I didn't think it would be possible to stumble upon a derelict stations untouched by graffiti and looking like something just closed by Beeching in the 60s, but as disused stations go, Folkestone Harbour is a beaut!

The signal box is still there in immaculate condition, the canopies have lost their glass, there's a weighing machine without an arm, there's still one pair of heavily rusted tracks running into the station and there's even a signal pointlessly stuck on red after the track has been lifted.

Folkestone Harbour station: photo report

Critical Mass and Offline report
Thursday's Offline was great fun.

We had a full house and some great bands: first on The Molotovs were fantastic with a mad-for-it crowd and Salt and Blue delivered another fine set of hurdy-gurdy driven folk.

Mark Mace Smith did a superb job of standing in for Vic and MCing the cabaret, with comic superstar Robert Newman doing a fine turn.

Surprise of the night were the outstanding D'Archetypes, whose mix of British Asian satire, comedy and hip hop went down a storm.

Later on, a drunken editor vs dubversion mash-up got the drunken mob dancing till 2am. Great night!

Critical Mass
Last night we joined another busy ride across London, which meandered from Waterloo to Westminster to Traf Sq through the back streets of Soho before heading north to Euston.

With 17 miles on the clock, many beers were called for in the Albert later.

Anyone else go along to this? It was fun!





More photos here: Free Time In The Courtyard, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2, July 2006

Offline, Thurs, July 27th, Brixton, London SW9

Rummaging through my archives, I came across some press clippings from a well-scary gig we played back in 1979.

We were playing a Rock Against Racism gig at the Acklam Hall, Ladbroke Grove, and things turned nasty when the headliners, politico-punks Crisis, turned on some members of the crowd.

The next thing I knew, we were plunged into a full scale riot with skinheads attacking the hall armed with crowbars and wooden handles.

Read the full story here: Riot at the Acklam Hall Rock against Racism gig, 1979.

On Saturday, we checked out the demo against the terrible Israeli attacks on Lebanon, before grabbing lunch at the Photographers' Gallery on Great Newport Street (by Leicester Square).

Photos: London protest against Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Later on we watched some fun dancers performing at Somerset House - photos to follow soon.



In the evening, it was my OFFLINE club night in the Prince Albert, Brixton which turned out to be a totally mad night.

I wasn't expecting much of a crowd with so many people being away, but in the end it turned out to be a major mash up!



I was spinning ska, punk rock and new wave sounds all night and loved it! And it was the first time I've ever had someone pogo into a table and crash into a heap on the floor.

Next Offline is this Thursday - and what a bill!

We've got ace comedian ROBERT NEWMAN, Bollywood hip hop rappers, the D'ARCHETYPES, young hip punksters the MOLOTOVS, rising indie stars IT HUGS BACK and the fabulous Cocteaus-meets-Engish folk hurdy gurdy sounds of SALT AND BLUE!

And there's more!

We've got top cabaret with roots poet MARK MACE SMITH, and poets JOHN CLARKE AND NATHAN PENLINGTON, plus DJs and dancing though to the wee small hours. Bands start at 8pm. Get there early!

Offline Club, Brixton JAMM

I doubt if this is going to mean much to most if you, but tonight I managed to track down some live videos of the fabulous The Innocence Mission playing a Borders in some place or another in the States in 1996.

At the time they were promoting their third album, 'Glow,' a collection of hauntingly beautiful songs which drew comparisons with the Cocteaus, 10,000 Maniacs and The Cowboy Junkies.

The album is quietly stunning, with Karen Peris's breathtakingly beautiful voice singing deeply personal and evocative lyrics, laced with melancholy and joy.

Rolling Stone describe Peris's voice as being "like a brave bird singing on an cold autumn morning."

To paraphrase her own lyrics, I'd best describe her voice as "beautifully sad."

Ventured north tonight to the Old Queen's Head pub in Islington for the Spinning Jenny night.

A friend was DJing (although we could barely hear anything she was playing), with the night described as, "A witches brew of pastoral folk, psych-rock and progressive oddities, showcasing the best in female acoustic singer/songwriters."

The folky bands were pretty good too - Iliked the Welsh singing Cate Le Bon (surely no relation?) - but the beard count was a tad unsettling and there was a slight whiff of norf London trendiness which jarred slightly.

But the boozer was nicely air conditioned and the beer prices weren't too steep either, although the bar staff did that really annoying thing of "suggesting" you tip them by presenting your change in a stupid little silver tray.

Just spent another fabulous weekend at the fantastic Country Fair in the middle of London.

There was usual bonkers mix of medieval jousting, reggae bands, prize vegetables, steam engines, vegetable owls, prize cakes and more!











Full story and more pics: Lambeth Country Show 2006

View from my window now... looks like a big fire near Poplar, east London.

I'm slowly getting around to updating my section on beautiful Hay on Wye in Wales

So far, I've done a piece on Hay Castle and posted up my Hay on Wye blog, but there's still lots more to come!




Meanwhile, I've just finished a new article on the abandoned railways around Hay-on-Wye, including walks to nearby Glasbury and Whitney-on-Wye.
Walking old lines is a great way to see the countryside, although I find the sight of crumbling, once-proud structures a tad melancholic at times...

Railways around Hay on Wye, Wales

Photo report from Europride Day, Oxford Street, Saturday 1 July 2006 on the site now!

EuroPride

Two updates to the site:


Full photo report of the Critical Mass bike ride in central London, Friday June 30th, 2006


Photos of the last days of Shoreditch tube station

What a turn out. There were hundreds and hundreds of us!

More pics to follow soon, but here's the Mass paying a visit to the American Embassy.



Next stop: Buckingham Palace!

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