urban75 blog

Fireworks night, Brockwell Park

2009-11-06T01:31:00.001Z

Another fabulous Guy Fawkes night in Brixton!

Offline Halloween special!

2009-11-02T01:11:00.001Z

We had a fantastic Halloween special at the Albert Offline Club last night with some great bands, dancing go go girls and much drinking.

Here's a few pics.

Loads more pics here: Offline Halloween Special

Next Offline show is at the Dogstar, Brixton on Thurs 12th November and we've got an amazing bill!

Trans Siberian March band + Wookies at Offline

2009-10-25T21:52:00.001Z

We had another big night at the Prince Albert in Brixton last night with the Trans Siberian March Band plus the Wookies playing our free Offline club night.

More pics - and details of our amazing Halloween show on the 31st - here: Offline Brixton

Brixton Farmers' Market

2009-10-18T17:08:00.001Z

This is well worth a visit if you're after some fabulous fresh bread, ace cheese and tasty fruit and veg. It's situated on Brixton Station Road, and it's on every Sunday.

More photos: Brixton Farmers Market

Offline club at the Dogstar

2009-10-18T17:03:00.001Z

A few photos from our last lively night at the Dogstar, Brixton, with live bands, indie films, a Woody Guthrie lecture, poetry and DJs.

We've got some absolute killer bills coming up on the 23rd and 31st October so check out our club homepage for more info. They're always FREE too!

Kingsway old tram tunnel

2009-10-12T00:52:00.001Z

I've been wanting to visit this disused tram station for ever, so was well chuffed to get the opportunity to take a wander around on Saturday.

Here's some pics:

Loads more:

Kingsway Tram Tunnel

Modern football is rubbish

2009-10-07T10:34:00.001Z

[Rant]

So, I fancy taking my girlfriend to see a game at Cardiff.

Until recently this meant having a few pints at the pub and then turning up at the match and paying on the turnstile and the walking on the terrace to find my friends. Simple.

Here's how modern football does it.

1 Go through the palaver of registering as a fan on the hideous website
2 Pay ?4 to become a 'fan' capable of buying a ticket (?20 if I want to go to an away game)
3 Register my girlfriend as a fan (this involves logging off and starting over)
4 Log back in
5 Pay ?4 on my girlfriend's behalf so I can buy her a ticket
6 Battle with hideous booking system in an attempt to buy tickets remotely close to my friends
7 Fail miserably
8 Ring up and buy tickets
9 End up miles from my mates at the game

If I was physically capable of supporting a team in Division 4 or below I would, but Cardiff's in my DNA (hence they can get away with charging me just to have the right to buy a ticket).

Modern football is rubbish.

[/Rant]

Petts Wood to Hayes, Kent.

2009-10-02T20:14:00.001Z

Some photos from a lovely 10 mile stroll around the Kent countryside last weekend:

More pics here

G20 bra girl charged for posing as a police officer

2009-09-30T22:38:00.001Z

Here's how ridiculous our cops can be:

Eleven G20 campaigners are being prosecuted for impersonating police officers despite some being half-dressed and wielding toy machineguns.
The protesters, who call themselves the Space Hijackers, claim today it was obvious they were taking part in an April Fool's Day joke as world leaders met in London on 1 April.

They were arrested as they drove an armoured personnel carrier through the City while playing Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries over a loudspeaker.

Leah Borromeo, 30, a freelance journalist who was wearing a riot helmet and boiler suit rolled down to the waist to reveal a black bra, said: 'If I'm guilty of anything it's of impersonating a stripper, not a police officer. Our lawyers never thought anyone would be charged because it is so ridiculous. It is a farcical case.'

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer decided they must face a four-day trial despite critics describing the charges as 'a terrible abuse of power'.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of three months and the case has reportedly already cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds.

Experts have called for the case to be withdrawn. The Met was heavily criticised over its handling of the protests. Apart from the Space Hijackers case, the police and Crown Prosecution Service have proceeded with only a handful of charges of violent disorder and criminal damage.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23749027-bra-girl-charged-for-posing-as-a-pc.do

Meanwhile, this video is an absolute joy:

Say hello to wirefresh.com!

2009-09-23T15:09:00.001Z

After the last tech site I was working for collapsed in a heap of incompetence and unpaid wages (mainly mine, I reckon), I've decided to start up my very own website for tech related news, wirefresh.com.

We've already got around 50 articles on the site, and you can expect to find reviews, news, comment and the odd sarky comment or two.

I'd love to hear what you think about the site and your opinion of the articles, so please add a few comments if you feel so inspired.

Of all the news stories covered today, this one has got me the most excited: it's Microsoft's rumoured new 'book' PC and it looks fantastic.

Anyhow, check out the new site and tell me what you think!

I'm also looking for new writers too, so get in touch if you fancy penning the odd review.

wirefresh.com.

Ella Edmondson at Offline Club, Brixton

2009-09-21T23:38:00.001Z

She was absolutely fabulous!

One of my fave Offline gigs this year!

More pics here.

My exciting day as a movie extra on 'Blitz'

2009-09-21T23:25:00.001Z

Today, I spent the day employed on a film set near Smithfield Market, central London.

My day mainly involved me standing in street, drinking coffee, chatting to other extras and watching the film crew milling about.

Some hours later I was assigned a 'walking down the street' part, which involved being a silhouetted blob moving in front of a couple who were eating in a restaurant.

I shuffled around in front of the camera a few times more. At one point my role was reduced to being just a reflection in the window, but things were livened up by the director having a fabulous headphone throwing hissy fit.

The film is called 'Blitz' and it features Jason Statham playing an "aggro cop." I doubt if I can be arsed to see it when it comes out, but look out for a be-dreaded reflection in the window of the restaurant scene.

That'll be me!

Virgin Atlantic in epic 911 fail

2009-09-14T16:51:00.001Z

Here's a 'pretend' card they enclosed in a letter trying to get me to sign up for their new credit card service.

I'm thinking they haven't exactly thought it through fully.

Actionettes at Vauxhall Duckie Club

2009-09-13T18:55:00.001Z

The Actionettes put on a fabulous show last night at Duckie ? and the crowd went seriously wild for them!

A few pics:

Reclaim the beach, London

2009-09-13T18:33:00.001Z

Had a terrific time at Reclaim the Beach last night, dancing on the sandy shores of the River Thames before the incoming tide took the dancefloor away!

Here's a few photos:

Reclaim the Beach Party on the Thames

London Astoria: nearly gone

2009-09-09T21:58:00.001Z

I've seen some great gigs at the Astoria in central London, but the end came on 14th Jan, 2009 when the venue was closed to make way for the construction of a new station for the Crossrail project.

The building, which was opened as a cinema on 1927, is now being flattened.

Here's a few photos documenting its sad demise.

Looking up, January 2009 view.

Similar view, September 2009.

Around the back of the venue, Jan 2009.

Similar view from September 2009, showing just the ground floor of the building left.

Full article: Goodbye to the London Astoria

Some London snaps

2009-09-06T23:38:00.001Z

A few photos taken during my wander around town yesterday.

Checking out the excellent 'Londoners Through a Lens' exhibition at the Getty Gallery in Fitzrovia.

Regent's Park fountain.

Empty deckchairs, Regent's Park.

Curious sign by Warren Street and Euston Road.

More photos: A walk around Fitzrovia and Regent's Park

The Tree House Gallery, Regents's Park

2009-09-06T23:31:00.001Z

Billed as "an innovative public project featuring a free daily program of events, arts, discussions, musicology and activities," the Treehouse Gallery in Regent's Park tasked itself with acting, " as a catalyst to ignite the collective imagination, encouraging adults and children alike to explore a variety of creative responses to nature."

We're not entirely sure what all that means, but we definitely enjoyed our visit and found it a pleasant place to hang out for a while.

Looking like a road protest site transported into a central London Park, the Treehouse Gallery put on daily activities, talks and workshops, focussed around two large treehouses.

More photos here: The Tree House Gallery, regent's Park, London

Mini rave in Trafalgar Square!

2009-09-05T11:47:00.001Z

One & Other is a live artwork by sculptor Antony Gormley, giving 2,400 participants the chance to spend an hour alone on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square for 100 days and nights.

Urban75 regular Mation bagged herself a slot at the ungodly time of 2am to 3am on a chilly Friday morning, and a big turn out of Urbanites were in attendance to join in the party. And what a party it was!

Through some cunning technological wizardry, the music being played on the plinth was piped through this mobile sound system, getting the square resonating to techno.

The security guard jobsworths kicked off, so the sound system was moved out of their jurisdiction to the north of the plinth.

It felt like a proper old school rave, bringing back a little bit of the flavour of the fabulous Reclaim the Streets event in 1997.

urban75 rocking around the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square

Johnsons and Autoban at Offline

2009-09-02T20:58:00.001Z

Both these bands put on fantastic shows at the Albert last Friday night at Offline.

Here's a few photos:

More pics here: The Johnsons and Autoban at Offline

Return to St Fagans museum, Cardiff

2009-09-01T15:57:00.001Z

We paid another visit a few weeks back and checked out all the indoor galleries we missed last time.

They've currently got a great pop culture exhibition there, and after we've finished stuffing our faces with lovely Welsh cakes, we had a look around the Celtic village.

It's easily one of our favourite museums in the UK.

More photos: St Fagans national history museum

Penarth pier photos

2009-08-31T15:45:00.001Z

A few snaps from a quick jaunt to Penarth pier, a short, late Victorian attraction situated just a few miles from Cardiff. The pier has had some considerable ups and downs over the years, but things seem to be on the up at last.

One thing that surprised me when I was researching the pier was that it formed the backdrop for some truly fierce Mods vs Rockers battles in the 1960s!

More photos: Penarth pier.

Beautiful days Festival: photos

2009-08-25T00:31:00.001Z

We had a fantastic time at this festival in Devon run by the Leveller.

The site was fantastic - lush, green, hilly with loads of big trees and tons of space - and the festival was incredibly well thought out with heaps of stuff going on and a fantastic vibe throughout. And the toilets? Ruddy spotless!

We'll definitely be back next year. Oh yes!

More Beautiful Days festival photos

Sweet Baboo, Spivs, Bearcraft @ Offline

2009-08-17T23:07:00.001Z

Some pics from a great Offline night on Friday night at the Albert in Brixton.

Sweet Baboo, The Spivs and Bearcraft at Offline

Endorse It Festival 2009 delivers!

2009-08-10T23:03:00.001Z

Just got back from a fantastic weekend at the Endorse It Festival. In Dorset. See what they did there?

Dreadful puns aside, the festival was an absolute treat. The weather was perfect, the cider flowed plentifully and there were loads of chums about to ensure that it remains my favourite festival of the year.

Here's a few photos. More to come later.

Our well populated swimming pool!

Zion Train onstage.

A curious bout of medieval dancing broke out during my ska set.

Monday morning. We bid the festival goodbye for another year!

Last year's Endorse It photos: Endorse It photo feature