With a programme of summer/autumn shows featuring EILEN JEWELL, BOWERBIRDS, HAYES CARLL and THE SADIES amongst others, we hardly need to tell you that we've got some real quality coming to Brighton in the next few months. Things are looking pretty nifty for the winter (Nov/Dec) too - keep checking back for news...

Be A Ham presents...
BOWERBIRDS plus Mechanical Bride

SATURDAY 6th SEPTEMBER 2008
Prince Albert, Trafalgar St., Brighton
Doors 8:00pm

Tickets £6 advance on sale at Rounder/Resident - available NOW online at wegottickets: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/32260

Click picture to hear more...
You would not believe the press which will gush forth about the BOWERBIRDS' album in the coming weeks. We can only compare it to the reception afforded Bon Iver's recent beauty. It's not a blunt comparison either, as Mr Iver (Justin to his mum) has cited Bowerbirds' self-enforced seclusion in an Airstream trailer whilst recording as the inspiration for his own hermitage in a log cabin for the making of his album. As far as we know though, no deer were harmed in the making of Bowerbirds' stunning Hymns For A Dark Horse.

Making this ticket even hotter is the addition of local kids, MECHANICAL BRIDE. Lauren, Tommy, Marcus and crew have been winning ever-growing numbers of fans with each successive ep release. The real attention-grabber was their take on that omnipresent Umbr-ella tune, proving that they are open-minded enough to see good in most things. Cherish their free-thinking, Brighton has a new cause celébre.

http://www.bowerbirds.org
http://www.myspace.com/mechanicalbride
http://www.last.fm/event/703623

A co-promotion with ARK PR:
HAYES CARLL plus Travis Linville plus Laura Jane Kauffman

MONDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2008
Prince Albert, Trafalgar St., Brighton
Doors 8:00pm

Tickets £8 advance on sale NOW at Rounder/Resident and at http://www.wegottickets.com/event/33612

Click picture to hear more...
One of those evenings where I barely care if anyone else turns up, I'm so happy to be (co)hosting it! Hayes Carll is LOUDON WAINWRIGHT if he'd spent his years in a Texas roadhouse; less smart-ass, more sass. Demonstrating a wit to rival that of JOHN "The Master" PRINE (not a name we bandy about lightly). If you do come, bone up on Hayes' lyrics before you get here (no filler on any of his 3 albums to date), so we can all have a grand ol'sing-along into our beer!

Travis Linville will be performing as part of Hayes' band (a trio) as well as giving us a peek at his own songs. he puts us in mind of PAUL CURERRI, with strong narrative lyrics and some juicy guitar playing.

Laura Kauffman was booked for this show before we even knew we were dong it: being only the second person we'd met who knew who Hayes Carll was was one thing, having actually written and performed with him in Texas was the seal on it. We love it when a plan comes together :-)

http://www.hayescarll.com
http://www.travislinville.com
http://www/laurajanekauffman.com
http://www.last.fm/event/687667

Be A Ham presents...
LITE plus 54-71

THURSDAY 16th OCTOBER 2008
The Engine Room, Preston Street (opposite West Pier), Brighton
Doors 8:00pm

Tickets £6 advance on sale at Rounder/Resident - available online at http://www.wegottickets.com/event/34176

Click picture to hear more...
We often feel like we're going out on a limb with Be A Ham shows; not knowing how many (or how few) of you will tolerate our off-piste indulgences... after all, most of you are here for the twang, right? Well, we're hosting our third show with Tokyo's Lite and there's still no sign of a pedal steel! They are heavy as hell, and new album Phantasia had us hyperventilating by the third track. Not for the faint-hearted.

In support 54-71, also from Japan, we have the closest we've come to hosting a rap act: they have been described to us as "one of the best live acts I've ever seen" - and we know the person concerned has seen Dinosaur Jr, The Meat Puppets and Firehose many times, so this statement was not uttered (and should not be taken) lightly. We are moist with anticipation..

http://www.myspace.com/liteband
http://www.myspace.com/fiftyfourseventyone
http://www.last.fm/event/682742

THE SADIES plus Luke Doucet

FRIDAY 24th OCTOBER 2008
The Engine Room, Preston Street (opposite West Pier), Brighton
Doors 7:30 - 11pm (Luke on at 8. Sadies on stage early!)

Tickets £10 advance on sale at Rounder/Resident - available online at http://www.wegottickets.com/event/32262

Click picture to hear more...
If you've heard (or more especially, if you've *seen*) The Sadies, chances are you'll be buying your ticket for this evening without needing any prompting from me. For the benefit of the rest of you, there is good reason why this band is regarded with awe amongst those who have witnessed their live show. They play like no-one else - and every one of their shows in Brighton numbers amongst the most memorable in the Gilded Palace annals.

Luke Doucet is no stranger to town either, having built a steadily-growing following here. It was arguably his appearance at the Sixshooter bash earlier this year which cemented his fan-base here. His demonstration of how to wring the neck of a Gretsch White Falcon left the audience drooling. His CD's outsold even those of Justin Rutledge and NQ Arbuckle. He has another this time around...

To paraphrase the bloke on the advert: "The Sadies and Luke Doucet? I make that 'guitar o'clock'!"

http://www.thesadies.net
http://www.lukedoucet.com/
http://www.last.fm/event/703601