6th February 2012

gigs clubbing art comedy theatre blog competitions

Illustration by Julie Khan

Daddy Cool

Dads. They may not always be the coolest or best dressed – does anybody apart from Dads and German hikers bust the socks-and-sandals combo? – but hey, they teach you important life lessons and give you pocket money and stuff. Or at least they used to when we were younger, and for that alone Dads deserve our respect. And that’s why we have Father’s Day, so we can all give thanks to Pops.

Two things of interest here: firstly, grammar fans (and those with a memory that stretches back to Mother’s Day) will remember our discussion of the position of the apostrophe. Yes, it is before the s. And secondly, Arena Homme + actually did a feature a while back about how socks and sandals are in fact cool. So even more kudos to the old man then.

Friday 19th

A first solo show in London for contemporary artist Celina Teague since her graduation from Central St Martins in 2007.

When all is said and nothing's done showcases Teague's paintings from the past two years. These are complex and thoughtful works that fuse a knowledge of art history with a very contemporary mindset.

Disco kingpin Prins Thomas joins the Warm residents tonight for a six hour marathon into the lush fields of cosmic disco. As a DJ, Thomas is unbelievably eclectic, shoehorning a wealth of artists and unlikely genres into his sets. Some you'll have heard of, masses you won't. The rarity of his cuts is part of the aural pleasure, so come and be led

Andrew Maxwell's cult late-night comedy show has certainly attracted a hardcore gathering of fans over the past few years and has seen some first rate comedians stop by from Noel Fielding to Russell Brand and Doug Stanhope. This cabaret/comedy night hasn't had one bad line-up since it started so you can expect a cracker of a bill for this

DnA Presents throw down a simply massive techno-electro party topped by a 5 hour set from the one and only Stephan Bodzin. The German DJ and producer holds musical authenticity above all else and his set tonight is certain to be mind-blowing. King Roc headlines room two, following the success of his album 'Chapters', with McQueen (resident of

The Hothouse Revue landed earlier this year as the most decadent, elegant ballroom mess around to hit London for 80 years. Their West London launch was a back-to-back whirlwind of variety cabaret, sultry burlesque, gramophone DJs and unbelievable live music. Tonight's East London edition is a sexed-up, whip-cracking evening of blue rhythm stomp

Saturday 20th

Scotch eggs, coronation chicken, gingham table cloths, ginger beer, strawberries, trifle, cucumber sandwiches, Pimm's... sounds like a picnic!

But add in multimedia art shenanigans - poetry, film, animation, performance, photography... - and you've got yourself a Picnic in the Past. Sweet.

If there's anything better than a good fancy dress theme, it's the order of what to wear for this little party at Elevator Gallery in Hackney Wick. Potential visitors are encouraged to 'dress like a rockstar on Jimmy Savile Row' - haha, superb! There's gonna be live music from Sculpture, YOU? and The La De Dahs as well as DJ sets from a host of

Crazy big beat party that started out in Manchester and headed south to take over The End via massive parties at locations across the country. Bugged Out! enjoy a nationwide reputation for stonking good times and this is one night that everyone wants to attend. The music is varied, with an emphasis on fat disco beats and electro house

Super special Summer Solstice party tonight from Family Affair. Come and celebrate the season of sun with minimal men of the moment, Scottish techno duo Sandeman and Mr Dickie. Very hot property indeed. The Ifidota label crew and Platinum residents will be joining the fun. Manchester label and party starters Back To Front are in charge in the

Sunday 21st

'Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get me.' Who first said that? Nobody seems to know - darned internet, why don't you know these things?! Anyway, with over 4 million CCTV cameras across the UK (that's according to a 2002 paper - it could be many more by now...) the issue of public surveillance is of extreme importance and

Abrasive, aggressive and unapologetically art-house Throbbing Gristle have always been a band that has balanced precariously over being a post-punk band and a sonic art project exploring themes of death, mutilation, fascism and the dehumanising of industrial society. Called both the pioneers of industrial music and the 'wreckers of civilisation'

Boom Boom Club has sprung from the second room at weekly club night Be (Proud Galleries). It moonlighted at Bloomsbury Ballroom for a time and has now been forced to move again, finding opulent sanctuary in the newly revamped Victorian Turkish Bathhouse. The platter spread by Boom Boom boasts burlesque, rock n roll, exotica, swinging, dancing and overt amounts of fun.

Miss Vicky Butterfly supplies and curates the performance art, and residents Bioux and David H spin the magic.

Come and see...

Monday 22nd

Cinema grind merchants Graf Orlock make a welcome return to our shores with this show at the Windmill tonight.

A barrage of thrash and incomprehensible anger, these guys interweave a filthy compliment of slow and grating depression, all within a two-minute framework of ill-imagined social commentary while espousing views on such time-honoured themes as presidential assassination, robotic domination and the pitfalls of pre-historic survival. Mental.

An ungainly looking bunch of fresh-faced youths from Hereford, Bayonets have been described as sounding like they 'could soundtrack a million slow-motion funerals in blockbusting American teen romps'.

Hailed as one of the best UK bands to crawl from the miasma in what seems like a very long time, these guys headline an evening of up and coming bands at the Old Blue Last tonight.

Tuesday 23rd

A fortnight of double-slots at the Soho Theatre. £15 buys you entry to both halves, Everything Must Go! is a response to the credit crunch - with young writers, directors and actors pitching all their talents together to create a low-cost, highly entertaining set of theatrical pieces for their audience.

Expect short plays, comedy, spoken word and magic. A thrifty but enchanting night beckons in Soho's premiere fringe venue.

Fat Tuesdays is a fortnightly comedy night compered by cheerful funnyman, Tiernan Douieb and held above the Compass bar on Penton Street.

Hosting the likes of seasoned stand-up specialists like Stewart Lee, Robin Ince, Simon Munnery and Reginald D. Hunter alongside TV comics including Russell Brand and Simon Amstell, Fat Tuesdays aim to show you the very best of live stand up. We like this comedy night a lot, it and you will too.

Wednesday 24th

Forsooth nuncle, a rightly splendid evening for royalty and thy closest and dearest. Tarry and feast, sire, this eve at the esteemed full bookish comely venue that is The British Library.

Right, enough ye olde twaddle, what's going on? Well, June 24th is exactly 500 years since the coronation of Henry VIII, and the British Library is hosting a little knees-up to celebrate. There's live music from the incomparable Circulus as well as harpists, wind ensembles, jesters, jugglers and comedians.

An interesting and effortlessly arty bunch of rough-necks from Sheffield, Chips For The Poor will be causing all sorts of trouble down at the Miller with their lo-fi experimental punk/pop.

Chaotic, obtuse and savagely DIY - these guys have impressed almost everyone they have come into contact with recently.

Thursday 25th

What is it that really separates art, craft and design? Is it simply a question of functionality or technique? It's one of those questions where the closer you look the harder it can be to say for sure.

Starting from this idea, the Louise T Blouin Institute has partnered up with Carpenters Workshop Gallery in order to present Design High, an exploration of the areas of overlap between these different spheres of creativity.

The best thing about working at Spoonfed isn't the gallons of free tea, cake every Thursday, well stocked fridge or the fact that we can listen to music all day without people going nuts.

No the best thing about working here is how supportive everybody is to each other. It's like every day is Alcoholics Anonymous crossed with a Spring Break party. Even the smallest victory is greeted with a barrage of high fives and every birthday is marked with cake and cheap champagne. You don't get that Goldsman Sachs.

Friday 26th

A couple of years ago and you'd be forgiven for thinking that Helena Gee was on the way out. Her band the Ivories had broken-up and the success the Kaiser Chiefs had brought to the Leeds music scene seemed to have turned into some poison chalice. It really looked like it was all over.

But you can never predict these things, and a few short years down the road we now find Helena Gee in better shape than ever. Operating under the guise of Silhouette, this pop princess in the making is looking like being one of the big break-outs of the summer - see her now before it's too late!

The biggest sketch showcase in the country is back at the Pleasance this month with a dynamite line-up. Sketchatron is renowned for discovering great up-and-coming comics, but this will be more of a 'classic' gig. It includes favourite acts that have performed for them over the years with great success; now they are well and truly established as some of the best on the comedy circuit.

Pete Jordan's Spectrum imprint returns to Matter with a line-up primed to completely batter the hell out of the state of the art sound system.

Globally applauded producers and DJs on the chubby side, those brilliant Plump DJs head up the main room, with Lot49's tech-funk king Meat Katie, Herve, Duke Dumont and plenty of others.

In association with The Sun and charity Help for Heroes, Ye Olde Watling is holding a day of activities to celebrate what Britain's war veterans have done for us all.

The whole pub will be kitted out with patriotic flags and bunting and there's a raffle and auction to raise money for the charity. In addition anybody who presents an armed forces ID badge will bag themselves a drink and a free meal from the pub's great restaurant.

A brilliant initiative to help this country's oft-overlooked heroes.

Saturday 27th

After the hilarious success of Potted Potter, double act Dan and Jeff return in search of talking parrots and mysterious buried treasure, they’re swapping wizards for walking the plank and trading Hogwarts for the high seas...

Shanties aside, Potted Pirates hits all the delightful notes you’d expect from this superbly shambolic duo. A show for everyone – even those who don’t know their skull and crossbones from their pieces of eight.

An endangered species thanks to a decade and a half of male, pop-punk domination, and it would seem that the all-girl punk band has finally been brought back from the brink. With bands like Plugs, Pens, Mika Miko and T.I.T.S all roaming the earth, it would seem that the spirit of Bikini Kill hasn't been totally destroyed by the hoards of skating morons and dress-up Avril Lavignes.

Lo Recordings launch a new project at Corsica Studios tonight: Glad 2 Know You. Each night will feature the label coming together with another label they have worked with to explore, collaborate and celebrate.

This edition features Parisian imprint Tigersushi with label boss Joakim bringing his full live band, rising star Krikor and the impressively massive Tigersushi Bass Sysytem DJs.

Sunday 28th

Smith and Priestley's summer institution is a true original which contrasts with the dingy atmosphere of most daytime parties and still retains a considerable edge over similar efforts. Today they return to Light Bar with Berlin's iconic Panaorama Bar resident Prosumer making his secretsundaze debut.

Jonny Sweet, from BBC2's Winging It and BBC3's Brave Young Men, is a comedy newcomer with bags of talent.

Part of sketch group House of Winsdor with Inbetweeners stars Simon Bird and Joe Thomas, he is a great sketch act (see Emma's review of House of Windsor in The Meeting) and we can't wait to see this solo show.