Bands, clubs, pubs and drunken escapades
A notorious street and entertainment zone in Hamburg’s St. Pauli district, the Reeperbahn is the city’s major red-light district and a popular tourist attraction – and like most tourist attractions, it’s pretty crap.
Titty Twister, Beatles statues and seedy bars: A stroll around the Reeperbahn, Hamburg Read More
I enjoyed a week in Berlin back in 2014, and it was great to get the chance to revisit the city recently. Sadly, it was something of a flying visit, as …
Berlin photos – station, stickers, squats, Roter Salon and bloody gentrification Read More
The second date on my tour with the Monochrome Set saw the band descending on an excessively chilly Leipzig, the largest city in Saxony and Germany’s tenth most populous city, …
Leipzig photos: Trams, steam locomotive, old rocker, posters and graffiti Read More
Here’s a selection of photos taken during a recent train journey from Brussels to Utrecht at the start of my December tour with the Monochrome Set.
Brussels to Utrecht: Tintin, band stickers, a strap on buffet and the mysterious face in the window Read More
Even by my standards this is pretty niche stuff, but I thought it might be of interest to one or two people out there. When I was a kid, I …
In praise of the 1970s obscure: Press cuttings for Jackson Heights, Lee Jackson and Refugee Read More
The organisers of the fabulous Boomtown festival have released their first video previewing this year’s festival, described as ‘Chapter 9: ‘Behind the Mask.’
Boomtown releases first trailer for the 2017 festival Read More
I was very briefly up in Sheffield over the weekend, and grabbed a few photos as I scuttled about from the station to the venue and back again the next …
In photos: a look around Sheffield in late autumn Read More
Here’s a series of photos snapped during a recent walk around Soho. All the photos were taken on a battered three-year old Ricoh GR compact camera.
Street preacher, closed sex shops and street art: Soho photos, October 2016 Read More
There’s a cracking collection of work currently on show at the Photographers’ Gallery in London, including a wonderful retrospective on East London snapper Terence Donovan, a series on ‘black dandyism’, and …
What Soho Wore, Black Dandyism and Terence Donovan at the Photographers’ Gallery, London Read More
Boomtown has several stages and sound systems in the woods around the festival and they can make magical places to escape to after dark. Here’s some photos taken in the …
Photos: In the magical woods of Boomtown Festival 2016 Read More
Located at the top end of the festival, the Wild West remains one of our favourite city districts, with no shortage of ad hoc street performances, bars and live venues to keep …
The Wild West at Boomtown: courtroom scenes, gunslingers and hoedowns Read More
The Park Hotel in uptown Mayfair has always been one of urban75’s favourite parts of Boomtown, and this year we spent a fair bit of time checking out its many …
The Park Hotel at Boomtown 2016: bands, beer, pool, Eva Lazarus and ping pong debauchery Read More
Here’s our second instalment of photos taken around Boomtown Fair 2016. We’ve got loads more to come, so please check back regularly or visit our Boomtown home page for a …
More faces of Boomtown Fair 2016 – in photos Read More
Over four glorious days of August sunshine, Boomtown Fair delivered another wonderful, crazy, fascinating mix of music, art, performance and general mayhem.
Faces of Boomtown Fair 2016 – photos of people at the UK’s greatest festival! Read More
Following on from the daytime views, here’s the second and final batch of photos from this year’s Green Gathering festival in Chepstow, Wales, with this collection of scenes after dark.
Green Gathering 2016 in photos. Night scenes: camp fires, upside down performers, bands and DJs Read More
Located in a beautiful rolling hills close to Chepstow, the Big Green Gathering is an annual festival with an environmental and social justice focus. As well as live acts and …
Green Gathering 2016 in photos. Part one: Daytime festival scenes around the site in Chepstow, Wales Read More
I paid another visit to a chilly Brighton over the weekend and grabbed this selection of 22 photos on my travels around town. I hope you like them 🙂
Brighton photos: bird whistle man, moody skies, the Monochrome Set and a late bar Read More
BoomTown Fair is my favourite festival by a country mile, and already the line up for 2016 is serving up a tempting selection of artists.
Boomtown 2016 headline artists announced, more to come Read More
The Golden Cross, a splendid Grade II listed public house, can be found at the junction of Customhouse Street and Hayes Bridge Road in Cardiff.
Glazed tiles, Grade II listing and drag acts: the wonderful Golden Cross pub in Cardiff Read More
Here’s some photos of urban75 faves the Lost Cavalry playing the Magic Garden in Battersea the night before Christmas Eve. It was a lovely evening and a fine way to kickstart …
Lost Cavalry Christmas Party at The Magic Garden, Battersea – photos Read More
Stocking a fine range of Welsh real ales from the independent Rhymney Beers brewery, the Andrew Buchan bar in Albany Road is one of my favourite pubs in Cardiff.
A night of drinking and dancing at the Andrew Buchan Bar, Albany Road, Cardiff – in photos Read More
Located a short walk out of Kings Cross in a sidestreet off the the Caledonian Road is this wonderful little wood-panelled one-room pub.
A great little Kings Cross pub – King Charles I off the Caledonian Road is fun, friendly and stuffed with good ales Read More
The New Year came early last night in Hackney as a trio of bands performed for Japan’s New Year’s World Rock Festival – the world’s longest running music show. The show …
Sparkle galore and an early New Year with Misty Miller, Black Honey & The Near Death Experience at Hackney’s Moth Club Read More
Formed in Glasgow in 2007, Admiral Fallow are another of those relatively obscure Scottish bands that I seem inexorably drawn to (see also: The Blue Nile/Doll By Doll etc), and a …
Scottish heart and passion: Admiral Fallow live at the Prince Albert in Brighton, Nov 2015 Read More
As gentrification continues to sweep through London, cash-heavy, imagination-lite consumers are swarming into the capital, some desperately seeking expensively manufactured thrills to provide a momentary throb of excitement in their ultra-mainstream …
Peak hipster artisan douchenozzlery achieved in London with the hot water bottle cocktail Read More Boomtown Fair is – by a country mile – my favourite UK festival – and tickets have just gone on sale for ‘Chapter 8,’ with the 2016 festival being themed …
BoomTown Fair 2016 tickets are on sale now! Read More
On Saturday, I was up in Cardiff for the launch of an exhibition showing original artwork from the Bluebird Jones football comic I was involved with from 1993-1995.
Football comic art launch at Cardiff’s Andrew Buchan bar – exhibition runs till Feb 2016 Read More
On Saturday night, there was a feast of Pulp songs on offer in East London, plus a high-energy, Pulp tribute go-go dance routine by The Actionettes.
Scenes from East London’s Pink Glove Queer Pulp Disco with The Actionettes onstage Read More
As you’ve probably guessed by now, I had a ruddy wonderful time at Boomtown this year, and I hope that my photos have managed to capture some of the fun and …
Boomtown Fair 2015 – 70 photos from my favourite festival – and the official video Read More
There were loads of fantastic acts to be seen at this year’s Boomtown Fair, but the two I enjoyed the most were undoubtedly Beans On Toast and Captain Hotknives.
Beans On Toast and Captain Hotknives – my two favourite acts of Boomtown Fair 2015 Read More