Tuning Into Brighton’s Music Scene.
Like many others, I was drawn to Brighton, lured by the buzz of city life, the prospect of greener grass and creative opportunity. Stepping into its musical microcosm was inevitable – you can’t truly understand its lifeblood without experiencing it firsthand. But, as with most stories, the magic of a place often reveals itself through conversation, broadcasted or not.
The truth is, you can’t be everywhere at once; stories are meant to be shared. The real essence of Brighton’s music scene seeps out from the post-gig euphoria, ticket flops, and new album drops discussed among friends.
Spoken word fills the gaps in this unruly underground. While there may be no ‘Greatest Hits’ album for the Brighton music scene (yet), Slack City Radio captures the grassroots venues, artistry, and storytelling that define Brighton’s creative cosmos through careful curation and conversation.
Slack City is a freeform radio platform brewed in two community cornerstones: The Actors pub in Kemptown and Family Store Records in North Laine. Connecting the dots between independent music from near and far, Slack City hosts dialogue about memorable performances, the latest releases, hype surrounding emerging artists and more. While it’s Brighton-centric, its reach extends well beyond the city’s corners – a jovial jukebox spinning tracks from the past, present, and future.
Slack City’s home within Family Store Records is particularly telling. Alongside the store’s founder Andrew’s solo show, live sets from Brighton’s rising stars, local bands, and grassroots veterans are held in-store and broadcast live.
This merging of in-person and ‘On Air’ worlds illuminates Brighton’s elusive subculture, as creative networks gather to mingle over music. All this against a backdrop of genre-spanning records that any music enthusiast would be eager to sink their teeth into. Some might call it a match made in heaven.
With Record Store Day approaching on April 12th, coinciding with the Homegrown music festival, Slack City continues to immortalise Brighton’s grassroots music scene — whether intentionally or not. Tune in on DAB radio or head to The Hope and Ruin on Sunday, April 20th, from 4 pm to 12 am, for Slack City Sunday Service, an Easter celebration of experimental local artists and Slack City DJs. www.slackcity.org.uk
