“Stupidly, I hadn’t realised this would be an event with as much focus on dancing as the music itself. But, what else would you expect from a salsa orchestra? Coming straight from a sunny beach, it felt like Latin fever had struck Hove.

The dynamic street-styled salsa of La Excelencia filled the hall with couples twirling and gyrating. Some were more skilled than others, but all were enthusiastic.

I shuffled awkwardly from side to side, before retiring to enjoy the music. Less “blame it on the boogie”, more “blame it on the flip-flops”.

The main vocalist declared proudly they were from the Bronx, New York City – and that when the manager of one venue was loathe to let them play in their preferred attire of jeans, trainers, T-shirts and baseball caps, they declared they’d walk out rather than change their style.

It is a tribute to their music that they were rebooked – the manager got fired.

They played with verve, energy and attitude. I’m sorry, I’ve just got to say it…La Excelencia were excellent.”

The Argus July 2, 2009

"Though the ticket for Thursday evening's show at the Old Market was billed as 'up-beat jazz/swing', the unlikely Lea DeLaria provided much more. The internationally acclaimed singer/comedienne not only played two sets of jazz standards with her trio for a somewhat sparse audience, but put her twenty-five years of stand-up comedy experience to use, leaving no piece without its anecdote.

Unfortunately, for those audience members coming to listen to a night of pure jazz, the jokes and impromptu rants managed to infiltrate every corner of her show, even the pieces themselves. The boisterous DeLaria, however, made up for any over-long ramblings, even for the purists, with a flawless musicality and decided personality. An excellent performer, DeLaria turned the Old Market into a gathering of old friends telling stories and singing songs."

Three Weeks, May 2009

Claire Martin and Friends at The Old Market 25 April 2009

"Of all the hosts the mayor’s charities could have picked for this whirlwind jazz fundraiser, few could have been a neater amalgamation of presenter and performer than Claire Martin.

At the top of her universally popular swing game, and with her own show on Radio 3, the student of the Great American Songbook emanated the casual sheen of a consummate master of ceremonies as she sauntered on stage, her confidence expounded in the expert hands of her three-man backing band.

Martin’s is a soundtrack to the carefree, and she hissed, purred and roared her way through impassioned and cheeky takes of Sting’s Saint Augustine In Hell and Joni Mitchell’s Sex Sells, as well as a string of intelligently sassed-up standards from her well-received albums.
Jim Mullen, the eccentric, silver-haired guitarist who has frequently inspired and partnered Martin, almost stole the show as he arched and gurned through a series of intricate chords, and Gareth Williams added surprisingly silky vocals to the backbone his keyboard noodlings provided.

But it was human cannonball Liane Carroll – a Hastings ivory pounder and self-confessed “secret stalker” of Martin – who dominated the second half.

With friends like these, Martin is in fine company."

Ben Miller
The Argus April 27, 2009

The Blockheads at The Old Market
11 April 2009

"It is nine years since the death of Ian Dury but The Blockheads are still going strong, and last week they released their second studio album since the singer passed away.

Four of the original line-up remain, joined by three new musicians including the superb Gilad Atzmon on sax, who showcased his talent with some spectacular solos.

The set got off to a cracking start with a rousing version of Sex ’n’ Drugs ’n’ Rock ’n’ Roll, and it was clear that the band’s musicians had lost none of their spark, 30 years after their first hit.

Visually, they appeared a motley crew, from the slightly sinister Chaz Jankel to the eccentric Norman Watt-Roy, who, in trance-like state, seemed to be having a private jamming session in his head.

Dury is, of course, a tough act to follow. Taking the mic on lead vocals was his old friend and “minder” Derek Hussey, who, having absorbed much over his years with Dury and the band, blended in naturally.

He did more than a capable job, yet does not quite possess Dury’s edginess and charisma.

The gig as a whole appeared unstructured and the new material lacked the bite, wit and individuality of the earlier songs, seeming bland in comparison.

The band’s musicianship, however, was exemplary, and they pleased the audience with classics such as What A Waste, Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick and Clever Trevor.

The encore of Reasons To Be Cheerful had the required effect and left the crowd cheering."

Courtney King
The Argus April 14, 2009

Acker Bilk at The Old Market
28 February 2009

"Acker Bilk’s performance was electrifying.
Having been brought up on my dad’s trad jazz tapes and hearing the stories of smoke-filled clubs in 1960s London, this was the first time I had actually witnessed one of these old heroes making music.

At 80, Acker’s voice is beginning to show glimpses of his age, yet his clarinet playing retains his hallmark smoothness and clarity of tone. His vibrato-rich solos set souls soaring, transporting the audience to 1920s New Orleans.

Delighting us with such classics as When You’re Smiling, White Cliffs Of Dover and Sousa’s Stars And Stripes Forever, Bilk was ably assisted by his backing group, the Paramount Jazz Band.

Featuring the stratospheric Rico Tomaso on trumpet and virtuoso trombone Ian Bateman, with Colin Wood gracing the ivories, they allowed Bilk some light relief and formed a perfectly punctilious counterpoint to his crushed-velvet flow.

Donning his bowler hat to close the show with his biggest hit, Stranger On The Shore, Bilk’s music and good humour was an absolute treat. It was an honour to be at the Old Market to witness it."

James Brownsell
The Argus March 2, 2009

Fred Wesley and the New JB's
at The Old Market 1 February 2009

““Who’s your daddy?” shouted former James Brown trombonist and funk addict Fred Wesley. “Fred!” screamed the band and the audience with all the enthusiasm of an Albanese gospel choir. “Who’d y’all wanna blow?” smirked Wesley, “FRED!” was the response, twice as loud and twice as ferocious.

One diver-sized gulp later and Wesley puffed his cheeks to the size of footballs as he bellowed out a groove so vicious even the most awkward feet got going. This was how to start an encore.
He might be in his mid-60s but Wesley has lost none of his funk. His enthusiasm is infectious, his style so sincere, it was impossible not to move...

...But it was the razor-sharp three-way medley of Breakin’ Bread, Pass The Peas and Gimme Some More, plus classics Funky Good Time and House Party that had everyone jumping and whooping for more. "

The Argus February 3, 2009

Marlena Shaw at The Old Market
26 January 2009

“I came not for the money but for the love,” joked Marlena Shaw as she greeted the doting Old Market crowd.
No truer word was uttered all night.

She may have lost some of the power that once singled her out as a voice for oppressed ghetto women but she has lost none of her energy."

The Argus January 27, 2009

Horace Andy at The Old Market
10 November 2008

"Horace Andy is a performer with a new lease of life since his association with hip-hop group Massive Attack.

He has certainly attracted a new audience judging by the vast number of 20-somethings in the crowd at the Old Market...

...It was a bit of Jamaica brought to Hove."

The Argus November 13, 2008

London Community Gospel Choir
at The Old Market 8 November 2008

"The energy the London Community Gospel Choir brought to the stage spread through the audience in seconds.
It wasn’t long before the members’ enthusiasm had everyone on their feet dancing and singing along.
The choir, led by the Rev Bazil Meade, has been going for 26 years and members brought a polished performance to the stage...

...Every song was delivered with passion, flair and impressive vocal gymnastics, and some brave audience members even stepped into the spotlight themselves, singing into the choir’s microphone.
The evening ended with a performance of Oh Happy Day, which had everyone dancing and provided a fantastic end to a memorable evening."

The Argus November 12, 2008

In June The Old Market welcomed Fat Freddy's Drop to perform as part of Russ Dewbury's Jazz Bop.

"During a laid-back two-hour set, the guys floated out classic album tracks mixed with unhurried jamming. The slow, sweet vocals of striking front man Joe Dukie glided over each song blending the diverse musical styles and making them their own.

This gig sold out several weeks in advance... but if anyone can bring the sunshine indoors, it's Joe and the boys."

The Argus June 26, 2006

Gould Piano Trio
as part of The 2008/09 Coffee Concert Season at The Old Market
22 February 2009

"Ducking and diving like members of a synchronised swimming team, their animated movements kept them immaculately unified and the thrill they clearly share in exploring these works made them both a pleasure to watch and listen to."

The Argus February 24, 2009

A patron of the Sunday Coffee Concert Season:

"I've had some of the best musical experiences of my life at the Sunday concerts - and all of them were highlights of Brighton life for me. "

April 2008

In September 2009 The Old Market welcomed Nick Cave as part of City Books at The Old Market, reading from and discussing his new book 'The Death Of Bunny Munro'.

"It was to the credit of the organisers that tickets for Nick Cave’s appearance remained at the usual Old Market talk price of £6: fans of the literate musician clearly find him compelling when not in the company of his bandmates, and would happily have paid more.

Cave was present to discuss The Death Of Bunny Munro, his second novel. It tells the story of a hypersexual salesman and his increasingly depraved attempts at seduction, despite the presence of his son, who travels with him.

The 20-year gap since Cave’s sulphurous debut novel And The Ass Saw The Angel hasn’t mellowed his visceral discourse. His sonorous introductory reading ably represented his intense prose, showcasing his canny eye for detail, bleak sense of humour and ability to create an atmosphere of dread.

Pleasingly, Cave’s inquisitor was Will Self, a man not cowed by his subject’s intellect, having known him as “a guy I ran into at barbecues” for many years. His incisive questions allowed the author to explain some of the motives and themes of the book.

Of particular interest was Cave’s relation to his monstrous protagonist. “He isn’t me,” he said, “but I’m interested in characters like Humbert Humbert and Patrick Bateman. Those characters work because in some way you can relate to them.”

He also revealed some interesting trivia: amazingly the book was written on tour, he finds authorship a lot easier than the “agony” of songwriting, and he still wrestles with his conscience regarding Bunny’s grubby thoughts about Avril Lavigne.

A mix of audience questions ended the evening on a lighter note, ranging from a comically confusing enquiry about the nature of spectacle, to the surprising “any chance of a musical?”

“I’ll do it!” was the eventual reply. He may have been joking, but Cave’s unpredictability is part of his appeal, as a songwriter, novelist and as a thought-provoking speaker."

Mark Dishman
The Argus 2 Oct 2009

In June 2009 The Old Market welcomed Sarah Waters as part of City Books at The Old Market, reading from and discussing her new book 'The Little Stranger'.

“Brighton’s women were out in force to hear best-selling novelist Sarah Waters.
When the presenter announced an upcoming talk by Glen David Gold, polite silence followed until she continued, “husband of Alice Sebold”, to a buzz of excitement.

Interviewer Lennie Goodings of Virago has been Waters’ editor for 11 years, and they chatted and relaxed into conversation, leaning forward eagerly with explanatory hand gestures.

Waters acknowledged she was happy for an intelligent, badly-dressed character in her new book, The Little Stranger, to be read as a repressed or nascent lesbian, although she personally preferred to describe her as an “awkward heterosexual”.
She recalled with relish the challenges she set herself: creating a supernatural experience in the urban heart of the country, in a well-lit Georgian house rather than a Gothic mansion, and for the first time using a male narrator who, she found, had an enormous sense of entitlement in matters of romance.

Waters shyly shared a nightmare she experienced in a “fascinating, poignant and slightly repellent” country house about a female figure in her room, and a delicious shudder spread around the hall.

When an audience member’s phone rang, Waters exclaimed: “It’s the Little Stranger!”

She spoke thoughtfully about rapid post-war social change and the trajectory of her family’s personal experience, from being in service to attending university in three generations.

One surprising question from a former colleague asked whether she still played the gypsy violin – apparently not, but Waters is clearly a woman of many talents.”

Rosie Clarke
The Argus 15 June 2009

In April 2009 The Old Market welcomed Alain De Booton as part of City Books at The Old Market, reading from and discussing his new book 'The Pleasures And Sorrows Of Work'.

"“I hoped there would be return tickets at least – I was a fool!” exclaimed one disappointed man turned away from the Old Market box office.

There was an eagerness for intellectual debate among the diverse crowd hearing popular philosopher Alain de Botton discuss his latest book, The Pleasures And Sorrows Of Work.

De Botton suggested that if a Martian attempted to understand human life through visiting a bookshop, it would think we spent most of our time falling in love, with occasional breaks for murder.

Discovering this gap in the publishing market for an assessment of work – how goods get to consumers, our search for meaning and value in what we do, and how attitudes to employment have changed through history – the self-employed writer and thinker went undercover at a variety of workplaces.

As he enthused about the eroticism and time-wasting he observed at a biscuit factory, and his following of a tuna fish’s journey from ocean to plate, his sympathetic yet ironic detachment from those he observed seemed slightly alien.

Captivated by these concepts, his words spilled over each other as he marvelled at human ingenuity and psychology, sparking lightbulb moments and intelligent questions from the audience."

Rosie Clarke
The Argus 17 April 2009

In April 2008 The Old Market welcomed Will Self as part of City Books at The Old Market, reading from and discussing his new book 'The Butt'.

"Hi performance demonstrated the delight he takes in diction and word play.
His writing is by turns masterful and heavy-handed, his reading of it revealing as many moments of overblown verbosity as dexterous brilliance.

It was when he put the text aside to confront the motley crowd that his wit and intelligence truley announced itself.

Foolhardy hecklers were despatched with jocular ease: "If you don't like the book, I'll come round and shampoo your carpet", the response to one accusation.

But it was worth the depth, clarity and force of his reasoning that really impressed - something to be prized in times burdened by an excess of imprecise thought."

Ben Murray
The Argus 29 April 2008

In September 2009 Brighton’s biggest and most brazen burlesque troupe presented Bonbon! at The Old Market.

BOUTIQUE THEATRE PRESENTS BONBON!

"Brighton’s got talent, and a packed-to-the-rafters crowd bore witness to the fact at Boutique Theatre’s latest outing, Bonbon! Whilst their vaudeville based ‘end of the pier style’ burlesque is somewhat removed from the edgier eroticism of its American counterpart, the saucy seaside postcard approach perfectly served the range of talents on show. From the slick dance routine professionalism of Coco Smooth to the bawdy humour of Honour Mission, there was something for everyone. The eclectic sound track was a large part of the show, with compare Gretchen Von Bitchin’s belting Berlin-style ‘Mein Herr’ being a particular highlight, as was Pretty Little Horsebreakers’ alluring five-strong slant on traditional hostess style."

****

David McCarthy
The Latest 6-12 October 2009

In February 2009 students from Sussex University's Musical Theatre Society put on a performance of Fame here at The Old Market.

"Sussex Musical Theatre Society has had an illustrious seventeen year history of which I and all in the society are proud to be a part.

When the Gardener Arts Centre closed in 2007 we moved to the warm and welcoming surroundings of The Old Market. The staff here have been wonderfully accommodating and all of us in the society are eternally grateful to them for showing the patience required to work with students."

Iain Bishop Director
Sussex University Musical Theatre Society

The Blue Camel Club at The Old Market.

The Carousel clubs celebrate the artistic achievements of people with learning disabilities as artists and participants. The clubs are for people with learning disabilities and their friends.

Carousel continues to support and pioneer the development of club events as a crucial part of the artistic development of people and artists with learning disabilities across the region.

Please click here for the BBC review.

"We had such an amazing day and so grateful for all the efforts that were made by you to make the day so special. We have had many compliments about the standard of food...which (all) went down very well.

Thank you to all the staff that made it run so smoothly.

January 2009


"The whole day and food was perfect, we both really enjoyed it and this was helped by the great staff at The Old Market. Everyone of our guest were complementing the food and venue."

September 2008


"The venue was excellent... the evening a huge success. I would reccomend it to anyone."

September 2008


"We had such a fantastic day at our wedding. Thank you so much for helping us make it so very special."

November 2007


"...We had a wonderful day and our family and friends are still singing your and The Old Market’s praises."

August 2007


"...We just wanted to say a huge thank you to you for making our wedding day so amazing! ...Everything, from the food to the timing was perfect and seamless – we couldn’t have asked for more."

June 2007

"...the whole day went very smoothly and we felt able to relax and knew everything was in good hands. We will treasure the memories of the whole day and thank you for making it such a success."

September 2005

"......you have made the whole experience a joy because of your exceptional organisational skills. Please thank all the staff.. everyone was amazing!"

April 2006

"...the hall looked great and all the staff were very helpful. Many of our guests commented on the "treasure" of a venue we had uncovered.

May 2006

"...a highly enjoyable party for us on 6 September. Everyone had a fantastic time and really liked the food and venue."

October 2008


"..wanted to thank you again for all your hard work over the weekend to make our 40th such a memorable occasion. Without a doubt all the staff together with the venue were fantastic.You truely have a wonderful bunch of caring, conscientious people at The Old Market."

40th Birthday 2006

"I am writing to say thank you to all of the staff at The Old Market for making our St Patricks Day such a great success, our customers enjoyed the evening immensley. Thank you for all of your assistance with this event."

Allied Irish Bank 2006