Bands, clubs, pubs and drunken escapades
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
“Man, you don’t stand a chance if you go down in Chinatown,” sang tight trousered troubadours Thin Lizzy back in 1980, but happily this prophecy proved untrue at Boomtown, where …
A walk around Chinatown in Boomtown 2015 – Devil Kicks, fire eaters and snake warnings Read More
One of my favourite areas in Boomtown is the Wild West, where an awful load of work must go into constructing a wonderfully detailed facsimile of a frontier town, complete …
Pistol packin’, bucking bronco, cider swillin’ scenes from Boomtown’s Wild West Read More
Continuing our comprehensive coverage of this year’s wonderful Boomtown Festival, here’s a selection of photos taken around the town centre, with lots of crowd shots of people watching Goldie Looking …
Faces in the crowd: scenes from Boomtown’s town centre and main stage Read More
Here’s a selection of street scenes photographed during my short visit to Cardiff this week. My walk to the station took me along Queen Street – where’s there’s always something …
Cardiff street scenes: religious rows, the Beatles, sand dogs and Chip Alley Read More
It was great to see London indie/folk band The Lost Cavalry showcasing new material on Wednesday night in the intimate surroundings of the Harrison Bar, near Kings Cross.
The Lost Cavalry showcase new material at The Harrison folk night, London Read More
The Lion’s Den at Boomtown looked even more magnificent this year in its new location in the south east part of the site (see how it looked in 2013 here).
The majesty of the Lion’s Den reggae stage at Boomtown Fair 2015 Read More
One of the best things about Boomtown is the weird and wonderful places you can stumble into late at night. Although perhaps nothing can challenge the mind-frying mystery of last year’s …
The unsettling doctor’s consulting rooms of Boomtown Fair 2015 Read More
Here’s some more scenes from last weekend’s wild weekend at the wonderful Boomtown Fair. Seen in hip-shimmying action were contenders and challengers for the Dance Off, staged in the Bario Loco …
A shimmying’n’shaking Battle Royal at the Bario Loco Dance Off, Boomtown Fair 2015 Read More
The Park Hotel in Boomtown’s Mayfair zone has always been one of my favourites – if only for its wonderful revolving door – and there was plenty of entertainment on …
Boomtown Fair’s Park Hotel in Mayfair – ping pong, bands and a revolving door Read More
One of my favourite parts of Boomtown was the Job Centre in the Old Town. Substantially enlarged since last year, the new Job Centre was fully kitted out with advisers, interview …
The madness of the Job Centre at Boomtown Fair 2015 Read More
Anyone thinking that it would be impossible to top the Arcadia Spider seen as the last few Boomtown Fairs may have found themselves equally blown away by the incredible Bang Hai …
The incredible Bang Hai Palace at Boomtown 2015 – photos and video Read More
Boomtown 2015 proved to be the best one I’ve ever been to, with some amazing acts and all the usual imagination and fun that is created by performers and the crowd. …
The faces of Boomtown festival 2015 – photos Read More
Based on an interesting discussion on festival security started up on the urban75 forums, here’s some useful information about your rights when attending a festival, and what to look out for …
Security, drug searches, festivals and your safety – an insider’s guide Read More
They may be a totally obscure band to most people, but Deaf School were one of those great bands that found themselves with the right music at the wrong time.
70s new wave art-rockers Deaf School turn up the volume in Brighton Read More
Along with Brixton Buzz we’re putting on a big benefit show at the Electric Brixton next month, featuring some amazing acts like the Alabama 3 and the Fat White Family.
Alabama 3 and Fat White Family headline major benefit show in Brixton, June 11th Read More
Boomtown has long been my favourite UK festival – check out the photo feature documenting the last three years there – and the organisers have just announced the line up for …
BoomTown Fair 2015 full line up announced with official trailer Read More
Last week, activists calling themselves Bohemians 4 Soho occupied and reopened the legendary 12 Bar in central London, shortly after it had been closed in the wake of a huge redevelopment. …
Eviction order served on Soho’s 12 Bar Club – bailiffs due tomorrow, street party called Read More And so another wonderful chunk of Soho’s rich musical history is set to disappear forever, with the news that the legendary 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street in central London …
Soho’s legendary 12 Bar Club to close in January 2015 Read More
I’m really saddened to hear that London is to lose another fine live music venue, with the Buffalo Bar in Highbury and Islington announcing that it will be hosting its …
London’s Buffalo Bar to close, with final event on New Year’s Eve 2014 Read More
Here’s my final set of photos from this year’s Boomtown Fair. I definitely hope to be back next year- and if my cunning plans come to fruition, I hope to …
Boomtown Fair 2014 – the final set of photos from a great festival Read More