6th February 2012

gigs clubbing art comedy theatre blog competitions

Illustration by Julie Khan

May Day! May Day!

No, we’re not in distress, we’re just looking forward to International Labour Day, which brings with it an outbreak of Morris dancing, pagan sensuality, protest, rain, rave-ups and of course, a Bank Holiday!

To celebrate the start of May (probably one of our top 10 months) we've put together a comprehensive guide of the best events in the month ahead. We're probably most excited about the chance to pick up free books in Marylebone, the release of a new Bill Hicks documentary, and an art party to celebrate David Mitchell's brilliant new novel.

We're also stoked that the V&A's archives have been opened up, that the Camden Crawl is happening this weekend, and that we interviewed the ever-wonderful Booka Shade.

Plus, it's election time soon. Check out what Antony Gormley, Mark Wallinger and Liam Gillick have been getting up to, the little scamps.

Thursday 29th

A first London solo show for Berlin-based contemporary artist Volker Hueller in the Viewing Room of Timothy Taylor this April and May.

On display are a series of hand-etched portraits full of worry and anxiety in hues of stale tobacco. In addition, a range of large-scale abstract paintings are also on show.

Inspired by the layered, surreality of the human psyche, Les 7 Doigts de la Main (The 7 Fingers) presents Psy. A range of characters conquer their neuroses by drawing on the liberating forces of circus skills. They swing and juggle their way to sanity. Using Chinese poles, German wheels and aerial ropes, they present audiences with graceful

Friday 30th

This sounds pretty darned cool. Pioneering contemporary light artist Chris Levine - best known for that shimmering white portrait of the Queen - has teamed up with madcap singing sensation Grace Jones to present a series of portraits of the funky lady. Taking place in the unique space that is the Vinyl Factory, this looks like one of the bet (and

"200 sketches. 60 minutes. 1 World Record. Heroic attempt, or spectacular folly?" Award winning sketch group Pappy's bring their whirlwind sketch marathon to the Bloomsbury Theatre tonight. A three-man troupe made up of Ben Clark, Matthew Crosby and Tom Parry, they received a nomination for the coveted if.comedy award (formerly the

The Paradise Show is bringing you something special this Friday night. Mark Rae (Rae and Christian) is baaaaack! After three years in LA he has returned to London to rock your socks off at The Paradise show. He fuses classics, funk, ragga and the like in a delicious cocktail of vibe. You will find yourself stuck to the dance-floor all night long.

Oh man this sounds awesome. Not only is it a completely unique idea for a party, but it's also taking place about a five minute walk from Spoonfed Towers, which is always nice. To be honest though, even if this was happening in Twickenham we'd probably still be there. Vivkie Hayward and Chrissie Abbott (aka Shula's Wigwam - the peeps behind

Saturday 1st

A young Londoner runs into the wrong crowd and ends up another hoodie with a knife in his gut. His cries for his mother are instead heard by the long-dead Mali Desert Man.

From the urban rap scene in London to the slave songs of the 18th century, Desert Boy is a musical epic that transcends the ages.

Crikey. This line-up has us drooling. Tiga - the man behind Turbo and DJ of the highest order - has teamed up with Bugged Out! and is taking his Turbo imprint on a world tour. He has handpicked the team who will be dishing out the beats. Boys Noize is a force to be reckoned with. His remixes and productions are all, without exception,

Six of London's biggest, baddest promoters unite, going head to head under one roof for the very first time. Urban Nerds Vs Chew The Fat! caters for your bassline, electro and upfront rave needs with A1 Bassline, Mumdance and Raffertie. Dirty Canvas Vs Vagabondz deal in heavy drum n bass and dubstep with Fabio and Grooverider playing a

Sunday 2nd

"The time has come," the Walrus said... for the Reggae Roast to chill us out once again. It's been a year, and we gratefully see the Bank Holiday BBQ return. Reggae Roast has been affiliated with legends of our time, and have been known to pack out a warehouse or two in East London.This year the Reggae Roast DJs head up a host of very

Damo Suzuki plays the first of three days of his experimental music festival at the Luminaire. Tonight he performs with REnDer PLaNt and The Atomic Crashdown. 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. Fast forward 30-odd years and he

One of the hottest acts in dance music The Revenge joins Discovery & Warm for a very special May Bank Holiday session at the Horse & Groom, carrying on from their Balearic outdoor party and bbq at the Papermill (2 minutes down the road). If you want a ticket for both these events it is a bargain £7 so why on earth not?! What a perfect

Monday 3rd

Affectionately known as the Bard of Salford, punk poet John Cooper Clarke has been the mouth-piece of working class Manchester since the late 70s.

One of the first performance poets to be associated with the punk scene, his song 'Evidently Chickentown' became known to a wide audience through its use in the final season of the TV show The Sopranos and in the 2007 film Control.

Tuesday 4th

For fans of David Mitchell (that's the twice Booker-shortlisted author, not the dude from Peep Show, you dolt) the news that he's got a new novel out is really rather exciting.

After the elaborate self-consciousness of Cloud Atlas and the narrative simplicity of Black Swan Green, Mitchell's latest work - The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is almost certainly his best yet. It's complex yet direct, rich, engrossing and really rather exciting.

To mark the book's launch, Sceptre are hosting a day of interactive live art at Candid Gallery with contemporary collective Subject to_change.

Wednesday 5th

A two-part solo show for contemporary artist Stuart Pearson Wright at Riflemaker this summer.

I Remember Me consists of a series of retro-tinged paintings of cowboys and sailors that explore issues around the construction of identity and the idea of representational painting itself.

Maze is a two-screen video installation set in Longleat maze and co-starring Keira Knightley alongside the artist himself.

A highly successful comedy club in Shepherd's Bush, Knock 2 Bag now has a barnstorming new night in Notting Hill's iconic Tabernacle building.

A stunning venue with room for over 300 people seated round tables, this is a guaranteed good bet for seeing quality comedy in an electric atmosphere.

Tonight's acts include comedy veteran Arthur Smith, Argumental's Rufus Hound, inventive stand-up Alex Horne and the 2009 Edinburgh Award winner Tim Key.

Thursday 6th

Signed to Jagjaguwar, the State side taste maker label, Lightning Dust come to play an intimate gig at The Lexington before playing Matt Groening's ATP festival. An awesome modern form of Americana that has been taking the music world by storm over the other side of the pond.

Support comes from a band that have been doing much of the same over here in the UK. Wolf People have become renowned for their live shows after playing support slots for the likes of The Besnard Lakes. It can't be long before these guys are headlining shows bigger than this themselves.

Friday 7th

Days before the controversial deal of playwright Christopher, his friends William Shakespeare, Thomas Watson and Thomas Walsingham, attempt to save their comrade.

Expect action, intrigue and murder in this epic drama told against plague ridden London in 1593.

The Z-Shed pull together the cream of the electronic crop for your skanking pleasure. They are getting heavy across two rooms this time, with Starkey kick starting his much hyped album 'Ear Drums and Black Holes', ghetto rudeness from Chicago's Merderbot, Brooklyn's Dre Skull showing his face and general high class filth from a massive collection of heavyweights.

This is a special party. Come. Then you'll know.

Click here to read our interview with Ben Pearson: The man behind The Z-Shed.

Click here to listen to the latest Z-Shed mixtape by Murderbot.

"She says: 'Let's have children.' I know this is a historic moment. I must respond like a man. So I ignore her."

Based on the excellent Sunday Times column, Dad Rules is a hilarious, feel-good mix of stand-up and stories about fatherhood from Perrier nominee Andrew Clover.

Saturday 8th

Works by two contemporary artists on show this May at one of Spoonfed's favourite places in London, Kaleid Editions.

On display are prints and an artist's book by Katherine Jones, whose work possesses an eerie lost-in-the-forest atmosphere, alongside a range of work by Victoria Browne - across artist's books, video projection and polymergravure prints (no, us neither...)

Browne is interested in ideas of space-time and those other excitingly oddball areas of science, that we don't really understand. We've seen some of her works before and are pretty darned excited about seeing more.

Human Error are back and bring with them headliner Louis La Roche.

Louis La Roche is spinning with a vengeance; '70s and '80s inspired house tunes funk up any room of people. His love of disco and soul is evident in his music mix of mashup mayhem. He introduces his influences to a new generation of party people, who are in serious need of an education...even from one so young.

La Roche's classy compadres are Stealth Disco, Synthia and resident duo Griff and Skilow. Stealth Disco drop it like it's hot in a way Snoop never could. You can see the euphoria they experience behind the decks and it makes you want it too. This mashup duo encourage you to dance dance dance...

Sunday 9th

The Residence has moved! Previously housed in the Verger's Cottage, The Residence was the glamorous hub of the Hackney Wick art scene. But with 2012 came bulldozers and blocks of flats, and gallery owner Ingrid Z has upped sticks and relocated to Victoria Park Road.

The new venue is, by all accounts (well, Ingrid's press release), a rather splendid affair, and the new show is taking a conceptual approach to the idea of the resort. With a host of exciting artists involved - including the ever-entertaining Alex Chappel and Ingrid herself - this looks set to launch the new-look Residence in some style.

We're just perfecting our resort wear look - those Hawaiian prints from the Tim Soar S/S09 collection are looking rather perfect.