6th February 2012

gigs clubbing art comedy theatre blog competitions

Illustration by Julie Khan

Springs and Roundabouts

Spring is here! Like a slinky down a staircase, spring arrives this Saturday in all its abundant floral glory. As well as daffodils, dandelions, crocuses, snowdrops and all manner of other flowering garden delights, the animal kingdom is also starting to stretch its weary limbs after the long winter snooze. All across London, tadpoles are spawning, ladybirds yawning and muttering, and pet tortoises dawdling out of cardboard boxes to feast on lettuce and wet bread.

In the human world however, things continue much as before. Although with the added benefit that daylight is something we actually get to see occasionally. This may or may not explain why there are so many brilliant events in the coming days. We're particulary excited about the Bestival party at KOKO, a 'spoken film' at BAC, Pete Firman's magic weirdness and the take-over of Kensington Palace by a host of designers including the one and only Vivienne Westwood.

In festival news, LCD Soundsystem have been announced as headliners for Wireless, whilst those in search of free entry to Glade can get it by parachuting into the festival dressed as Elvis. Bizarre.

Thursday 18th

Roland Barthes equated photography with death, and, viewing Andrew Rafferty's work, it's not hard to see why. His are images throughout many of which the spectre of death looms large, and yet viewing Rafferty's work is not a miserable experience. There is hope here, and humour. This March and April sees his 'Passion' series on display in the Crypt

Funism? Literally the best sounding ism we've ever heard. Combined with "a side order of Stuckism", it sounds like a recipe for the a really rather delicious repast. Or, more accurately in this case, a rather wonderful exhibition. Stuckists Ella Guru and Chris Yates are involved, as well as ex-Stuckist Sexton Ming, so expect a broad

Friday 19th

Charlie Smith London makes way for an exhibition of Gavin Nolan's brutally perverse, nighmarish portraits. Typically darkly figurative with an accompanying torrid of drips and splodges, A King's Gambit Accepted concentrates predominantly on historical figures, particularly those who have committed suicide. Nolan's interest in power-wielding and

In a smothering attempt to protect his family from being tainted by the folks below his top spot on a monsterous tower block, Hector Blavatsky rules with a loving iron fist. But Hector won't be with us for long and his family are no longer retreating from the outside world. Their curiosity is further sparked when an outsider enters their miniature

Saturday 20th

Like quilts? Then holy lord, you're in for one hell of a treat, as the V&A presents its first exhibition dedicated entirely to British quilts. With quilts on show ranging from as far back as 1700 right up to modern day examples by the likes of Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin, this is the textile exhibition of the year. The media are already

Bestival return with their annual warm-up at Koko. Tonight, you can dress in any of the many themes that have occured at festivals gone by. For refernce thse are Cowboys and Indians, Under The Sea, Circus, Pirates, and Outer Space. There's also be burlesque, weddings at the Big Love Inflatable Church, games from Lost and Found and tunes from a

Sunday 21st

Acclaimed character comedian Nick Mohammed gives a sneak preview of his new Edinburgh show at the Hen and Chickens tonight.

Mohammed has previously appeared in ensemble BBC comedies Reggie Perrin and Horne & Corden, as well as starring in his own show for BBC Radio Four, Quarters.

Monday 22nd

If you like comedy and magic you are in for a real treat tonight as the talented Christian Lee, his partner in comedy crime Wes Zarahuk and the legendary Jerry Sadowitz combine forces for an onslaught of tricks, stunts and gags.

Also on the bill is a line up of magicians, known, unknown, new and internationally acclaimed, performing and trying out new material from classic magic to bizarre tricks and post recession junk. Sometimes the bad magic is the best - just think of Tommy Cooper.

Tuesday 23rd

In support of the Teenage Cancer Trust comes this stellar comedy gig at the Royal Albert Hall featuring four of the circuit's biggest names.

Television personality Jimmy Carr, Welsh stand-up sensation Rhod Gilbert, Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding and Irish comedy legend Tommy Tiernan will each present a set in what is sure to be a popular gig. Ticket prices aren't cheap, but with a line-up like this, you won't be sorry.

Wednesday 24th

If you don't know much about The Joy Formidable, read Pete's review of them at the Barfly in January to understand exactly why you have to go to this. Encapsulatingly affronting shoegaze rock from the Welsh trio.

Thursday 25th

Wow. Sad, calm, beautiful, melancholic, rain-bruised photo-blurs. Berlin town houses, blocks, trees, rivers, roads, boats blurring by. There's a sense of nostalgia in these images, of something missed - more perhaps about re-capturing than capturing. Vain attempts to return...

Katia Liebmann's photographic works look incredible, and she has a solo show at Hackelbury this Spring. Go.

Friday 26th

A powerful theatrical experience inspired by the Russian submarine disaster of August 2000.

A submarine is on patrol in the arctic. The crew sleep, eat, drill, long for word from home, and silently shadow their target. Their lives, at once extraordinary and mundane, are shattered by a global crisis from which uniquely personal stories emerge.

Sandpit events are always bloody awesome! They consist of weird fun and games in public places and basically make you feel like a little kid again: a smart, scheming kid with a sense of adventure and no shame.

This time the team take over the grand old V&A. As ever, there's loads of cool stuff to take part in like massive pass the parcel, Victorian parlour games, new activities from the RCA and some kind of game involving balloons!

Now in its second year, the Musical Comedy Awards continue to celebrate the best of the UK's emerging musical comedy talent and promote musical comedy as an art form in its own right. We've come a long way since Jasper Carrott.

Last December, the cream of the crop were selected by Time Out comedy editor Tim Arthur and other judges from Avin a Larf's musical comedy site musicalcomedy.co.uk to compete in a series of heats at Clerkenwell's Wilmington Arms. Now in a Grand Final at the New Player's Theatre, the public's five favourite acts will do battle for the 2010 Musical Comedy Awards crown.

Supporting the fledgling competitors are established musical acts such as if.comedy Best Newcomer winner Tom Basden, stars of BBC 3's Comedy Shuffle Ginger and Black, and last year's Musical Comedy Awards winners Adams and Rea.

Saturday 27th

Acclaimed magician and comedian Pete Firman, hailed 'the Tommy Cooper for the MySpace generation', brings his gruesome magic show to artsdepot.

Think Vegas, via Middlesbrough, with blood, sharp spiky things and a wood-chipper.

The eagerly anticipated return of long-standing favourites and techno giants Satoshi Tomiie and Paul Woolford will be one of the many highlights of the exceptional global clubbing brand's night of delicious lip-smacking beats and bleeps. Ably supported by Greg Lord, Roo and Marcus James, don't sleep on it, this will be another dream night at Cable. <meta content="OpenOffice.org 3.1 (Win32)" name="GENERATOR" /><style type="text/css">  <script type='text/javascript' src='http://ads.spoonfeduk.com/www/delivery/ag.php'></script>  <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-2883448-2"; urchinTracker(); </script>  <script type="text/javascript"> var woopra_id = '577418902'; </script> <script src="http://static.woopra.com/js/woopra.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </body> </html>