Another fabulous Guy Fawkes night in Brixton!

More photos

Labels: brixton, fireworks

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!

Labels: bands, brixton, club, offl, offline

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

Labels: bands, brixton, club, offline

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

Labels: brixton

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!

Labels: bands, brixton, offline

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

Labels: london, tram

[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]

Labels: cardiff, football

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

More pics here

Labels: walks

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:

 

Labels: protest

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.

Labels: wirefresh

She was absolutely fabulous!









One of my fave Offline gigs this year!

More pics here.

Labels: bands, brixton, music, offline

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!

Labels: london, movie

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.

Labels: virgin

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

A few pics:

 

 

Labels: act, actionettes, club, london

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

Labels: london, party, thames

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

Labels: london, music, venue

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

Labels: london, photos

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

Labels: london, park, photos