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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

Down with the Kids

The weather is out, school is finished for another year, and all across London the capital’s kiddies are at a loose end. There’s only so much children can eat ice cream, play football, hang around in Topshop or stab each other before they begin to look for other things to do. Which is why we at Spoonfed – ever helpful – have compiled a few cool ideas for entertaining the wee things.  It’s called, rather aptly, London for Kids, so check it out.

Next week there’s also a load of wicked events that’ll appeal not only to those in short trousers but to real grown-up adult types too. And there’s a definite good-time outdoor vibe going on. East London gallery Limoncello are doing a Summer Fete, whilst the Queen of Hoxton hosts a Fete Worse Than Death, Vauxhall Spring Gardens is putting on Milk in the Park and Riverside Studios has got a Summer Circus and a beer garden. Splendid, no?

Upcoming

Eastern Electrics

30th August 2009
More info >>

Ed Byrne

7th September 2009
More info >>

Prick Up Your Ears

17th September 2009
More info >>

Gustav Metzger

29th September 2009
More info >>

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.' 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 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 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 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 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

Monday 10th

The National

Following in the footsteps of great US indie/rock bands like Pavement, The National's march to fame and riches began when they moved en masse from their Ohio home to Brooklyn and began working crap, mundane jobs. Clearly inspired by this experience, they have since made a glittering career out of singing songs about love and war intertwined with s... read on

where:
Royal Festival Hall
Belvedere Road
SE1 8XX
who:
The National
when:
7.30pm
what:
Indie
cost:
From £18 to £20
 

Robin Ince vs The Moral Majority

'Who was right - Orwell or Huxley? Are we amusing ourselves to death?' Expect angry tirades followed by quiet musings from passionate liberal Robin Ince as he presents his new show at the Camden Fringe. His 2008 solo work (Bleeding Heart Liberal) was spectacular; full of witty, self-deprecating anecdotes and rants at right-wing journalists and reli... read on

where:
The Camden Head
100 Camden High Street
NW1 0LU

who:
Robin Ince
when:
8.45pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£8

Tuesday 11th

Damo Suzuki

Inspired by Jack Kerouac's On The Road, Damo Suzuki has spent almost the last 50 years wandering Europe and making music. One of the driving forces behind Can's influential mid-'70s period, he is now revered by prog rock aficionados the world over thanks to his work with Damo Suzuki and Friends and his forward thinking label Damo's Network. Maki... read on

where:
Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
2 Hoxton Square
N1 6NU
who:
Damo Suzuki, Drum Eyes, Bo Ningen
when:
8pm
what:
Indie, Rock
cost:
£8
 

Summer Circus

Riverside Studios is an excellent spot for a bit of summertime fun, with a beer garden that commands magnificent views overlooking the Thames. This summer they're running a lot of family-friendly events which provide the perfect excuse to hand your kids over to a professional entertainer while you take your seat outside and enjoy a cold beer. A... read on

where:
Riverside Studios
Crisp Road
W6 9RL

when:
Times vary
what:
Family
cost:
From £13 to £25

Wednesday 12th

Morning Benders

An impossibly young bunch of indie kids from Berkeley, California, The Morning Benders are resurrecting The Beach Boys and channelling them through Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young to make some incredibly sweet dream pop.

It sounds a little Cast in places, but in a really good way. read on

where:
Old Blue Last
39 Great Eastern Street
EC2A 3ES
who:
Morning Benders
when:
8pm
what:
Pop
cost:
£5
 

Carbon Club

Markeline, a dynamic company from the Basque region, present a thrilling, emotional outdoor cabaret in the squares outside the National Theatre. Carbon Club tells the story of a coal mine through the lives of miners who take the stage to tell their stories, sing songs or recall the ghosts of fallen comrades. It's a gloriously camp show - but heartbre... read on

where:
National Theatre
South Bank
SE1 8XZ

when:
9pm
what:
Cabaret, Tragedy
cost:
£10

Thursday 13th

Going Postal

What with email, Twitter, Facebook and all manner of other computer communication things rather taking over the world, the future looks a little bleak for the humble postcard. Why bother sending a postcard to one person when you could write on someone's wall and let everyone read how bloody great your holiday is? Well, because now a collaboration be... read on

where:
ICA
The Mall
SW1Y 5AH
who:
Lawrence Weiner, John Baldessari
+ more
when:
6pm - 9pm
what:
Art, Auction
cost:
Free
 

The Kirov - Homage to Balanchine

St Petersburg's Mariinksy Ballet pay tribute to the late, great choreographer George Ballanchine with a triple bill of works set to Stravinsky, Bizet and Tchaikovsky. Remarkably, tickets are still available for what promises to be an extraordinary showcase. The Mariinsky are the foremost ballet company in the world and their Balanchine repertoir... read on

where:
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden
WC2E 9DA

when:
7.30pm
what:
Ballet
cost:
From £9 to £320

Friday 14th

Billy Childish

One of the most proflific artists of his generation, Billy Childish has haunted the dreams of musicians for neigh on 20 years with a never ending conveyer belt of paintings, poetry and LPs. Seriously this guy is like the Simpsons in so far as that as soon as you think you've come up with a orginal idea, you can bet your life Childish has thoug... read on

where:
The Boston Arms
178 Junction Road
N19 5QQ
who:
Billy Childish
when:
8.30pm
what:
Rock
cost:
£6
 

Utah Saints present Sugarbeat

Utah Saints night Sugarbeat has been rocking Leeds, Edinburgh and Bristol and now they come to London.

They have been rocking Jamm on a bi-monthly basis and tonight they welcome XFM breaks junkie Eddy Temple-Morris and Finger Lickin' hotshot A Skillz.
read on

where:
Jamm
261 Brixton Road
SW9 6LH

who:
Utah Saints, A Skillz, Eddy Temple Morris
+ more
when:
9pm - 5am
what:
Electro, House, Techno/Minimal
cost:
£10

Saturday 15th

Limoncello Summer Fete 2009

All the fun of the fair at Limoncello Gallery this Saturday. Of course, being an art thing though, there's a bit of a twist on the usual WI marrow-judging contests. As well as fun stuff like a fashion show, jelly-eating contest, and assorted live music, crafts and tombola, there's also 'sponge the gallerist' and the amusingly entitled 'pin the... read on

where:
Limoncello
15a Cremer Street
E2 8HD
when:
12pm - 3pm
what:
Art, Family
cost:
Free
 

Milk in the Park

Milk in the Park is a great, big musical disco in the heart of The Vauxhall Gay Village in Lambeth. Horse Meat Disco, Carpet Burn, Deep Inside and Tonker unite to celebrate equality and freedom. Milk In The Park commemorates the life of Harvey Milk - the first gay American politician and pioneer of gay rights. It's also 40 years since the Ston... read on

where:
Vauxhall Spring Gardens
SE11

who:
Horse Meat Disco, Candi Staton
+ more
when:
1pm - 9pm
what:
Disco, Funk/Soul
cost:
£15
 

The Boat Show

The Tattershall Castle is not actually a castle at all, but a boat permanently moored on Victoria Embankment that has hosted some of the best comedy acts for the last seven years. A favourite with fans and comedians alike, it's not unknown for them to announce a surprise big-name guest at the start of a show, so whatever the line up, it's always ... read on

where:
Tattershall Castle
Kings Reach
SW1A 2HR

who:
Jarred Christmas, Terry Alderton
+ more
when:
8pm
what:
Stand Up
cost:
£10, £8 Concessions

Sunday 16th

Elvis Presley Tribute Night

We challange you to find anyone who doesn't like Elvis just a little bit. Yeah people will harp on that he was a talentless junkie who never wrote a song, but bang on 'Suspicious Minds' and they'll be like putty in your hands. That's why he's the King and we're all just lesser mortals. The guy is so powerful that his reach extends from beyond the ... read on

where:
Twelve Bar Club
22-23 Denmark Place
WC2H 8NL
who:
Viva Las Vegas
+ more
when:
7pm
what:
Rock, Pop
cost:
£3
 

A Fete Worse Than Death

A Fete Worse Than Death launches at the fabulous Queen of Hoxton for a day of relentless revelry. Expect a 'village green' on the roof terrace, with a BBQ, tea and cakes, and party games. As if this wasn't enough, you'll bathe in the warming glow of disco, courtesy of some of London's most notorious figures on the disco circuit, including Disco Bloodb... read on

where:
Queen of Hoxton
1 Curtain Road
EC2A 3JX

who:
Nathan Gregory Wilkins, Neil Thornton
+ more
when:
12pm
what:
Disco, Electro
cost:
Free
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