Jun 10

Music Day at Crouch End Festival

I am thrilled to announce a whole day of music on two stages – Crouch End Festival’s very own Music Day on the 11th June.Head for the green outside Hornsey Town Hall. And there’s an extra Music Night on Thursday 15th in the Supper Room in Hornsey Town Hall. I have had a hand in…

Jun 6

Olivia

Festival season updates

Here’s some more festival news with new and returning events to see you through to September. Bluedot Festival 7th – 9th July The stellar BlueDot festival, nestled under the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank, has added day tickets at £59 per day. The daily lineups are on the site now too. Hot Chip frontman Joe Goddard will perform live,…

Jun 5

Olivia

Space 36: the Brexit issue

Waiting to Exhale: a creative exploration in response to Brexit A suburban house turned into an experimental and beautiful space for the creation of project-based art, this is the essence of Space 36, in Finsbury Park, north London. In 2016, the owners of the house, Ahmed Farooqui and Alan Swann, held an exhibition which they chose…

Jun 1

Olivia

Bearded Theory photos 2017

Photos taken around the festival site, including some lovely festival goers I encountered, Magical Sounds dance tent and The Woodland Stage area. Plus artists Skunk Anansie (Skin), The Alarm, Cast, Alabama 3, African Head Charge, Drum Machine, The Selecter, 3 Daft Monkeys, Glasvegas, Vintage Trouble. For Bearded Theory review, click here Bearded Theory, Catton Hall, Derbyshire….

Jun 1

Olivia

Bearded Theory festival big birthday bash

Bearded Theory Spring Gathering or “festival” as it is usually called, has reached an important milestone – its tenth birthday. The hairy-faced contributor to the festival world has grown and blossomed, from bum fluff through designer stubble to full beard. The celebrations opened on a perfect sunny Thursday afternoon with a surprisingly large crowd, perhaps due to the lineup being stuffed…

May 11

Olivia

Amber Arcades review: The Trades and The Finsbury

At the Heavenly Weekender at The Trades in Hebden Bridge back in January, Amber Arcades’ half-hour early evening set was the most engaging of the three days (young Halifax band The Orielles were the other stand-out act). The focal presence on stage is Amber Arcades’ mastermind, the very cool Annelotte De Graaf, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter – although…

May 3

Olivia

More festival recommends and news

Festival season is approaching fast – only five weeks till some of us will be sleeping, or at least trying to, in our tents. Here are a few more events to whet your appetite, and some festival news too. Some festivals are getting low on tickets, so don’t ponder for too long. And if you’re a foodie,…

Apr 30

Olivia

Women, Children; and Loitering Men by Shirley Baker at Manchester Art Gallery

From 19th May, Manchester Art Gallery will show the exhibition Women, Children; and Loitering Men, photographs by Shirley Baker taken primarily in the 1960s. Of Baker’s prolific output, these photographs of Manchester and Salford are her best known works and they reveal to us in compelling detail, a glimpse back in time; a snapshot of a city and…

Apr 18

Olivia

British Sea Power at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

You know you’re at a British Sea Power gig when there’s some slightly weird stuff at the merch stall and the stage is full of foliage. The band’s new March release Let The Dancers Inherit the Party has had positive reaction from fans – it’s a triumphant, upbeat and playful collection, designed to give us hope in these dark times,…

Mar 10

Olivia

News

British Sea Power continue their tour of the UK with new album Let the Dancers Inherit the Party at The Trades Hebden Bridge. Date: 28th July. They are also a recent addition to Green Man Festival in August. If you can’t get away once school has started in September, On Blackheath in south London might do…