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7th September 2010
A free weekly ezine featuring the best events in London

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Illustration by Julie Khan

Nerd Alert!

Today is the 10th Annual System Administrator Appreciation Day. 24 hours devoted to the wizards who make emails go and the web work. Distinguished by a fondness for Sepultura and Buffy, their First Commandment is 'Try turning it off and on again'.

If you have a Sys Admin, make them a gift today. If you're rich, a Star Trek box set. If you're poor a cake or similar food item. Or call them over on the pretext that you've got a problem with your mouse, then give them a big hug.

Meanwhile in London, it's hot, and wet. There's a groundbreaking play about terrorism, the first ever Twitter gig, Talking Heads legend David Byrne, comedian Sean Hughes and a selection of banging club nights. Have fun – and give thanks for the geeks who make it all possible.

Upcoming

Michael McIntyre

2nd September 2009
More info >>

Enron

17th September 2009
More info >>

Anish Kapoor

26th September 2009
More info >>

Pixies

6th October 2009
More info >>

Friday 31st

Assemblage

OMFG LIKE TOTALLY AWESOME! A night of food, fun, music, poetry, art and design at John Jones for the last Friday in July. Plus, and this might be the clincher, cocktails AND cupcakes. Could anything be better than that? 'Assemblage' sees the whole space taken over by a host of exciting creative types - there's live poetry read on

where:
John Jones Project Space
4 Morris Place
N4 3JG
when:
5.30pm - 11.30pm
what:
Performance Art, Design
cost:
Free
 

Hackney Wicked

As part of this year's Hackney Wicked, Ingrid Z of The Residence presents The Wrecking Ball. St. Mary of Eton Church has announced that it will knock down Verger's Cottage (Ingrid's home and that of The Residence) in 2010 and replace it with a block of flats. The aim of The Wrecking Ball then is to combine creativity with destruction. Dancers read on

where:
Various Venues
Hackney Wick
E9

when:
6pm - late
what:
Art, Festival
cost:
Free
 

Balance

Three promoters unite to bring you another edition of Balance: Split, Wang and Base - stalwarts of London's dirty underside - make it bigger in all respects this month. Their launch party placed them firmly on the map with one of the best techno line-ups of the year. Tonight they dish up another who's who of techno, with The Advent playing a live read on

where:
Cable
33a Bermondsey Street
SE1 2EG

who:
Si Begg, Bass Junkie, DJ Stingray
+ more
when:
11pm - 7am
what:
Electro, House, Techno/Minimal
cost:
£15, £12 Concessions

Saturday 1st

Field Day

The day after the tremendous Underage Festival, Victoria Park hosts Field Day, a day of music in a field (or a park, to be precise). This year, they have the incredible Mogwai headlining. Eleven years on and these guys still sound like the future. There are no words to do them justice. Go and listen instead. Fingers crossed, the weather will hold read on

where:
Victoria Park
E3 5TB
who:
Mogwai, Erol Alkan,  Skream
+ more
when:
11am - 9pm
what:
Rock, Electro, Indie, Dance Music
cost:
£30
 

MENU

For one day only Katie Guggenheim dons her apron to serve up a veritable feast of deep-fried contemporary art in the 1930s splendour of Hackney's Savoy Cafe. Responding to the original nature of the space, MENU features work by a host of brilliant young artists, including Rachel Pimm, Amanda Dennis and Patrick Shier. Visitors take a seat and read on

where:
Savoy Cafe
240 Graham Road
E8 1BP

who:
Katie Guggenheim
+ more
when:
1pm - 9pm
what:
Art
cost:
Free
 

The Petty Concerns of Luke Wright

Undoubtedly one of the best young performance poets in the UK, 4 Talent Award Winner and Aisle16 founder Luke Wright previews his fourth solo show at the Hen and Chickens Theatre. Set against a backdrop of grotty Travelodges and London stages, Wright tells the story of his last ten years behind the mic. Featuring some embarrassingly bad teenage read on

where:
Hen & Chickens
109 St Paul's Road
N1 2NA

who:
Luke Wright
when:
7.30pm
what:
Poetry
cost:
£6

Sunday 2nd

Ketoloco and Micron present Remote Area Showcase

Leeds' favourite after-party starters KeToLoCo make another pilgrimage down south to service the Ket-hungry people of London with some decent tunes and an all-round belter of a party. Tonight is another special at the Light Bar with subterranean ravers turned Manc promoters Micron and Remote Area - the Dutch imprint of 100% Pure and Intacto read on

where:
The Light Bar
223 Shoreditch High Street
E1 6PJ
who:
Tom Buxton, Lauhaus
+ more
when:
1pm - 11pm
what:
Electro, House, Techno/Minimal
cost:
£15, £12 Concessions
 

Medea

Steam Industries are putting on two pieces of free theatre this summer at the Scoop. The first, designed for kids, is Jason and the Argonauts, a lively musical adventure with puppets and a full scale pirate ship. The second also features Jason (now King Jason) but is altogether grimmer, full of sex, betrayal, murder and revenge. Adapted by Stella read on

where:
The Scoop
More London
SE1 2DB

when:
8pm
what:
Tragedy, Classic
cost:
Free

Monday 3rd

David Byrne

Probably best known for his work in seminal '80s art-rockers Talking Heads, David Byrne's solo work may not have been as successful as his previous band, but in many way it's been just as artistically brilliant. Throwing together influences seemingly at random, Byrne has dabbled in everything from classical orchestration, ambient noise to afro-... read on

where:
The Barbican
Silk Street
EC2Y 8DS
who:
David Byrne
when:
7.30pm
what:
Rock
cost:
From £35 - £45
 

Robin Ince's School For Gifted Children

Comedy can often be informative - just think of Bill Hicks and his political diatribes. Robin Ince's School For Gifted Children show is less of a rant and more of a funny and at times, musical lecture by various comedians on anything and everything from things they have found out about dinosaurs to nebulae and wig powder. Its style is haphazar... read on

where:
The Roundhouse
110a Chalk Farm Road
NW1 8EH

who:
Robin Ince
when:
9pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£8

Tuesday 4th

Le Cirque Invisible

A sublime summer show featuring longtime collaborators Jean-Baptiste Thierree and Victoria Chaplin, Le Cirque Invisible will delight young and old alike. Using a bare minimum of props, some magic and considerable dexterity, the two performers create a jaw-dropping series of illusions and spectacles, recalling the magical circuses of the pre-telev... read on

where:
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Belvedere Road
SE1 8XX

who:
Victoria Chaplin, Jean-Baptiste Thierree
when:
7.30pm
what:
Peformance Art
cost:
From £15 to £30
 

Crocodiles

Similar in form and style to No Age, Wavves and all that, Crocodiles differ from their LA compatriots by the sheer amount of  dark, psychedelic weirdness they manage to cram into their lo-fi noise pop. Using the logic that No Age are like the Decendents played through a telephone, then these guys are kind of like Jesus and Mary Chain sound-tra... read on

where:
Bardens Boudoir
38-44 Stoke Newington Road
Stoke Newington
N16 7XJ
who:
Crocodiles, The Jelas, Colours
when:
8pm
what:
Indie, Pop
cost:
£6

Wednesday 5th

Inside Out

This summer, GV Art is showing an exhibition exploring the various internal goings on of the human mind. There's contemporary art across a range of media - video, installation, painting and sculpture - linked by a shared interest in memory, perception and pyschoanalysis. A more intimate take on topics similar to those covered in the Hayward's Walk... read on

where:
GV Art
49 Chiltern Street
W1U 6LY
who:
Helen Owen, David Marron
+ more
when:
11am - 7pm
what:
Art
cost:
Free
 

Pornography

We're looking forward to this. As theatreland goes to sleep over the summer, the Tricycle is putting on an ambitious, powerful new play by acclaimed writer Simon Stephens (Harper Regan, Motortown). The theme? One week in July, when London played host to the G8 leaders, won the Olympic bid and suddenly found itself the victim of terrorism. Steph... read on

where:
Tricycle Theatre
269 Kilburn High Road
NW6 7JR

when:
8pm
what:
Thriller, Tragedy
cost:
From £10 to £20

Thursday 6th

Sean Hughes - What I Meant To Say

The youngest comic ever to win the Perrier award in 1990, sardonic Irish stand-up and star of Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Sean Hughes is back with a brand new show. After a seven year hiatus, Hughes returned to stand-up in 2007 but to mixed reviews, with many saying he lacked the wit and enthusiasm so prevalent in his early days. Recently however, h... read on

where:
Bloomsbury Theatre
15 Gordon Street
WC1H 0AH
who:
Sean Hughes
when:
8pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£19
 

Twitgig

Technology and music have had a long and illustrious history that began when some dude realised you could make a piano play itself. Since then we've had laser shows, electronic drums, Kraftwerk, synthesisers and head mics, all things that, as we're sure you'd agree, have made music better and enriched our lives. In fact, it was all going fine ... read on

where:
Vibe Bar
91 Brick Lane
E1 6QL

who:
Essay Like Nephew, Mike Dignam
+ more
when:
8pm
what:
Indie, Folk
cost:
£6

Friday 7th

James Mullinger is the Bad Boy of Feminism

'James Mullinger was a fully paid up member of the feminist movement when he studied for his degree in Women's Studies at university. But ten years on, having worked on a men's magazine retouching women within an inch of their lives and as a stand-up comedian telling jokes that some deem misogynistic; he's worried about his feminist credentials.' Wr... read on

where:
The Camden Head
100 Camden High Street
NW1 0LU
who:
James Mullinger
when:
7.15pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£8
 

The Littl'ans

As befitting a band whose last UK hit was a duet with Peter Doherty, Littl'ans are no strangers to chaos. In fact their last British tour was cancelled thanks to a teen movie's worth of disasters, including a drug bust, exploding gas canisters and a double booking with Echo and the Bunnymen. When they do play, their doo-wop influenced pop has al... read on

where:
The Luminaire
311 Kilburn High Road
NW6 7JR

who:
The Littl'ans, Honeycube, You Jane!
when:
7.30pm
what:
Rock, Indie
cost:
£5
 

We Fear Silence present Subloaded

 We Fear Silence make the journey to the underground confines of Corsica Studios for an exclusive London takeover by Subloaded - Bristol's answer to FWD/DMZ.Tonight's bass heavy badness features a stellar cast of West Country dub-heads. Leading the charge is tectonic lynchpin Pinch, plus Appleblim, Peverelist and Headhunter.Joker and Gemmy pla... read on

where:
Corsica Studios
Farrell Court
SE17 1LB
who:
 Appleblim, Pinch, Peverelist + more
when:
10pm - 5am
what:
 Dubstep, Electro
cost:
10

Saturday 8th

The Intimate Strangers - I Am Sasha Fierce

An hour of fast-paced sketch comedy with The Intimate Strangers, featuring the all-singing, all-dancing James Bond Musical Casinos are Forever.

This is a new show from the Strangers who performed with aplomb at last year's Camden Fringe, pulling off some really strong and innovative sketches. read on

where:
Etcetera Theatre
265 Camden High Street
NW1 7BU
who:
The Intimate Strangers
when:
10.30pm
what:
Sketches
cost:
£8
 

Supernova

Supernova launched last Sunday at Sosho, and this week they welcome the simply fabulous DJ Justin Martin to dish out his upfront brand of house and techno.

Resident of Buzzin' Fly, co-owner of DirtyBird, this guy is SERIOUS.
read on

where:
Sosho
2 Tabernacle Street
EC2A 4LU

who:
Justin Martin, La Gosse
+ more
when:
10pm - 6am
what:
House, Electro, Techno/Minimal
cost:
£10, £8 Concessions
 

Coup

Former Faction residents Chris Low and Jason Faction launched a new residency at The Bathhouse - the brand new East London club venue which is a former Turkish baths.

Expect punk, funk, Italo disco, ghettotech, and other bouncy, bassy bits and bobs.

Tonight's special guests are Beppe Loda (Typhoon Club, Italy), Dan Phuong and Emil Grelck.
read on

where:
The Bathhouse
8 Bishopsgate Churchyard
EC2M 3TJ

who:
Beppe Loda, Dan Phuong
+ more
when:
11pm - 5am
what:
Disco, Hip Hop, House
cost:
£5
 

Basic

Basic land to bring intimate, house party-style clubbing back to London. They feel that clubbing has become too focussed on the DJs - and so they never release their no frills line ups prior to the party - preferring it to remain a surprise. They revel in the old fundamentals: good tunes, friends, smiles, dancing - the house party vibe. Expect undergro... read on

where:
Platinum
23-25 Paul Street
EC2A 4JU

who:
Andy Bone, Rossko
when:
11pm - 7am
what:
House
cost:
Free

Sunday 9th

secretsundaze

Smith and Priestley's summer institution is a true original which contrasts the dingy atmosphere of most daytime parties and still retains a considerable edge over similar efforts. The shift of venue to the Light Bar has been a happy one - marrying discerning beats to a brilliantly thought-out venue.Helping to supply the sunshine techno and strippe... read on

where:
Village Underground
Holywell Lane
EC2A 3PQ
who:
James Priestley, Giles Smith, Efdemin
when:
2pm - 10.30pm
what:
Funk/Soul, House, Techno/Minimal
cost:
£15
 

The Effort

A straight edge hardcore band, The Effort blend the modern youth crew sound of late '90s Boston with the socially conscious lyrics of artists like Inside Out, 108, and Boy Sets Fire.

So that'll be one beat down followed by a hug and a collectivist lecture afterwards. read on

where:
The Grosvenor
17 Sidney Road
SW9 0TP

who:
The Effort, Never Again
+ more
when:
8pm
what:
Punk
cost:
£5
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