WaterBear – The College of Music is bringing a 9am coffee rave to Brighton next week, with free coffee and DJ Boogaloo Dee welcoming students into the new term. The morning event puts music, coffee and meeting fellow students at the centre of the welcome, following a Freshers programme that brings established performers and emerging talent together across the city’s live music venues.
Singer-songwriter Caity Baser will headline Concorde 2 on Wednesday 16 September, joined by support from Crimson and Lizzie Hill. The show is part of WaterBear – The College of Music’s five-day Freshers programme, bringing established performers and emerging talent together across Brighton’s live music venues. The week began on Monday 14 September with Mae Hill, supported by WaterBear artists !ssy (Issy Draycott) and Scarlett Leigh at the WaterBear Venue. Tuesday saw the WaterBear Queer Collective take over the WaterBear MusicBar, with Call Me Quizzy (Quiz) headlining alongside Blame Mary and Ziggy Pheonix. On Thursday, 48Volts, a Sheffield-based live music promotion collective run by WaterBear students Kian Welsh and Dom Collison, presents Beanie and Waymore, with MoreofThem and Letter4You at the WaterBear Venue, before Friday closes the week with a Collage & Connection session and Silent Disco at the WaterBear MusicBar.
Freshers Week has already brought an unexpected encounter for one new student, who bumped into actor Tom Hardy during a scavenger hunt around Brighton. One of the tasks was to take the best picture, and the student came back with a photograph of them together.
The programme puts emerging acts alongside established performers across three Brighton venues. WaterBear artists !ssy and Scarlett Leigh were on Mae Hill’s bill, while the college’s Apply to Play scheme offers new and existing students the chance to put themselves forward for performance opportunities.
WaterBear’s Brighton base spans its Hanover House headquarters and two live music venues: the WaterBear Venue on the seafront and the WaterBear MusicBar in Kemptown. Hanover House brings together recording studios, practice rooms and Mac suites, while the venues give students space to perform and put on their own events. Together, they help nurture the musicians, producers and promoters who will contribute to the next chapter of Brighton’s music scene.
WaterBear’s commitment to developing talent also extends to its scholarship programme. Published partnerships include a full-tuition master’s scholarship with Ronan Keating, undergraduate scholarships with DJ AG and Toddla T’s Steeze Factory, and community scholarships with AudioActive in Brighton. The undergraduate awards cover tuition for three-year degrees, helping artists develop their skills without that financial barrier.
WaterBear has announced Lauren Black as the recipient of its Ronan Keating scholarship. DJ AG scholarship winner Jimmy Curtin will study BA (Hons) Professional Music (Production) at the college’s Sheffield campus. The wider programme connects established artists and grassroots organisations with emerging talent, supporting the next generation both on stage and behind the scenes.
Jodie Amos, Head of Music Industries at WaterBear, said: “We like to give our creatives an opportunity to get on the stage from day one. Playing to an audience, sharing a bill and meeting other musicians are an important part of developing as an artist. Freshers Week is an opportunity for students to start making those connections and become part of Brighton’s live music community.”
There are opportunities for students from across Brighton to join parts of the programme. The 48Volts show offers paid entry on the door for all Brighton students, while the Queer Collective night also offered entry to non-WaterBear students, subject to capacity. The Caity Baser show admits WaterBear Freshers wristband holders and additional guests under the published entry arrangements; valid photo ID is required.
For more information on WaterBear Brighton Freshers Week, visit: https://waterbear.org.uk/freshers/brighton/
