Spellbound Christmas Party

If you’re already looking ahead to the end of the year, make sure to circle Saturday, December 20, 2026, on your calendar. That’s the date for the annual Spellbound Christmas Party, a special edition of the long-running alternative 80s night that Brighton knows well. The venue, as always, is the Komedia Studio Bar on Gardner Street. This is a standing club night, running from 9:00 pm right through until 3:00 am, dedicated to skipping the mainstream holiday hits and diving deep into the decade's cooler sounds.

The music policy is the main draw, focusing on the breadth of alternative 80s genres: Goth, Post-Punk, New Romantic, New Wave, Indie Rock, Synth, and Ska. This means the playlist is packed with essential tracks from bands like Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Bauhaus, and Joy Division, alongside Public Image Ltd, The Specials, and Adam & The Ants. Handling the decks are resident DJs SIMON PRICE (Stay Beautiful) and JAYNEY BLAMBLAM (Total Blam Blam), who are known for keeping the energy high. The atmosphere is usually great, attracting a wonderfully mixed crowd—from those who remember the music the first time around to younger people just discovering the era's sound. It’s strictly an 18+ event, so plan accordingly.

Since this is the Christmas special, they layer on some festive touches without compromising the alternative core. Expect the usual holiday extras like crackers, mince pies, and festive giveaways throughout the night. While the focus remains on the alternative tracks, they do promise a light selection of appropriate Christmas songs, citing Wham!, The Pogues, and The Waitresses as examples of what might sneak into the setlist. If you’re planning to go, keep in mind that while the general guide price for a standard Spellbound night is often mentioned around £7.00, this special event might vary, so it’s best to check the Komedia site for the exact ticket details before the 20th of December.