1990s
1993 saw Sussex’s historic relevance recognised as the Basil Spence-designed Falmer House was designated a Grade I listed building, and the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts and the Meeting House were given Grade II status. At the same time, britpop bands such as Blur, Pulp and Suede were busy ensuring that the decade would come to be defined by guitar music – not least on campus, which featured in the NME after Pulp played in the “hot barn” otherwise known as East Slope bar.
Manic Street Preachers
January 1992
Stereo MCs
Image: Ian Macknight (SOC 1979)
Blur
Blur setlist, Mandela Hall, 16 October 1993.
Babybird
Babybird played at East Slope Bar circa 1993/94. Matthew Bird (AFRAS 1997) remembers:
"After the gig, since we both shared the same surname, I introduced myself to Babybird by telling him that I was the original Bird, and that he was the fake Bird! We then started discussing who was the prettiest out of the two of us. Babybird said he was, but I told him he looked like a darts player. We were both rather drunk".
My Life Story
My Life Story's star was rising when they played at East Slope Bar in December 1994. That gig was the start of a 15-year relationship and first marriage to a fellow alum for Serena Mitchell (ENGAM 1987):
"My Life Story were promoting their excellent debut LP Mornington Crescent, and we were lucky to get tickets as the gig sold out quickly. We spent the whole time before the set locked in conversation and afterwards ended up walking back to Brighton very slowly. The rest is history, shall we say, and certainly an important part of my life story".
Lead singer Jake Shillingford said: "I remember our show at East Slope Bar fondly - it was the very first day of the National Lottery; I won a fiver. I thought - this is so easy!"
The 90's scene
"Sussex has had some great bands. In my first year ('92-'93) we had The Cranberries, Radiohead (twice), The Lemonheads and Pulp, among many others. Pulp and Radiohead played East Slope Bar, and then Radiohead played again at Mandela Hall, supporting Kingmaker " - Johnny Buckle (American Studies 1992)
"Both of my parents saw Jimi Hendrix at Sussex. My mother recalled that people weren’t dancing, as they were supposed to be doing, but were just watching him the whole time. My father said that he didn’t remember much about the concert except that Hendrix came on very late. Around 25 years later, I saw Radiohead at East Slope and like my Dad, don’t recall much of that gig myself either. I also caught the Blur gig at Mandela Hall, when they were on the Modern Life Is Rubbish tour with a range of domestic furniture on the stage as part of the set." - Dom Pates (Digital Media MA 2011)
Were you at any of these gigs? Which ones have we missed? Fill in the gaps by emailing alumni@sussex.ac.uk.
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