Scratching below the surface of Brighton’s mainstream nightlife reveals a rich seam of diverse subcultures. The Hanbury Ballroom houses a portal to this subterranean strata, through which one can rub shoulders with people who want to hear nothing but 60s girl groups all night, frug to low-fi indie tunes, or celebrate the wonderfulness of PVC pants. Or indeed, like tonight, experience some first class heart-melting, ass-shaking leftfield live music, amid an audience swarming with bands - Chunking, Mountain Firework Co, Backini, Quietus and a fair smattering of Lamb are all in attendance - and genial Brighton folk.

At the Hanbury Ballroom you can hear
60s girl groups all night, frug to low-fi indie
tunes or celebrate the wonderfulness
of PVC pants

I arrive at the tail-end of Lucky Four’s set as their open-faced frontman, flanked by a pedal steel guitar player and Oddur from Lamb on acoustic guitar, is asking the soundman to sort a nuance of his guitar sound out “just for me really". I catch a couple of heady, bluegrassy numbers before Alison David’s guitarist Brendan takes to the stage for a short acoustic set, which includes a song “inspired by seeing dead poultry in the supermarket": ‘no-one calls us anything till we’re dead, and then we’re just called...chickens...’

It’s fit to bursting in the Hanbury tonight, so much so that promoter Laura has to get up on stage to say there are 25 people still queuing up outside - including Alison David’s Dad - so the tables and chairs at the front will have to go. Folk duly oblige, to applause and cheers. In the event, once they’re squeezed in many more arrive, several eventually settling on watching the gig through the glass window of the adjoined pub above.

Listening to Alison David is like being
wrapped in a warm blanket, and having
your nipple tweaked tenderly

Formerly a vocalist for Red Snapper and collaborator with oodles of respected underground and overground talent (Free*land, Mad Professor, Masters At Work, Nile Rogers, Bugz In The Attic and more), Alison David’s solo performances are becoming legendary, her gigs predictably selling out like this. Already a charismatic presence amongst the audience, onstage she has a compelling aura. She recently starred in psychological thriller ‘Trauma’ playing a dead pop star. Clearly quite alive and well tonight however, David is bursting with song and establishing a warm rapport with a rapt crowd.

There’s an open, up for it feel to the evening and David pushes the mood higher with positive lyrics and quick ad libs, honeyed vocals and a wider range than the Himalayas. Known for my more abrasive musical tastes, I can’t deny that there’s something strangely affecting about hearing beautiful songs sung bloody well. Cynicism melts. Listening to Alison David is like being wrapped in a warm blanket, and having your nipple tweaked tenderly.

The Hat would like the crowd to shhhhh.
The Hat would like the crowd to “shut
it... shut it... shut it..."

Three adept guitarists accompany David tonight - Brendan, Oddur and Dan from next band The Hat. For a finale there’s an impromptu stage invasion as several musicians join Alison in her last song. The Hat’s baby/sage-faced drummer delivers some blistering blues vocals as angel-faced Andy from Lamb leaps behind the drumkit. It’s like that moment on Later with Joolz Holland</> (which Alison has appeared on) where everyone has a big old jam and cuts loose. Blinding.

The Hat follow. The Hat would like the crowd to shhhhh. The Hat would like the crowd to “shut it... shut it... shut it..." as their drummer mutters whilst tapping out a beat on his drumkit. The crowd oblige. Sharp spoken-word vocals ensue but I’m blown away by the previous performance and can’t take any more in. A jazz Streets, if you will. Well worth seeing and giving the individual attention they merit.

Afterwards the crowd really let their hair down, throwing crazy shapes on the dancefloor unabashed. You can’t help but watch and grin. This honest pleasure is a welcome relief from our more self-conscious scene moments. No-one cares who you are or what you look like or how much money you’ve got. They just want you to be yourself and have a good time. Now doesn’t that sound appealing?

Alison David’s next gig is at the Joogleberry Playhouse on 7th November.