Alan Moore speaks out for libraries
Author Alan Moore spoke at the Save our Libraries even at the St. James Library in his home town of Northhampton. Here’s how to help.
(H/T Boing Boing)
08 Feb 2011
Cashier No9 remix by Keyboard Choir
Cashier No.9 return on March 28th with a new EP – Goldstar – produced by David Holmes and mixed by Hugo Nicholson (Screamadelica, In Rainbows). The title track is a lesson in panoramic, Americana-tinged indie; rolling drums set the pace as our protagonist vows to take on the world and win – ‘wage my war, intent on succeeding … tonight I will let everyone know’. Imagine Deerhunter produced by cartoon ‘loony’ producer/murderer Phil Spector.
As a special treat, Snipe readers can download an exclusive and rather excellent remix of Goldstar, by electro outfit Keyboard Choir, here.
08 Feb 2011
London agenda for Tuesday 8 February
1. Pick up a little something for the weekend [Le Cool]
2. Be blown away by the Creole Choir of Cuba [Run Riot]
3. Sample the wines at Bottle Apostle [Tired of London]
4. Hear poets, MCs and lyricists at Freshstyle [Jon Davis]
5. It’s a Sad Day for Puppets [London Gigs]
08 Feb 2011
How London Politics works
Boris was against Ken Livingstone closing ticket offices before, but is in favour of himself closing ticket offices now.
Ken was in favour of himself closing ticket offices before, but is against Boris Johnson closing ticket offices now.
Similarly Boris was in favour of the unions protesting against Ken’s ticket office closures before, but is against the unions protesting against his own ticket office closures now.
Meanwhile, the Lib Dems were against the ticket office closures before, but are in favour of the new government making the cuts, and forcing the ticket office closures now*.
*whilst still opposing those same ticket office closures.
And that in short is how London politics works.
07 Feb 2011
Mopey Monday quote: because sometimes it's good to wallow
Welcome to the first instalment of Snipe’s Mopey Monday quotes. These are compiled in recognition of the fact that Mondays are grim occasions to which the only rational response is a sustained period of introversion, self-pity and despair. They are intended to aid the wallowing process, and better prepare your soul for the eventual transition to Freaky Friday. Enjoy!
“Is despair wrong? Isn’t it the natural condition of life after a certain age? … After a number of events, what is there left but repetition and diminishment? Who wants to go on living?…Soft cheeses collapse; firm cheeses endurate. Both go mouldy.”
— Julian Barnes (Flaubert’s Parrot)
07 Feb 2011
Brighton Rock
The Surprise Film at previous London Film Festivals has ensured its hot ticket status, with big films making it worthy of the hype. In 2007 they gave us the Coen brothers’ adaptation of the bleak Cormac McCarthy novel No Country For Old Men. In 2008 it was the treat of Mickey Rourke as The Wrestler. And last year it was Capitalism: A Love Story. All right. That was a bit of step down but it wasn’t awful, just disappointing.
This year’s surprise was Brighton Rock, another adaptation of the much-celebrated Graham Greene novel, scripted and directed by The American’s Rowan Joffe, and updated to 1964 (the year in which the death penalty by hanging was abolished).
07 Feb 2011
London agenda for Monday 7 February
1. Listen to five speakers, including Harry Shearer and Jay Rayner, talk for fifteen minutes each about anything they like. 5 × 15 [Le Cool]
2. Learn to impress editors [Run Riot]
3. Watch Heal’s Department store turned into a totalitarian state [Flavorpill]
4. Hear Shapes, Tropics, and Hymns at the Old Blue Last [London Gigs]
07 Feb 2011
For sale: One disused Tube station, slightly soiled
Got a couple of hundred grand spare? Good at cleaning off graffiti? Want to own a special piece of London Undergound history?
Then get yourself over to Andrews & Robertson auctioneers, who are selling off the old Shoreditch station later this month.
Shoreditch saw its last train in 2006 when work began on extending the old East London Line up to Dalston. The revamped railway now rises up to a new station at Shoreditch High Street, leaving its 135-year-old predecessor isolated and surplus to requirements in its little side street off Brick Lane.
The old station has seen more spray cans than commuters over the past five years, and don’t expect to be able to wander down to the platforms looking out for ghost trains to New Cross – much of the old line has been filled in and grassed over, and the stairs removed.
But what you’ll get for your money is a cosy little building which has played a big role in London railway history, which once saw steam trains from Liverpool Street to the south coast as well as Tube trains.
You could even compare notes worth the owners of the other Old Shoreditch Station – a bar beneath another long-gone rail line.
Whether it becomes a bar, a curry house, an office or the ultimate Tube geek’s crash pad – or even gets redeveloped entirely – whoever buys it will have to find at least £180,000. A bargain, perhaps, but after being abandoned for nearly five years, restoring it to its former glory will cost a bit, too.
The sale takes place at the Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden on 16 February.
05 Feb 2011
Try harder by Kynan
Joel ‘Kynan’ Williams’ soulful brand of horn-embellished, bedroom psychedelia has been gaining favourable comparisons to the likes of Beirut. Nothing to be sniffed at of course, but perhaps this is doing the 18-year-old Californian a disservice? The range and scope of his work – from blissed-out, twisted electro through to delicate guitar balladry – is more reminiscent of Prince in his adventurous, mid-80s heyday. The purple one is, as Williams admits, a huge influence: check out his version of ‘Purple Rain’, recorded for the verb/re/verb ‘Youth’ mixtape ( yesterday’s MPFree ).
In between playing with his band D/Wolves, Williams is planning to release an album a month throughout 2011. Download January’s offering – ‘Try harder’ – for free, via his Bandcamp page.
04 Feb 2011
Week in Books: Saucy spoken word to Teenage Kicks
Velvet Tongue – 7pm Sunday 6th February
Velvet Tongue celebrates the erotic, the hot, the sweet, the viscous, the carnal, the sexy, the racy, the provocative, the lustful, the … well, you get the picture. So, if you fancy some ear titillation get down and dirty to this poetry night.
10 Gales, Gales Gardens, E2 0EJ. Tickets £3
Teenage Kicks – 6.30pm Sunday 6th February
Seven writers, including the illustrious Tobias Hill, Hanif Kureishi and Zadie Smith, join comedian Doc Brown (not the inventor from Back to the Future) to discuss the theme of adolescent shenanigans. Expect an evening of bad haircuts, first dates and general self-importance.
Tricycle, 269 Kilburn High Rd, London, NW6 7JR. Tickets £12
Freshstyles – 7.30pm Tuesday 8th February
Poets, MCs and Lyricists hit Favela Chic for this riotous spoken word night. DJ’s Angry Sam and Curious host and hip-hop, Dub, Soul breaks follow untill 1am.
Favela Chic, 91-93 Great Eastern St, London, EC2A 3HZ. Free
Apple & Snakes – 8pm Wednesday 9th February
Blake Morrison, the novelist, poet, playwright and all round good chap, leafs through his back catalogue at this established poetry night. There will also be sets from incisive Irish poet Aoife Mannix, and majestic chansonnier Philip Jeays.
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, London, W1D 3NE. Tickets £8
04 Feb 2011
Snipe Highlights
Some popular articles from past years
- Only 16 commuters touch in to Emirates Air Line, figures reveal
- Random Interview: Eileen Conn, co-ordinator of Peckham Vision
- Hope and despair in Woolwich town centre
- Summer Camp: Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days
- Punk brewery just as sexist and homophobic as the industry they rail against
- Silencing the Brick Lane curry touts could be fatal for the city's self-esteem
- Nice Interactive timeline lets you follow Londoners' historic fight against racism
- London has chosen its mayor, but why can’t it choose its own media?
- Nice map of London's fruit trees shows you where to pick free food
- Could red kites be London's next big nature success story?
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