Since 2005 Brighton Mod Weekender has been the symbolic destination of the original Mod annual pilgrimage. Since day one, Komedia has been a part of that journey, with the very first club night held in the upstairs venue, where the Duke’s at Komedia Picturehouse cinema is housed now.
The Mod Weekender, packed with live music, club nights, and DJs, always takes place on the August Bank Holiday, with this year’s event running from Thu 21st – Sun 24th August. Daytime events are held at the Volks and evening events at Komedia, featuring a huge wooden dancefloor – perfect for those Northern Soul and Mod tunes!
This year’s events include live music from The Rifles, Block 33, New Street Adventure, Telecom, Purple Hearts, Maze, The Crystal Teardrop, Le Chiffre Organ-Ization, and The Baron Four. DJ sets come from Andy Hill, Sean Chapman, Russell Deal, Sean Creegan, Brian Kelson, Phil Bush, Scott Picken, Adam Cracknell, Lee Miller, Rob Bailey, Charles Whitehouse, Lee and Dave Grimshaw, Dr Robert, Gary Milan, Alexandre Besson, Chris Dale, and Alan Saunders.
Daytime events at the Volks, situated 200 yards east of Brighton Pier, where the scooters arrive in the iconic film Quadrophenia, run from noon until 6pm. Enjoy DJs and a market selling records, vintage and bespoke clothes, art, and memorabilia. There is also a scooter competition and ride out on Sunday afternoon.
Rob Bailey founded the New Untouchables, who organise Brighton Mod Weekender, back in 1997. The independent organisation promotes 21st Century Modernist & Sixties Inspired Underground Music Culture with an International Mindset.
On the 20th anniversary of the Brighton Mod Weekender, styled after similar events on the Isle of White and in Margate, Bailey said:
“I’m very proud of creating and establishing the Brighton Mod Weekender as a landmark event for the city and Mod scene.
It wasn’t easy when we started, the city was not ready to embrace its history. Those hedonistic days of the mid-sixties and early eighties revival years meant Mods were banned from even stepping onto the pier. Many thought we were mad for moving away from our hugely successful IOW weekender, but Brighton has always been the spiritual home of Mod. Our first club night was upstairs at the Komedia where Duke’s cinema is now. Our daytime events always held at The Volks, where the scooters arrive in the iconic film Quadrophenia.
Over the years the event has grown to become the highlight in the calendar for many. People travel from all over the World to enjoy 4 days programming of sublime live music, DJ’s and club nights. Equally important is the city now embraces it’s past and enjoys the event.”
To mark this milestone anniversary, the talented photographer David Clarke (Dammo Photography) will host an exhibition, featuring some of the iconic photos shot over the last two decades of Brighton Mod Weekender. Dammo is the official photographer and author of ‘Through My Eyes’, a stunning book portraying his iconic photos from the last twenty years of Brighton Mod Weekender.
To find out what’s on and to book your tickets, head to the New Untouchables website here.
Find out what else is coming up at Komedia here.
