To-Do List 25April – 1May
Wednesday 27th //Our London Talks: Gentrification: good, bad & the ugly?
Oxford House will be polishing our wine glasses and playing hosts to an evening of discussion and debate. In collaboration with the Londonist we’ll be joined by a special panel of speakers who will be providing their viewpoints on the changing city and evolving landscape of London. Yes, we’ll be delving straight to the heart of the topic, with the buzzword that we all seem to love to hate – Gentrification. It’s been slandered, scorned, and vilified by many, but perhaps there are some redeeming qualities that can come out of the process.
Joined by Guardian journalist and commentator Dawn Foster, local author and East End Tour guide David Rosenberg and Julie Begum chair of the Swadhinata Trust we will be asking whether the changes felt are always bad, and postulating on whether we can make the greater changes work for the local community. Drinks will be available to purchase, to blow of some of that heated discussion steam. We look forward to welcoming you in!
Oxford House – Theatre, Derbyshire St, London E2, UK
Tickets: £7adv 7:00 pm -8:30 pm (doors open 18: 50)
Thursday 28th//Soundcrash presents Dizraeli @ Seabright Arms
This Thursday Multi-instrumentalist, MC and sometimes singer Dizraeli, is set to be gracing the stages of the Seabright arms for the London leg of his Eat my Camera tour. After a 6-year period of producing and touring with band, The Small God’s, Dizraeli has now gone solo. Bringing with him his witty lyricism, maverick honesty and signature mashup of hi-hop, beat-box, and a clunky jazzed up folk. And not forgetting that infectious Bristolian twang. So make sure to grab your pint of local ale and sink into his medley of barefaced politics and acoustic soul-searching’s.
The Seabright Arms: 31-35 Coate Street, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9AG
Tickets: £10.50 adv, Doors open at 7 pm
Friday 29th // Paulo Nimer Pjota @ Maureen Paley
Sao Paolo based artist Paulo Nimer Pjorta, presents his vast pastel toned canvases and metal sheets embellished with words, characters symbols, plants vases etc. As a former graffiti artist Paulo merges his interests in music history, philosophy and socio- politics to explore his relationship with the city he lives and works in. Influenced more by music then by artist, Paulo envisions his process of creating as similar to that of a rapper. Like sampling and repeating to produce a beat “I cut a part of history and reproduce, cut another and reproduce. His works becoming a synthesis of contradictory ideas and the pluralism of object as image.
Paulo Nimer Pjota currently lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil
Maureen Paley 21 Herald Street, London E2 6JT
Saturday 30th// The Battle for Bethnal Green – David Charnick’s, Footprints of London
Once upon a time, Bethnal green was a semi-rural hamlet with its Green protected under a trust. Come the 19th century it became a newly industrialised hub of the British Empire. How did this once rural area cope with the demands of Urbanisation? As a lifelong, Eastender, and City of London Guide, David Charnick has helped to develop a structured guiding culture, both in Bethnal Green and the Borough of Tower Hamlets. Join him on a guided tour that will look at the process of Urbanisation, and visit the local monuments that have helped bring about equal opportunity and Social Change for all.
Meeting Point: The Clerk’s House, next to St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch High Street
Tickets: £12 Standard, £9 Concess.
The walk will take approximately 2 hours. For information on travel, please use Transport for London’s Journey Planner.
Sunday 31th//On their own Britain’s Child Migrants @ The Museum of Childhood
This one’s is as much for the children as it is, for the Adults. Venture down the Museum of Childhood to see and hear and remember the touching, heartrending stories of Britain’s Child Migrants. Sent from their family homes to countries far and wide in the Commonwealth, in promise of a life of education and betterment, the experienced realities were much further from the truth. Many were isolated, forced into child labour and many would never return to their homes in Britain.
On their Own features varied First-hand accounts, photography, personal items and videos and specially commissioned folk songs by leading British musicians. By recovering the lost legacy of child migrants, the exhibition looks at ways of reconciling the painful histories of the past by honouring their courage, bravery and autonomy. P.s. make sure to bring a pack of tissues.
V&A Museum of Childhood: Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA
Open Daily: 10:00am – 17:45pm
On their Own: Britain’s Child Migrants
-Leah Abraham
To-Do List 18-24 April
Wednesday// Nerdnite @ The museum of Childhood (Londonist)
If you’re one of those peculiar types whose idea of a cool evening is spent getting to grips with Quantum physics and other abstract concepts, then this night will be right up your street. Today marks Nerd-nites London’s April event, taking place at the Museum of Childhood. Come and nerd out with fellow london Boffins, for a night of copious beer-drinking and positively stimulating learning. Three guest speakers will be coming down to deliver their geekish talks on fascinating (somewhat niche) topics. Its evidenced-based entertainment in a Bar. Included on this month’s exciting bill:
- Quantum Superpositions: Parallel universes and Revolutionary Computing,
- 1950’s video projection technology: hot oil, high voltages and vacuum pumps,
- The challenges of implementing cash transfer schemes to pregnant women in rural Nepal
Tickets: General admission £7.50, Doors (and bar) open at 6:30pm.
Thursday// Sex Pistols – April 1976: The Art of PTMADDEN @ Wilkinson Gallery
Sex Pistols are brought back to life, through a unique documentation of their Punk Legacy. PTMADDEN on 3rd April 1976 was a young student intent on capturing an electrifying performance that was the Sex pistols at Nashville Rooms. Keeping the negatives under his bedroom for almost 40 years, the surviving picture-roll’s recreate spirit of Punk Rock through Photography. Come and feel the spirit of their brazen defiance and revolt captured raw through a dedicated fans meticulous photography methods. Plus, its free!
Wilkinson Gallery: 50-58 Vyner Street, London E2 9DQ Gallery Open: 11:00 – 18:00
Friday// Street Beat: Dance Battle + Party Jam @ Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club
Calling all Popper’s, Lockers, Bopper’s and hip-hoppers to a night of Dance jams, hip-hop grooves to turn you loose and really savour that Friday feeling. The Bethnal Green Working Men’s club will be throwing down an All-Style Battle of the crew’s, followed by a late night party so you can shake off those work blue’s right up until 2am. All street dance enthusiasts, should come prepared to pull out all stops in Street Dance showdown, with £100 potentially up for grabs. DJ DWAIN T will be spinning an eclectic mix of classic hip-hop, old-skool R&B so if you fancy competing, don’t forget to secure your place on the Facebook Wall. We’ll see you on the dancefloor…
Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club: 42-44 Pollard Row London E2 6nb
Tickets: £7 adv, On The Door: £7 before 10, £8 afterwards
-By Leah Abraham
A Colourful Patch
Siansah’s Florist, Bethnal Green Road’s first flower shop, opened up last month. It is a family business that aims to change the way we buy flowers. Simone, the owner explains, “We do not have to buy flowers inside a bouquet. There are other ways”. In fact, buying flowers inside arrangements or in bubble gel can make them last up to three times longer.
The shop itself is very much oriented toward the local community. It caters to this diverse bubble between two train stations. One daily customer declared “Take this picture of me and put it in a frame. I am your best customer”. The shop also takes part in charitable initiative like fundraising for the Great Ormond Street Hospital, that specialises in caring for children. With a personal touch, competitive prices and original compositions, this shop brings warmth and colours to the Bethnal Green Community.
216 – 218 Bethnal Green Road, London, United Kingdom, E2 0AA
-By Helen Taupin
To-Do List 11-17 April
Wed 13th// APE FORGETS MEDICATION: Treyfs and Artknacks @ Londonnewcastle project
Literary jack of all trades and performance artist Johnathan Meades presents his first exhibition Ape forgets Medication. It is a rather odd set of works, using various mediums. Using a dose of spontaneity and aleatoricism (the magic of chance), Meades’ creation processes are largely improvisatory. He paints with numerous tools; froissage, hyper-realist photography, digital manipulation, collage etc. Meades is set on bemusing his audience with his meaningless art- knick-knacks and peculiar pieces. Enough of the explaining; the best advice is, go and see it. More information here:
http://jonathanmeades.co.uk/apeforgets.html
Londonewcastle Project: 28 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DP
Thurs 14th // Kilimanjaro Live Presents: Flawes + Thoss @ Sebright Arms
We’re back at the Sebright Arm’s for an evening of pop wanderlust. Fresh- faced Alt Pop trio Flawes will be headlining, delivering their stirring moody electronica and emotive R&B tinged vocals reminiscent of a younger James Blake. Don’t miss out on the bands exciting debut track “Don’t Wait for Me” which came out late last year. Supporting the band, underground song-writer sensation THØSS presents his tender pop ballads. Catch a glimpse of his sensational sounds here . It’s a night of wondrous pop charm, not to be missed.
Tickets: £6adv, Doors open at 8 pm. More informaton here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/173168523062326/
31-35 Coate Street, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9AG
Thurs 14th// The Joint Launch Party @ The Star of Bethnal Green
Did someone say… free food? The Star of Bethnal Green are bringing some new, tasty vibes to their kitchen this April in the guise of their new kitchen residents The Joint. These guys’ wings were deemed the best at London Wing Fest (who knew such a thing existed) and their range of BBQ food is simply to die for. No wonder The Star is celebrating – snap up your free ticket and come along to their launch party on Thursday at 7 to grab some BBQ food and drink on the house. More information here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1168076099904264/
359 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6LG
Sat 16th // LUME present Madwort Saxophone Quartet @ Hundred Years Gallery
Maverick Tom Ward and his Madwort cohort are ready to present their refreshing take on space-age jazz. In a special organised concert, the group will be live recording their debut album at the Hundred Gallery, transporting us to another plane. The Saxophone quartet explores irregular grooves, unusual harmonies, intricate rhythms and abrasive dissonances. Inspired by concepts of mathematics, numerology and the movement of the Earth in Space; the foursome bend together harmoniously. Come and experience their brass wizardry this weekend. More information here:
http://www.hundredyearsgallery.com/madwort-saxophone-quartet/
Tickets: £5 adv, Doors open 8pm, Music: 8:30 pm
Hundred Years Gallery: Pearson Street, London, E2 8JD
Sat 16th // Zoned @ St. John on Bethnal Green
We love an exhibition that takes an unusual approach to art, and Zoned promises to be one of these to a tee! Taking place from 16 – 23 April, Zoned is a collection of work by Olle Alm, Anna Dakin, Rose Leahy with Lautier + Kim Yip Tong, John M-Parry and Jan Petyrek. All these artists are students on the Information Experience Design MA at the Royal College of Art, a fascinating course which focuses on ‘transforming information into experience’. Intrigued? This exhibition questions the fluidity of perception and consciousness in our contemporary digital world. We are certainly intrigued! More information here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/996258133794783/
200 Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9PA
-By Leah Abraham and Hayley Downey