please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Well named for a Brighton pub !!!
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Now closed again, looks permanent this time.
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The Freebutt has re-opened having been closed for almost a year. Its been going for a good few months now and seems to do ok.... but i'm sure that the pub barely survives on the skinny jeans crowd who go in with only enough money for a pint ( having already drank and necked god knows what before heading out! ). Bit cliquey upstairs in The Penthouse.... reminds me of the 'Why Don't you' club house - and someone's mum really should give it a good clean!
Downstairs is way better than it used to be. You head in through the side entrance and it takes you either up the stairs to the penthouse or to the right through a door into the new bar area. This kinda looked like they'd run out of money on the decorating front when i visited a few weeks ago..... bit sparse and lacking charm but nice low lighting from the bar end. To the left of the bar is a double door that leads through into the venue. It's all a bit topsy turvy as regards the floor plan - but it always was bad. The stage runs along the longest wall, has a top quality new PA system and great lighting. The room is wider than it is deep, if that makes sense, and is unfortunately ruined by a huge black pillar that cuts in front of centre stage. It is however a great improvement on the previous set up. The staff aren't as rude and up their own arses as they used to be and the beer is as you'd expect. Lager and bottles.... but we don't really go there for the beer! The venue is now in the hands of the guys who run The Joiners in southampton.....so, well done for taking it on guys. Good luck to you.
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Rubbish layout for bands, typical brighton 'rustic', as in falling apart, has some atmospere tho - bands really are hit and miss but can be great - worth a pop :)
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Rough n ready. Great Pub. Pot Luck with the music.
Saw Bowlrider there.. top notch.
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One of the few remaining live venues in Brighton. It used to be the size of a small broom cupboard but has now had an extension. Good selection of live music most nights. Mainly young / student crowd. Last time I was there a load of fat old punks (me included) sat with our pints balanced on our beer guts watching young blokes dance all night without breaking into a sweat. Definitely worth a visit.
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good chance of seeing some of the best and worst new bands in here, nice intimate venue and fair seletion of drinks, worth a trip
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Reasonable price for stout. Bit dingy but not offensive. Great music, mind.
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Underwent a total renovation a few years ago. Before this the pub was absolutely tiny, but known for its well-deserved reputation of putting on the best and brightest of Brighton's upcoming alternative bands. Even if you did have to push past them on the stage to visit the toilets!
Since it's refit, the sound engineering is still awful, but it still deserves its wonderful reputation for live bands.
Lucy - 20 Oct 2004 13:31 |
I used to work here 2 years ago. I miss it greatly now it's far away. Sniff. Great atmosphere, music, used to have token cheapness.
Michael Michael - 17 Sep 2004 15:54 |
Classic "dive" pub with live bands 7 nights a week, indie, underground, local pop bands + the occasional "name". Happy hours from 5 - 8 every day !! In one word - Grungy.
anonymous - 18 Aug 2004 23:31 |
