Bleeding Heart Narrative » 11 December
Union Chapel | Compton Avenue, N1 2X (FREE)
Head down to Union Chapel at noon on a Saturday and you can check out daylight music: the gig series in London most likely to be completely vampire free. The brilliant Bleeding Heart Narrative is the brainchild of cellist Oliver Barrett – they take anthemic, euphoric moments reminiscent of early Arcade Fire, and set them against grand, far-reaching orchestration. Support comes from Brighton scene stalwarts Junkboy and Misty Miller.
02 Dec 2010
Slow Club » 9 December
Union Chapel | Compton Avenue, N1 2X
Having released their incredibly saccharine debut full-length last year, Slow Club’s records have done away with the brash harmonies of many contemporary duos and headed into infectiously cute territory. However, with more recent efforts proving the band are not ones to rest on their laurels, tonight’s performance promises to be an compelling blend of romantic folk pop sensibilities and more mature, cynical numbers. That, combined with a sparser live aesthetic and the raw acoustics of the Union Chapel, is bound to result in rather lovely, warming winter evening.
02 Dec 2010
Tanlines » 4 December
XOYO | 32-37 Cowper Street, EC2A 4AP
Experimental NYC pop duo Tanlines hit UK shores having cut their teeth supporting Julian Casablancas and HEALTH in the US. Their rhythmic, danceable genre-mash brings to mind the light, twinkling amble of High Places as well as the strident, cosmopolitan pop sound of Yeasayer. They’re certainly on trend, wielding clear Afrobeat influences a la Animal Collective and El Guincho in their sunny, percussive singalongs. Head down to XOYO, the controversial venue that’s hitting its stride after a stuttering start, and see if they can warm up the chilly London winter.
02 Dec 2010
The Radio Department » 5 December
Scala | 275 Pentonville Rd, N1 9NL
Swedish indie-popsters The Radio Department hit the tenth anniversary of their (formal) inception this year, celebrating with their biggest UK headline show to date in support of their latest studio offering Clinging To A Scheme. They’ve long been signed to Labrador Records, the indie-pop label immortalised in song by Manchester’s Jam On Bread (read more about him in the New Bands section of this issue). If you’ve even a passing interest in thick-knit jumpers, cross stitch or anything twee, this could be your new favourite band. Their last London show at Bush Hall sold out well in advance though, so get in quick if you fancy it. John Rogers
02 Dec 2010
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart & 14 Iced Bears » 2 December
229 | 229 Great Portland Street, W1W 5PN
This pairing gives fans of indie-pop an exciting chance to catch two generations of their favourite genre at one brilliant night. C86 band 14 Iced Bears kick things off, mixing psychedelic, post-punk and 60 garage rock influences – think fuzzy guitars, distorted vocals with a side of frenzied jangle and chime. Indie darlings The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are no strangers to C86 references and comparisons with influential shoegaze forerunners such as the Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine. Combining delicious girl/boy interchanges with dreamy melodies and blistering drums, they have it right – draw on your influences, and have fun with them, but always make sure that there’s a respectful nod in the right direction.
02 Dec 2010
The Black & White collection
‘Bobby Gillespie’. Image Courtesy of the Artist
Standing tall next to the music photographers who inspired him, Andy Willsher’s Black and White Collection is somewhat awe-inspiring. A long established NME photographer, Willsher has photographed anyone who is anyone in rock ‘n’ roll, from the Foo Fighters to Paul Weller, in a way that really captures both the playful and serious side of their career. A thrilling display of such iconic, stunningly composed images, this exhibition is one for music, art and photography fans alike. Until 31 Dec. The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, Old Street, EC2A 4RH www.wearetbc.com
02 Dec 2010
Francesca Woodman
From Space 2 Series Providence Rhodes’ Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro Gallery
A retrospective encompassing 100 photographs taken by the enigmatic Francesca Woodman between 1970 and her untimely death in 1981, this exhibition explores but a snippet of the artists’ 800-strong archive. Rare coloured prints and other unseen photographs sit along aside familiar images of Woodman’s body, as she plays with sexuality, performance, furniture and fashion in carefully arranged compositions. Truly compelling, Woodman’s work often identified with the performative nature of photography, reflected in the blurred movement beneath cracked surfaces, off-kilter focuses and stunningly haunting shadows. Experimenting with her body as both the object of the gaze and the acting subject behind the camera, her work is perfectly brooding, flirtatious and beautiful. Until 22 Jan. Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Road, Angel, N1 7RW 020 7336 8109 victoria-miro.com
02 Dec 2010
Suki Chan: Utopia on the Horizon
Suki Chan ‘Interval II’ Film Still Courtesy the artist and Tin Type Gallery
Notable for their dream-like aesthetics, Suki Chan’s breath-taking panoramic films often trace abstract human narratives through urban environments. Possessing a rare clarity, this specific exhibition features Chan’s crisp and honest photographic series A Place On Earth, which focuses its lens on the newly sprung fraught, tense and yet hopeful towns in the suburbs of Shanghai. ??Until 18 Dec. Suki Chan will be speaking at Tin Type with Artesian Magazine co-editor Gareth Evans on 8 December. Tin Type Gallery, 23-25 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch High St, E2 7DJ 020 7503 9642 www.tintypegallery.com
02 Dec 2010
Bloomberg New Contempories 2010
Vasileios Kantas ‘Red Ball’ Image Courtesy the artists the ICA Gallery and Bloomberg New Contemporaries
A snapshot of today’s emerging artistic trends, the Bloomberg New Contemporaries exhibition returns to the ICA once more to showcase work from some of the most exciting young artists around. Displaying work from over 49 artists, highlights include the aesthetic wonderment of Sam Knowles ‘Field’ series and Darren Harvey Regan’s ‘Aletheia’ in which a taxidermy bird appears to stare at its own reflection. Merely a photograph mounted on a shiny black surface, the work plays with shadows and mirror effects as the heavy light creates a real shadow of the taxidermy and of the audience. The exhibition is not only completely free but is offering free, guided tours to introduce to the collection. Guided Tours: Wednesday – Fridays 2-6pm. Guided tours by exhibiting artists: Sunday 2-6pm 5 & 12 Dec. Meeting point in ICA Reading Room. Until 23 Jan. Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, Charing Cross, SW1Y 5AH ica.org.uk
02 Dec 2010
Black Dice & Growing » 2 December
The Dome | 178 Junction Road, N19 5QQ
Upset The Rhythm present two very different iterations of electronic noise music here. Black Dice’s most recent works are chittering, systematic progressions, like pressing your ear to the grass if the earth was turned up to one thousand and eleven. At other times their sets have been more indulgent, blasting out crashing waves of ear-splitting distortion. Growing, on the other hand, alternate between shimmering post-rock, tectonic drones and techno minimalism on record; live, they often lean towards the latter. In short, neither band’s set will be predictable, apart from that aurally sensitive audience members should definitely take along their earplugs.
02 Dec 2010
Snipe Highlights
Some popular articles from past years
- Silencing the Brick Lane curry touts could be fatal for the city's self-esteem
- Diary of the shy Londoner
- Random Interview: Eileen Conn, co-ordinator of Peckham Vision
- A unique collection of photos of Edwardian Londoners
- The five spookiest abandoned London hospitals
- 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?
- The five best places in London to have an epiphany
- Number of people using Thames cable car plunges
- 9 poems about London: one for each of your moods
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