Anti-folk, anti-industry and anti-mainstream, the organisers of the Brighton Antifest are out to make a stand.

Their summer festival isn't about selling records or making money, it's about giving likeminded musicians a platform to tell their stories.

"It's completely non-profit. Any money we make we usually give to the acts who have travelled the furthest, or the ones who are a bit strapped for cash," says organiser Larry Pickleman.

"There's a real mish-mash of genres - the only thing which links us is we've got a DIY ethos, we aren't fussed about the record industry and are not restricted by being commercially successful."

Punk, pop, rap, lo-fi, acoustic and electro will be thrown into proceedings and, despite the event's name, the odd folky note will be played.

For anti-folkers are not against folk music, as such - they are against what they feel the genre became.

"Essentially, folk music was about working-class people telling stories. Then, everybody started singing in the same way and playing guitar in the same way," says Larry.

"Some people weren't able to get into folk clubs to perform because of the way their songs sounded perhaps they were too punky or touched on a taboo subject."

The first anti-folk club, The Fort, was opened 15 years ago in New York by a musician called Lach, who is a special guest at the two-day festival.

Nine acts play each night, including Milk Kan, dubbed "poets with beats and attitudes" and among the biggest antifolkers on the scene.

Also on the bill are Retro Spankees, who Larry says "make awesome toy-town speed-pop"; The Bobby McGees, Scottish singers who play ukulele, and Spinmaster Plantpot, who's "4ft2in and tells ridiculous stories acapella-style".

"The thing I love most about anti-folk shows is to see the new stuff when it's embryonic, such as Look Look (Dancing Boys).

They've been doing their girl punk-pop thing for less than a year, yet the shambolic energy of their performances really captures something.

"We've also got Paul Hawkins, a gem of a lyricist, who is starting to churn out some legendary anti-folk songs"

Larry himself is on the bill, as is his partner Mertle. The pair were instrumental in starting Brighton's anti-folk scene about two-and-a-half years ago: "It just blossomed," says Larry, originally from Belfast. "More and more people contacted us to say, 'Nobody is interested in our stuff.' It's like a community now."

The setting for the anti-fest is the Ocean Rooms. Originally taking place at the Freebutt, Larry had to find a new venue when the pub was closed temporarily.

Tomorrow afternoon, there will be acoustic sets in the garden of the Hobgoblin (upstairs if it's raining).

"The whole thing is really laidback. It's a bit like a carnival people get on stage and join in.

"Everyone takes their songwriting seriously but nobody takes themselves seriously and we have a lot of fun."

Ocean Rooms, 7pm-late, tickets £5. Hobgoblin, 2pm-6pm, free. Go to www.antifolk.org