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

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Illustration by Julie Khan

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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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Micha Wertheim

23rd February 2009
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Five Female Stuckists

6th March 2009
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Trumbo

17th March 2009
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Gouranga

20th March 2009
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Friday 6th

It's A Wonderful Life

Wouldn't it be great if people would stop trying to contextualise everything? Yes the economy's in a right old state, but we don't have to talk about it all the time. The best way to overcome a problem is to ignore it, right? Nadine Feinson opined that a shift in emphasis towards the personal would mark art in 2009 and certainly this - Alex Echo'... read on

where:
VINEspace
25a Vyner Street
E2 9DG
who:
Alex Echo
when:
12am - 6pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Painting, Sculpture
cost:
Free
 

Chew the Fat!

The iconic Chew The Fat! returns to Corsica Studios with a line-up that defines their sound.

Booty-basslines galore.

They welcome up-and-coming producer Fake Blood, the simply excellent Trevor Loveys and next generation four to the floor producer Foamo. read on

where:
Corsica Studios
Farrell Court
SE17 1LB
who:
Trevor Loveys, Foamo, Fake Blood + more
when:
10pm - 5am
what:
Breaks, Techno/Minimal, Electro, House
cost:
£12
 

Nowhere to Run Club

Naming your self after a Wire song is always a good way to make people take notice, but following it with jerk post punk that sounds like Gang of Four rocking out with Cabaret Voltaire is how to make your band the coolest in London. Basically Ex Lion Tamers have done just that, and if you don't believe us, then you can see for yourself down at Th... read on

where:
The Victoria
110 Grove Road
E3 5TH
who:
Ex Lion Tamers, Trainspotters + more
when:
8pm
what:
Indie, Punk
cost:
£4
 

Them

Them land at Whitechapel rave central the Rhythm Factory for a gigantic February edition.This is the party-starters third London touchdown (they launched in Brighton a couple of weeks back) and they've got the biggest line up to date. Ghetto house and bassline pioneer Baobinga brings the ghetto bass, Mumdance mashes up garage, bassline, funky, gr... read on

where:
Rhythm Factory
16-18 Whitechapel Road
E1 1EW
who:
Ebola, Baobinga, Vex'd + more
when:
10pm - 6am
what:
Breaks, Dubstep, Drum & Bass
cost:
£9, £7 before midnight

Saturday 7th

Trentemoller

Danish DJ and producer Trentemoller has become one of the biggest names in electronic music over the last few years, with several critically acclaimed releases including his awesome debut album The Last Resort. Having performed with a live band on recent tours, he is now going back to basics with what should be a banging DJ set of minimal techno.... read on

where:
Matter
Peninsula Square
SE10 0DY
who:
Trentemoller, Yousef, Shlomi Aber + more
when:
10pm - 7am
what:
Techno/Minimal, House, Electronica
cost:
£15
 

Maybe a Herm

Did you know that the term hermaphrodite comes from the Greek myth of Hermaphroditus? He was turned into an androgynous being after rejecting the advances of the nymph Salmacis. At her wish, the gods blended their two bodies into one. Hermaphroditus' parents were Hermes and Aphrodite, and so the hermaphrodite is male and female by both biology and... read on

where:
IMT
210 Cambridge Heath Road
E2 9NQ
who:
Maria von Kohler
when:
12am - 6pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Installation
cost:
Free
 

Plex

Plex return with their first party of the year with an exclusive performance by the illusive and mysterious Dopplereffekt. They're a Detroit techno outfit who have never given an interview and very rarely perform live. Thought to be composed of four individuals, the members hide behind German pseudonyms. Their music is heavily influenced by Kraf read on

where:
Corsica Studios
Farrell Court
SE17 1LB
who:
Dopplereffekt, µ-Ziq + more
when:
10pm - 6am
what:
Techno/Minimal, Electronica
cost:
£16

Sunday 8th

Swedish Fashion

Ah look, zee Svedes are coming to London, wiz zer trëndy designer clözing and zer flowing blonde hairs. How åbsolutely super! Since the mid '90s Sweden has emerged as something of a hotbed of contemporary fashion, with a swathe of young avant-garde designers displaying a relaxed calm elegance mixed with a more experimental edge. Designers like read on

where:
Fashion and Textile Museum
83 Bermondsey Street
SE1 3XF
when:
11am - 6pm
what:
Museum, Fashion, Design
cost:
£5, £3 Concessions
 

Tough Love Records

Lo-fi punk chicks Pens headline a show at the Old Blue Last. We've seen these ladies at various points over the last 6 months, and they rock out in a super fun if chaotic, we-look-like-we-don't-know-what-we're-doing way.

Support comes in the form of  Manor House based dance-punks Male Bonding and Dalston noise merchants Teeth. read on

where:
Old Blue Last
39 Great Eastern Street
EC2A 3ES
who:
Pens, Male Bonding, Teeth
when:
7pm
what:
Punk
cost:
Free

Monday 9th

Storytellers' Club

The Storytellers' Club is not just a comedy club of funny stories. It is arty, leftfield, long-form comedy told by some of the circuit's best.

At Storytellers' nights you could hear comic tales, ghost stories, travel anecdotes, mysteries, horror stories, adventure stories, stories set to music, and of course, the odd love story.
read on

where:
Battersea Arts Centre
Old Town Hall
SW11 5TN
who:
Josie Long, Gavin Osborn
+ more
when:
8.45pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£10, £6 Concessions
 

I Shook the Royal Throne

You've got to love The Shitty Limits - in the last few months they've been tearing up house parties one minute, touring Iceland the next, and then waving one finger to the NME when they come looking for an interview? Punk rock or what? They also pick up marks in the live department too, sounding like a cross between the garage-like hardcore of N... read on

where:
New Cross Inn
323a New Cross Road
SE14 6AS
who:
The Shitty Limits, Fashion, The Sceptres
+ more
when:
7.30pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£4

Tuesday 10th

Takashi Murakami

New work by artist/brand Takashi Murakami is always likely to cause excitement, and the paintings that go on display this month at Gagosian are no exception. Murakami is known for the style known as Superflat - kind of Pop Art/animé fusion, and this new body of work seeks to push the style into deeper, darker waters. An interesting venture tow... read on

where:
Gagosian
17-19 Davies Street
W1K 3DE
who:
Takashi Murakami
when:
10am - 6pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Painting
cost:
Free
 

Sebastien Graingier

The good half of Death From Above 1979 is back with his new band The Mountains.

Basically, to make the leap, all you need to do is take his old band, lose a bit of the gnarliness, throw in some proggy keyboard licks and ramp up the sexiness factor by 1000% and you're there.
read on

where:
Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
2 Hoxton Square
N1 6NU
who:
Sebastien Graingier and The Mountains
+ more
when:
8pm
what:
Pop, Rock
cost:
£8

Wednesday 11th

Tenzing Rigdol

Contemporary conceptual art meets classical Buddhism at Rossi & Rossi this month with an exhibition of work by Tibetan-born artist Tenzing Rigdol. Painting, sculpture and video are all on show, as Rigdol analyses various elements of Buddhist philiosphy and its relationship with contemporary art. So, alongside a selection of paintings, there's... read on

where:
Rossi & Rossi
16 Clifford Street
W1S 3RG
who:
Tenzing Rigdol
when:
10am- 5pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Video
cost:
Free
 

Plague Over England

Nicholas de Jongh's latest is a dramatisation of a turning point in the history of British attitudes towards gay life. In 1953 Sir John Gielgud was poised to make a hotly anticipated return to the West End as one of Britain's leading actors. Just before the run was about to begin, he was arrested in a public lavatory on charges of importuning for imm... read on

where:
Duchess Theatre
Catherine Street
WC2B 5LA
when:
Times vary
what:
Melodrama
cost:
From £28 to £49

Thursday 12th

Sean Snyder

A major solo show for acclaimed American contemporary artist Sean Snyder at the ICA this Spring. The exhibition features work across a host of media, from photography and video to installations and new media technological wizardry. Propaganda, consumerism, the dissemination of information, the relationship between reality and the archive: thes... read on

where:
ICA
The Mall
SW1Y 5AH
who:
Sean Snyder
when:
12pm - 9pm
what:
Art, Gallery, Photography, Video
cost:
Free
 

Comedy Magic Night

It's magic night at the RVT with two of the best comic/magic acts on the circuit.  Headlining will be cheeky northern chappie Pete Firman and his gruesome tricks. Expect anything from body-slicing to balloon-swallowing, fire-eating, mind-reading and lady-kissing.  Supporting Firman will be Barry and Stuart, stars of  Channel 4's Dirty Tricks, Monk... read on

where:
Royal Vauxhall Tavern
372 Kennington Lane
SE11 5HY
who:
Pete Firman, Barry and STuart
when:
8.30pm
what:
Comedy
cost:
£7
 

Ponytail

Known for the stop on a six-pence fervour with which they assault their instruments and the animalistic sounds emanating from their vocalist, Molly Siegel, Ponytail are not only Baltimore's favourite noise pop band, they're also the world's most enigmatic. In fact, describing Ponytail is a pretty tricky task. Despite freaking out with Glassjaw inte... read on

where:
100 Club
100 Oxford Street
W1D 1LL
who:
Ponytail
when:
7.30pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£9

Friday 13th

The Caravan

Summer 2007 saw record flooding affecting 48,000 homes across England. One year on, more than 2,200 families are still living in caravans. This eye-opening production invites you to join them. Look Left Look Right have teamed up with the Royal Court to stage an intimate production for audiences of just eight people in a caravan on Sloane Square... read on

where:
Royal Court Theatre
Sloane Square
SW1W 8AS
when:
5.45pm
what:
Tragedy, Comedy, Performance Art
cost:
£10
 

Crystal Stilts

The first ever and sure to sell out London show for these dark revivalists of '60s psych who have been busy freaking out the people of New York with their hypnotic blend of Guided by Voices and the Velvet Underground.With their début album 'Alight Of The Night' being one of the most anticipated releases we've heard about in ages, it's looking ... read on

where:
The Windmill
Blenheim Gardens
SW2 5BZ
who:
Crystal Stilts, Let's Wrestle
+ more
when:
7pm
what:
Indie
cost:
£7
 

Cocadisco Love Explosion

Piers Martin and Rodaidh MacDonald return with their biggest party yet - the Valentine's Love Explosion. The line-up is massive, headed up by Cocadisco favourite I-F, with Italo-research unit Heartbreak playing live, sultry disco sirens Fan Death plus a DJ set from the applauded synth-pop princess Little Boots. The Horrors freakier analogue side pro... read on

where:
Corsica Studios
Farrell Court
SE17 1LB
who:
I-F, Heartbreak, Little Boots
+ more
when:
10pm - 5am
what:
Disco, Electro
cost:
£10

Saturday 14th

Lot49

Lot49 kick off their East Village residency with a solid line-up, headed up by the simply excellent trio of newly installed residents Meat Katie, Kid Blue and Dylan Rhymes. Their Christmas party back in December was storming, securing them a bi-monthly slot and giving the London-based tech-funk label a chance to showcase the sounds which regularly ... read on

where:
East Village
89 Great Eastern Street
EC2A 3HX
who:
Vandal, Phil Kieran, Caninesounds
+ more
when:
9pm - 4am
what:
House, Techno/Minimal, Breaks
cost:
From £8 to £12
 

Defenders of the Faith II

So it's Valentine's Day, you can either take your missus out for Italian food where you can stare into each others eyes until you both pick the same piece of spaghetti and kiss oh so absent-mindedly.

Or you could take them to the O2 academy where Lamb of God will melt their face off. Hmm tough choice. read on

where:
O2 Academy Brixton
211 Stockwell Road
SW9 9SL

who:
Lamb of God, Unearth
+ more
when:
6pm
what:
Metal
cost:
£23
 

Rich History

Real Gold's tribute to disco in all its shades is back at one of the best venues in London, the simply divine Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes.

Karaoke, bowling, dancing, table tennis, football, a selection of stellar DJs handpicked from London's burgeoning disco scene and a hot tub where you can meet people wearing hardly any clothes.

Need we say more? read on

where:
Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes
46-55 Tavistock Hotel
WC1H 9EU
who:
Louis Enchante, Team Mega Mix
+ more
when:
8pm - 4am
what:
Disco
cost:
£7, £5 before Midnight

Sunday 15th

Laughter in Odd Places

Laughter In Odd Places is a monthly (ish!) club that was set up by quirky comics Terry Saunders and Tom Bell after they'd had enough of playing smelly little pub rooms full of noisy drunk people. So far, they've had comedy gigs in a record shop, a cafe, a library, a charity shop, a book shop, a heath, a museum, a gallery and even comedy reviewer ... read on

where:
a launderette near Battersea Arts Centre
Old Town Hall
SW11 5TN
who:
Dan Antopolski, Holly Walsh
+ more
when:
5pm
what:
Sketches
cost:
Free
 

Black Lips

As anyone who goes to this will know, Black Lips are possibly the greatest live act to come out of anywhere in years. Banned from many venues in the US, they have a reputation for nakedness, violence and generally turning beer into chaos that is unmatched in modern music.Foolishly the NME has decided to put them on at the O2 Academy Islington alongs... read on

where:
O2 Academy Islington
16 Parkfield Street
N1 0PS
who:
Black Lips, The Vivian Girls
when:
7pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£12
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