Ginger DJ Rob

So loving this!

We've been seriously busy over the past week with practically every night out at a different Brighton Fringe show or Great Escape gig. More on that when I invent that time-machine. But first, a pair of sweaty fellas I've been looking forward to seeing (no, I don't mean the contents of my pants after a cycle ride). Tonight Matthew, Max and Iván were going to be 'The world’s greatest detective' tackling 'Chicago’s murky underworld'. It was going to be 'A prohibition-era tale of revenge, whiskey and javelins.' In case you're still confused I'm referring to the latest show from a pair of talented comedy actors who are a regular feature at the Brighton Fringe. Their previous shows used their own style of comedy sketch with their 2009 Televisionaires show (their Mario & Luigi meets Martin Scorsese was hilarious) then their 2010 show, simply titled Max and Iván (loved their bad stand-up comedian character with inner monologue). Unlike La...

To open the Great Escape festival , DJ Shadow brought his Shadowsphere for some top trip hop sounds and AV delights. We arrived just after the doors opened expecting an early show but were treated to two very good support acts. No idea who the first act was but he did manage to whoop up the small crowd with his guitar and sampler set. Beardyman I was a virgin before hearing him but for a first time Beardyman broke me in good and sore for more. I knew he was talented but his range of beatboxing and bang-on accurate rap impressions were excellent. He had such stage presence and confidence that you couldn't help but smile and laugh at his mouth-making beats. There was no mention of McVities though though he'd probably never buy a packet of biscuits again! Personal highlight was his rendition of Daft Punk's Around the World. The Shadow appears All throughout the support acts there was a sphere structure on stage but no mixing table for the Shadow. After Beardyman...

I've only blogged about this Fringe event as it was organised by my employer and I helped out with the social media promotion and event photography. As a public event I was expecting some off-the-street nutters but they didn't really turn up. For a slightly academic debate we had an excellent turn-out with the Friends Meeting House caretaker having to put on extra chairs. Slightly random woman asking me who the speakers were but I let her off for being partially sighted. We had the Telepgraph foreign affairs editor and a Guardian journalist attending/speaking (pictured). At the end we had a Brighton Fringe rep turn up and requested a copy of my photos! The next day they were on the Facebook page - result! All the photos can be seen on Flickr .

I only discovered that the story was based on real events instead of the Michael Caine version that made it a British icon. With last year's excellent Breakfast Club still in my mind, I was expecting this show to use another Brighton and Hove public building. Instead there was a multi-level stage with pub bar, a single bed and a lounge. It started off with a telephone conversation with Carter saying he was going up North to bury his brother and investigate who killed him. Carter arrives at what I assumed to be a relatives house but only work out later that its his dead brother's spirit replaying old memories and giving the audience some background to keep the story on track. As well as the main scenes, instead of playing out the complicated action sequences, the actors would narrate to explain what they were doing or feeling - sometimes this over-simplified the situation. At other times, you glad of it as some of the actors didn't project their voice enough to be heard p...

Atters is a Brighton Chap legend who models himself on English scoundrel, Terry Thomas . His show is almost a PowerPoint presentation on his paranormal investigations then has special, sexy guests filling in with saucy acts. A kind of Carry on X-Files . Catchphrases involved 'swabs' and 'probes' etc. I loved his persona and caddish approach but you couldn't quite help thinking it was a bit unreheresed. The cabaret element was a little borderline at times especially the pant-wearing pervy female strippers giving the audience an eye-full more than expected. Perhaps the show would have been better on a Friday night at about 10pm. Since writing the above I've since discovered this video which is dated three years ago and is the same material. No wonder some of the audience were a little quiet, perhaps expecting some new jokes?

Saturday night was a Brighton Festival free event in a Hove public park . The fire-art installations were beautiful with some eerie jazz music for a chilled feel. Very much like the hedonistic feelings of Glastonbury and Big Chill.

Location: Three and Ten Pub, Upstairs Theatre One of our favourite's from last year's Fringe returned with 99% new comedy sketch material. These five guys pack in some great laughs and seemed to have invested in some in-between videos as the next gag gets set up. The humour is low-brow, silly and childish in places but that's typically perfect for my level that's guaranteed to shock you into laughter. Highlights for me were the CCTV of one of the Gimp's mum and her bedroom plus the opening and closing musical numbers were brilliant. When will these guys get a TV break?! See the Late Night Gimp Fight website Related articles Fringe Review website - Late Night Gimp Fight Ginger DJ Rob: Late Night Gimp Fight 2010 review