevill).

To cut a long story short – Alcopop showcase at TGE in my favourite pub in the city, free entry, during the day 12-4pm… With all these bands! Lose? No way. See you there yeah, and this time the ice creams on you fate!

Alcopop@ The Great Escape – highlights, low lights and Kev’s plight

Brighton Pier Head Sign

Ah The Great Escape – Brighton’s most hazy weekend, and this year – quite the most splendid weekend of 2009. Mass vomiting, plenty o’ partial nudity and winds so blustery that anchoring oneself to the pier would have been a good move were just a few highlights, and amidst the 1000’s of bands I wanted to see but missed due to over packed schedules, booze and the mighty Pav Tav – I caught some real highlights.

1.) Sam Isaac, who rocked like a gentle hurricane on the Thursday night – topping even Future of the Left with his accomplished set, making me very excited about forthcoming album bears.

2.) Riddim Saunter, a Japanese power-pop band who set the pier alight with delightful tunes, an over-happy drummer who never quite found his stool – and have definitely camped out for a good long stay deep within my heart.

3.) Idlewild – who topped off a really accomplished set by playing Low Lights, one of my favourite tracks from Hope is Important And…

4.) Kev BSM – who puked in his own mouth 4 times in one night. Congratulations Kev.

Overall though, it was just a remarkably pleasant experience, with just too many lovely people to mention. Whatsmore, we cast our first compilation into the tempestuous Brighton Ocean to produce a lovely video (on its way), outdrank our pressing hero Dave DMS (shame on you Dave) and dropped ice cream all over the pier.

I bloody love Brighton.