A marathon weekend

Cor, it's a bit nippy out. Here's this weekend's top tips, some of which may indeed make your toes turn blue, but others of which are reassuringly indoors in the lovely, lovely warm.

ESCAPE FESTIVAL, The Carlisle, Hastings. Fri 22. £7.

Metalheads can get their weekend started early, with the latest Escape Festival starting upstairs at The Carlisle at 5pm this afternoon (Friday), and thrashing on 'til midnight. Some of the region's heaviest and loudest young bands are taking part, including Seven Year Kismet, Never Means Maybe, Plague Of Ashitaka, If Heroes Should Fail, The City Divided, Misfortunes, Centralia DC and, um, Her Flesh Decays. £6 in advance, £7 on the doors.

DIVA FEVER, Revenge, Brighton. Fri 22. £6 adv.

At the opposite end of the musical spectrum, last week's X Factor losers Diva Fever are already out on the nightclub circuit, and play Revenge tonight (Friday). Aw, we wanted them to win - which is why East aren't millionaire music moguls, maybe. Anyway, Revenge's X Factor Fridays are the place to see tomorrow's pop stars today (Jedward! Alexandra Burke!) - and tonight they're promising to go 'gayer than ever' in Diva Fever's honour. Hooray! Bring your mum!

BEACHY HEAD MARATHON, Eastbourne. Sat 23. Free.

If you're in need of some bracing countryside air after Friday night's excesses, head over to Eastbourne's hills for this year's Beachy Head Marathon. Starting 9am (Saturday) at Duke's Drive, thousands of hardy runners will be taking part in one of the country's biggest off-road marathons. We're talking seriously challenging, up and down the Seven Sisters stuff. Every single runner deserves your support, but don't try and keep up with them whatever you do...

OXJAM BRIGHTON TAKEOVER, Various venues, Brighton. Sat 23. £2-4.

Back over in Brighton, this year's Oxjam Brighton Takeover takes place, with 11 hours of live music from dozens of musicians. Starting 3pm (Saturday) in the Seven Stars pub, the music spreads to the Pav Tav from 4pm, before being joined at The Yard (formerly the Ocean Rooms) from 8pm. Entry to the Seven Stars and Pav Tav is free (but with a suggested donation of £2), whereas the Yard costs £4 on the door - fair enough when you consider it's keeping Oxjam going 'til 3am Sunday morning. The line-up mixes a few familiar faces with some unknowns (Chris T-T, The Last Carnival, Gunshot Straight and Glam Ryze may ring bells with East readers), and the whole day helps raise money for the good work that Oxfam do around the world.

DA DOO RON RON'S 12TH BIRTHDAY, Komedia, Brighton. Sat 23. £7.

Finally, Brighton clubbing instituion Da Doo Ron Ron celebrates 12 years of girl group sounds at the Komedia tomorrow (Saturday) with guest DJ Bob Stanley of pop institution St Etienne. Shy Bob stopped appearing live with the band years ago (letting co-founder Pete Wiggs and vocalist Sarah Cracknell take the limelight), so this is a rare chance to see him out in public. Joining him is fellow guest DJ Ian Watson (of London's How Does It Feel To Be Loved? night), and residents Chris King and Jon Slade. £6 advance, £7 on the door. Join their club!