Play with the city - London

What a beauty! We took the QQ away for valentines weekend to whitstable. We stopped at the windy ridge guest house, and stayed in a room that was once used to take copious amounts of drugs, have orgies and make beautiful psychedilic rock in the 60’s. We blitzed the town, soaking up the cracking little art galleries rinsing the records shops for 45 inch records and of course the chippy for chips. Those were the best chips I’ve eaten in a long time. Totally recommend a trip out to whitstable. It’s beautiful, everything is within 100 yards of the coast, plus it has a vibrant arts scene. You can see why there’s a lot of londoners who’ve bought a place here. the quiet little town has character, charm and soothes the soul. I’ll defo be back in the summer.

It’s All Good hit The Haggerston way back in the year… Twas rammalladingdonged. ie busy. Andy & crew threw a super party. Steph’s new Bo Grace popped open the Crystal, G Dog was so juiced he couldn’t open his eyes, and I wished I still lived in Dalston. The party & tunes were immense. The sound system was not. If you love music, like me (sorry that sounds really crap dunnit), you’d have had to stand under the speaker to get a jist of what was going on. which I did, but I love a place with good acoustics. I can sniff a dodgy treble level a mile off. In all fairness, It’s All Good & andy Newcombe’s crew are better than the venue, and they know it. funny old place the haggerston though. a good ol’ dirty east end pub, that’s been shabbed up for the lo fi crew. I mean, I had a wander upstairs to see what was going on, I discovered a karaoke party, and I swear what those girl did to Prince’s “1999″, should be punishable in a court of law. I left, saw two in skinny jeaned kids being sick on their winkle pickers, then got a taxi back to my green abode in East Dulwich. Good night Dalston. Still love you, warts and all.

…and it is. My good friend Andy Newcombe puts on a splendid party. disco-tastic, friendly faces and lots of tunes to throw your hand in the air to. Andy’s got fingers in many pies; DIAL, It’s All Good (I designed the flyer by the way) & Discobox (next one’s Friday 27TH FEB @ East Village with special guest Leon Mayes-The Off Key Hat). Every Party’s a gudun. Last time I went to discobox I heard a blinding set by Bill Brewster & had to be restrained after trying to find out what track Leon Mayes ended his set on. Turned out it was one of his productions & he sent it me. Check it here (Emergency Calling).

Brilliant. Pop down to The Haggerston for plenty more of the Good stuff. The line up for friday includes Jonty Kenton, described by Time Out as “the DJ most likely to play anything”, Damo, a contributor to the Bright Times compilation series on the London Fixed-Gear & Single-Speed forum, plus residents Andy Newcombe & Festus Williams. If you like feeding your ears & moving your feet, pop along & say hello. It’s All Good.

PARTY INFO:
Friday 6th February 2009 7pm - 2am
Guest DJs: Jonty Kenton (Traficante Records) & Damo (Bright Times)
Resident DJs: Andy Newcombe (Discobox),  Festus Williams (Multigrooves)
Music policy / File Under: Party! Funk, Soul, Latin, Boogie, Disco, Latin, Hip Hop
Cost: FREE!
Where: The Haggerston, 438 Kingsland Road, Hackney, E8 4AA Tel: 020 7275 0105
Nearest station: Dalston Kingsland
Buses: 149

www.itsallgoodmusic.co.uk

Erm, yeh. Dr Sketchy anyone? Imagine Life drawing but without the wrinkley old men posing in damp school halls & replace it with glitzy nipple twirly-tastic burlesque dancers, a beer and your pencils and pads. Yeh sounds good to me too.

Dr Sketchy returns on the 22nd April 2009 at a top secret venue (join the facebook group to find out where closer to the date)

http://www.drsketchylondon.co.uk/

Definitely worth a gander. I bought their new album “Welcome to Mali” for my Dad for Chrimbo (buying stuff you want for Christmas in my family is a long running custom). It’s reet good. Innit Dad?

Amadou & Miriam
7:00pm - Wed 25th Feb 2009
Koko, Camden
http://www.koko.uk.com/gigs.php?event=702

Bug is a film night dedicated to championing cutting edge music videos, featuring new shizzle from up and coming directors. It’s presented by Adam Buxton, from Adam & Joe, so should be muchas entertaining.

Have a gander at this blog run by Bug curator/producer David Knight to sample some of the videos on offer. http://www.promonews.tv/

BUG 11, Thursday 22nd and Wednesday 28th January 2009, 8:45pm, BFI Southbank NFT1
http://www.bugvideos.co.uk/

My good pal’s Portasound are playing this Tuesday (20th Jan) @ The Social, with a host of new bands & dj’s for the Team Kruger Launch Party. Portasound are a blazing electric biscuit blaze of electro misfits, who turn out Sonic the hedgehog style bass bumping gem’s and a really good party too. They’ve been championed by Rob da bank on radio 1, played the secret garden party last year and are pipped to be the next Metronomy. Come down and check out the cool kids I say. Me tinks it’s their year to crank it up.

Team Kruger Launch Party @ The Social
20th Jan 2009, 8pm onwards.

http://www.myspace.com/portasoundband
http://www.krugermagazine.com/

It may well be a Manchester run outfit, but surely everyone who enjoys free dj mix downloads will appreciate this badboy music blog. Cracking Best of 2008 mix, plus many more by Spinster’s such as Bill Brewster, who I saw play @ DiscoBox in the SeaBright Arms, East London. Look out for Discobox.

Cosmic Disco, Manchester
Discobox, London

Oh You Want More…
I’m a massive fan of TY. So much so, that I think I weird him out when he spots me in the crowd, like a crackpot fan. TY, London born & bred, is possibly the most eloquent rapper about. He doesn’t mince his words and always has an interesting point to make. Plus he’s got some amazing bangers in his artillery.

He’s playing sweatbox Cargo in at the start of Feb & Soho Theatre at the end of Feb. Check Check.

7th Feb 2009 20:00
TY & DJ @ SCENARIO @ CARGO
CARGO, RIVINGTON STREET , London and South East
Cost: £10 adv, 6 before 9, £12 after

TY Biography
http://www.myspace.com/tyandupwards