Close watchers of the Brighton music scene will know that a reliable badge of quality is an association with the marvelous, loosely-affiliated collection of musicians who go under the name the Willkommen Collective; a mutually supportive and fiercely independent group of creative types who are represented in The Leisure Society, Shoreline and the bewitching Sons of Noel and Adrian - as well as two bands (Curly Hair and The Miserable Rich) playing at the Melting Vinyl Xmas show at St. George's Church in Kemptown tonight.
You don't have to a genius, either, to know that when Melting Vinyl put on a party, it's inevitably a good one; tonight's event will boast three stages and promises to be a Jools Holland style hootenanny (without any boogie woogie piano, hopefully), with appearances also promised from Melodica Melody and Me, Fretful Federation and Jo Burke + friends. There's even going to be a Santa's Grotto provided by The Half Sisters.
The spirit of Christmas is gripping stray, frazzled corners of Brighton - take the plunge and join in; tickets are £7 adv. / £8 on the door; easily picked up at Rounder.
Here's a swooning, festive sampler of The Miserable Rich. Note the line that references The Basketmakers... And for another game, why not try to create a melody in your head that is more irritating than the 'Balcony TV' jingle at the start. Monstrous.
And here are Curly Hair:
