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11th March 2010
A free weekly ezine featuring the best events in London

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Cultural Quality Control: a free, weekly ezine featuring the best gigs, theatre, art, clubbing and comedy in London.

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11th December 2008
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20th January 2009
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Monday 17th

Eddie Izzard: Stripped

This tour was the hottest ticket in the US this summer, selling out across 34 cities. Now Eddie Izzard and his latest stand-up show Stripped returns to the West End for a 23-night run at The Lyric Theatre. Having ditched the heels and the slap and gone back to basics, Izzard said about the show: 'The set is leaner, what I'm wearing is leaner and j... read on

where:
Lyric Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury Avenue
W1D 7EG
who:
Eddie Izzard
when:
8pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
From £20 to £60
 

Presumption

Third Angel Theatre's clever physical comedy is about a couple in love. Not head-over-heels, madly passionate love. More the kind of love between two people who assume they'll both be in bed later, but want to know what they're doing for dinner. A clever stage marked out with the patterns and traps of conventional living, some brilliant physical de... read on

where:
Southwark Playhouse
62 Southwark Bridge Road
SE1 0AS

when:
7.30pm
what:
Comedy
cost:
From £8 to £20

Tuesday 18th

Flipper

One of the original San Franciscan punk bands of the late 1970s, Flipper are still probably best remembered for their post-hardcore punk masterpiece 'Sex Bomb', which was basically one riff played more and more sloppily whilst vocalist Will Shatter screamed over the top. It may seem a bit daft by today's standards but without this record there wo... read on

where:
ULU
University Of London Union
Malet Street
WC1E 7HY
who:
Flipper
when:
7.30pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£13
 

Tombstone Tales

Schtanhaus Theatre, beggarsbelief and the Arcola present an unusual evening of cowboy cabaret. A collection of haunting and violent tales, this is a perfect antidote to the Christmas panto season from an acclaimed group of producers. From hilarious yarns to tragic tales, it seems that every bartender, horse and cactus in the old west has a sto... read on

where:
Arcola Theatre
27 Arcola Street
E8 2DJ

when:
8pm
what:
Cabaret, Comedy
cost:
£15, £10 Concessions

Wednesday 19th

The Dream Director: Sleepover

Sleepovers huh? Yeah, gossiping and telly and pillow fights and midnight feasts. And art? Oh the ICA, pull the other one, now really. A sleepover at the ICA in the name of art - whatever next? Yes, 'tis true. And it's all in the name of art, and science. Basically twenty people pay a bit of cash to spend a night in a little pod-thing in the ICA. Y... read on

where:
ICA
The Mall
SW1Y 5AH
who:
Luke Jerram
when:
8pm - 8am
what:
Art, Gallery, Science,
cost:
From £3 to £5
 

Knock2Bag

Knock2Bag is now undoubtedly the best comedy night in Shepherd's Bush and that is by no means a flippant comment.  Line-ups feature leading comedians on the circuit, if.comedy winners and tipped newcomers. What really makes it though, is the variety of acts that perform there; from sketches to music, poetry, magic and the downright weird (resi... read on

where:
Bar FM
184 Uxbridge Road
W12 7JP
who:
Pete Firman, Paul F. Taylor, Trevor Lock
+ more
when:
8.30pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£7

Thursday 20th

Mutual Release

The first exhibition at Thomas Dane's new Mason's Yard project space kicks off this November. Carey Young has been working closely with a team of lawyers specialising in media and intellectual property law to produce a work that explores the notion of the legal contract as artistic medium. Visitors are offered a free work, which only becomes classi... read on

where:
Thomas Dane Project Space
14 Mason's Yard
SW1 6BU
who:
Carey Young
when:
10am - 6pm
what:
Art, Gallery,
cost:
Free
 

August: Osage County

A bitter delight for London theatregoers over the festive period is this eight-week run at the National for Tracy Letts' new domestic comedy, winner of both the 2008 Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Best Play. August: Osage County is a work of barbed comic genius that has been packing them in on Broadway for the last half a year. When their fa... read on

where:
National Theatre, Lyttleton
South Bank
SE1 8XZ

when:
7.15pm
what:
Comedy
cost:
From £10 to £41

Friday 21st

French Revolution VIII

Despite claiming that they're better than Prince (which is clearly impossible), Flairs do a pretty decent version of the whole expansive, electro house thing that the French do so well. Playing a night dedicated to the music currently doing the rounds on the continent at 93 Feet East, trust us, if you don't dance to this then you're officially... read on

where:
93 Feet East
150 Brick Lane
E1 6RU
who:
Flairs, Koko Von Napoo, House De Racket
when:
7pm
what:
Electronica
cost:
Free
 

Wig Out!

Not for the Royal Court a traditional Christmas panto. Instead, their festive treat is a bright, bold new drama from hot American playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney set in the House of Light, the New York headquarters of a drag queen posse. With upfront sexuality married to a mythology and even a language created by the drag queens (actually worksh... read on

where:
Royal Court Theatre
Sloane Square
SW1W 8AS

when:
7.30pm
what:
Romance, Melodrama
cost:
From £12 to £25
 

Juan Atkins vs UR

Ahh, Juan Atkins. Where would techno be without him? Alongside schoolmates Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson, Atkins started making music on his trusty Korg MS10, molding what we know as techno with cassette decks and a mixer. He started legendary label Cybotron and wrote his first single 'No UFO's' under the alias Model 500. Tonight, the man they ... read on

where:
Coronet
28 New Kent Road
SE1 6TJ

who:
Juan Atkins, Mark Flash, DJ Skurge
+ more
when:
10pm - 6am
what:
Techno/Minimal
cost:
£15

Saturday 22nd

Jaymo

Itch Records and Natural present a slick little one off at Plan B featuring Radio One's latest offering - Jaymo. Jaymo and Andy George started Moda in Lincoln a year ago. Since then it's exploded into the place to go, with Kissy Sell Out bigging it up on Radio One and the boys doing their own essential mix. He's playing a London set tonight - and ... read on

where:
Plan B
418 Brixton Road
SW9 7AY
who:
Jaymo, Flith and Splendour
+ more
when:
9pm - late
what:
 Techno/Minimal, House
cost:
£15
 

Blakfish

Hard rocking Brummies Blakfish have unfortunately had all their gear nicked by some dodgy git. But you can help them to bring joy and Propagandhi style riffage to the world by heading down and watching them play at the Windmill. All donations keeps the rock rolling and will be graciously received by a band that seriously know how to kill it, but... read on

where:
The Windmill
Blenheim Gardens
SW2 5BZ

who:
Blakfish, Colour, Tubelord
when:
7pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£5
 

Luminopolis

Thanks to an intellectual property dispute with The Synergy Centre, The Synergy Project is now Luminopolis, but we're assured nothing else has changed. With it's chaotic Green-Fields buzz and side-show attractions, it's still more like an indoor festival than a club night. Music-wise, there are several rooms, each hosted by a different collective. Sty... read on

where:
SEOne
Weston Street Tunnel
SE1 3QX

who:
Head of State, Crafty Rascals, Freefall Collective
+ more
when:
10pm - 8am
what:
Trance, Breaks, Electronica
cost:
£20

Sunday 23rd

WOLF ram

Do you know what a Friggebod is? No, neither did we, until now. A Friggebod is 'a small government-regulated Swedish building that is used as a summer house, or for storage or as an extension to a larger house'. Interesting huh? You can read more about it - as ever - on Wikipedia. Why do we bring this up? Not simply for the improvement of your gen... read on

where:
Spring Projects (off-site)
5 Cromwell Place
SW7 2JB
who:
Sean Rogg
when:
11am - 6pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Video, Installation
cost:
Free
 

Cloak/Dagger

With so many bands claiming to be hardcore right now, it's hard to know what's the real deal and what are a bunch of kids who have heard some Glassjaw and think that Minor Threat is something that your mum hands out. Something of a post hardcore super-group, (with member's former bands including Trail by Fire, Striking Distance, and Time Flies)... read on

where:
Old Blue Last
39 Great Eastern Street
EC2A 3ES

who:
Cloak/Dagger, The Shitty Limits
+ more
when:
7pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£6
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