Long overdue updates (part one): Offline, Tom Robinson, Fierce Festival and Bonnington Cafe

26th May, Offline Club with Tom Robinson



It was hectic as usual, but in the end Offline went brilliantly: our special guest Tom Robinson (new wave legend from the seminal Tom Robinson Band) put in a fantastic set.



Seeing the whole Dogstar singing along to "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was odd enough, but hearing the place ringing to the chorus of "Glad To Be Gay" was positively surreal!

The rest of the acts were fabulous too, ranging from the Asian hip hop of Graziella to the deep southern experimental sound of Duke Garwood.

Vic's Cabaret Corner was a hit too, with top sets from Yap, Other Theresa and Ryan The Poet

Offline photo report


21st May, Fierce Festival, Birmingham

Man, this was fun!



We were invited up to review this alternative, experimental performance arts festival and had a great time.

Highlights were witnessing a geezer living in a giant-size swallow's nest 30m up the side of the Rotunda and an evening of world class cabaret entertainment from the fabulous Duckie Crew.



The 'C'est Birmingham' cabaret involved a variety of, frankly, bonkers acts performing on tables in exchange for 'Duckie Dollars'.

One act was a tuba-playing northern rapper. 'Nuff said. Wonderful stuff.

Birmingham Fierce Festival report

20th May, Bonnington Cafe, London

Descended en masse to this fabulous cafe situated at 11 Vauxhall Grove, an old-school square near Vauxhall station.

Originally set up as a kitchen for the use of local squatters, the cafe has grown into a popular, no-nonsense vegetarian restaurant.

The food is tasty, reasonably priced and it's a great place to celebrate a friend's birthday.

Bonnington Cafe website

A day spent walking the South Downs, near Brighton



I've just posted up a two page photo report from the Sunday's urban75 walk to Devil's Dyke, and what a fabulous day it was!

The weather was beautiful, and we enjoyed a lovely ride in a vintage open top bus up to Devil's Dyke before indulging in a relaxing day of picnicking, walking, drinking and, err, more drinking.


Earlier on, I'd photographed the sad remains of the once-wonderful West Pier in Brighton.

I've just learnt that the West Pier Trust have now thrown in the towel on their 30yr campaign to reopen this once-beautiful, Grade I listed structure...such a shame...

Oh, and keep this to yourself, but we've got a very special live act lined up for the next Offline at the Dogstar on Thursday, 26th May!

Site updates

I've been dusting off some of my old negatives and scanning in London pictures taken on my trusty Olympus OM10 35mm camera, waaay back in the 1980s. It was amazing seeing how much London has changed and just how knackered things looked twenty years ago.


North Woolwich railway station - a derelict east London terminus


Epping to Ongar railway line, Essex, an abandoned tube line running through the heart of the countryside.


London docks, a photo study of London's docklands, 1980.

Modern visitors to the Docklands would be very hard pressed to recognise anything from the scenes of industrial dereliction I witnessed in the 80s - I was able to cycle through long, empty warehouses and the whole area was deserted.


Finally, I've posted up a piece about another part of London's history that may disappear forever, as the Herne Hill Velodrome, south London is tragically threatened with closure.

It's election night...

I voted. And what a miserable experience it was,

I stood in the booth for about five minutes mulling to myself:

this one? no, she's fucking useless
this one? you've got to be joking
this one? bullshitter
this one? racist twat
this one? nice but useless
this one? who the fuck are they?