|
| |
| |
|
|
 Highlights from Sunday night’s Sydenham’s Got Talent show at Champion Hall, as seen from the Fire Exit.
Your judges for the evening:
- Mr George Campbell - (The Cowell)
- Ms Ali Golding - (The Victorian Arlene Philips)
- Ms Deborah Garvey- (The Calming Influence)
Your host is a deeply not-great local comedian by the name of Karl Edrik. Let's just say he's no Terry Wogan. Although a large portion of the kids seem to come from the same "Eyes and Teeth, Boys and Girls!" stage school there is a distinct lack of pushy parents and hissing at opponents that you might expect at such an event; the laid-back atmosphere of Champion Hall (a small community centre-cum-church) helping to put everyone at ease.
Electra open the show. The trio make a reasonable fist of En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" and the judges are pleasantly anodyne in their praise (wouldn't you love a judge to say 'sorry, but you're actually a bit shit?) They're hotly followed by Archetype, a dance troupe apparently seething with boys wearing impressive socks, doing the robot for all they're worth. It turns out that most of the audience are Archetype's mum/cousin/girlfriend so wild whooping and applause abound. They backflip off, and Leah Blakelock gives us "Where Corals Lie" (from an Elgar piece). She has a beautiful, clear operatic voice - so she's sunk. People yawn and fidget as the hall gets gradually hotter. Ms Garvey is rightly lavish in her praise.
Finishing the first half is Kathryn Kitchener, with a lighters-in-the-air, roof-raising "As Long As 'Eeee Needs Meeee" from Oliver. She acts the hell out of it, and is brilliant. Ms Golding (winning the Utterly Irrelevant Comment Of The Night Award) tells here she needs to "wear heels" and starts spouting nonsense about "all talented female singers wear heels" - which must be news to Sandie Shaw.
No talent contest is complete without the power ballad, and after the interval, the lovely Aquila, tries to Beyonce up "Hero". It starts well, but by the middle eight she and the tune have parted company somewhat, but are bravely reconciled by the end. Cue Rupert Caney with an acoustic guitar. He is lovely; a clear, calm voice and a lovely lilting tune. He is the anti-Aquila, and his voice puts us a little in mind of Jose Gonzalez. The judges rave about him.
An absolutely superb singer by the name of Senam Agbesi closes the competition. He looks like Sam Cooke (no, honestly) and he wrestles "The Impossible Dream" to the floor and tells it who's boss. He is magnificent and has the rapidly-fading audience in the palm of his hand. The metaphorical lighters in the air are back out in force and he gets rapturous and well-deserved applause.
The judges retire to the soundproof booth (AKA The Kitchen) for a worryingly short time. A small corner of SE26 holds it's breath as the two acts to face an audience vote are announced: Archetype and Rupert Caney.
Evil judges. Of all the acts to pit against each other, they pick "urban and street, innit!" versus "I play an acoustic guitar and am therefore obviously a Communist". The voting slips are distributed, and the acts return to the stage. Rupert looks like he wants to die whilst the shapeshifting hoard of Archetype bounce around and wave to Auntie. The vote-counters make us wait just that little bit longer, and then the winning act is announced. Archetype are presented with a cheque for £200 and a really big cake from that lovely bakery by The Dolphin.
Words and Fire Exit manned by Samantha Veal
The Sydenham Arts Festival runs until 12 July. Visit the website or, if you’re in the area, head for the Kirkdale Bookshop at Cobb’s Corner, which is the Ground Zero for the festival itself.
|
|
|
This week's tip for a London lunchtime with a difference is over at Canary Wharf.
If the bad weather holds off, we can really recommend getting away from your desk, and heading outside to check out the great free entertainment on offer.
Each lunchtime this week, Canada Square Park welcomes performers from the City of London Festival, and a very lively bunch they sound too.
Today sees the Adriano Adewale Group bringing Nigerian, Angolan and Brazilian beats infused with contemporary European classical and jazz styles, while tomorrow between 12.30 and 2pm, you can enjoy a blend of old-time, bluegrass, Celtic folk and union songs from banjo player Pat McGarvey's band, Southern Tenant Folk Union.
On Friday, you can hear a remarkable Scottish band, Bodega, who were the recent winners of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Musicians of the Year.
Alternatively on Friday, trip over to Montgomery Square where you can catch a performance of Bicycle Ballet, celebrating "the playful, chaotic and sometimes treacherous world of cycling." Shows take place at 12.30, 2pm and 5pm.
Check out www.mycanarywharf.com or www.colf.org for more information.
|
|
|
Located in Devonshire Square (essentially across Bishopsgate Road from Liverpool Street Station) with a lovely terrace (and smack dabbedly up close views of the Gherkin), Cinnamon Kitchen is a fairly new restaurant offering modern Indian cuisine in a stylish, swish and contemporary setting (they’ve got an especially sleek bar as well).
Londonist popped in last week for a complimentary tasting of Cinnamon Kitchen’s new Indian and Anglo-Indian breakfast menu, and we were thoroughly delighted with what we sampled. On the Anglo-Indian side, the kedgeree with smoked haddock and poached egg intrigued us with its wow-factor flavours and we’d gladly pay the £7.50 to have it again. Same goes for the Indian offering of Bombay scrambled eggs with tawa paratha (£7.00): lots of flavour in this beautifully presented substantial serving. Coffee was proper here and an extensive range of teas added a pleasant touch to their a.m. menu.
Despite Cinnamon Kitchen’s convenient City commuter setting, we can’t recommend it for any on-the-go quick bites. Service was good, but it did take awhile for us to receive our order. However, this spot seems like just the place for a wonderful linger over a tasty meal or for a power breakfast while hashing out some big wig business.
What’s the lunch and evening menu like? Hmmm … we hope to find out! Unfortunately, Cinnamon Kitchen isn’t open on Sunday (when so much of this area is abuzz - but they are open Monday through Saturday). Visit their site for opening hours, booking details and more info.
|
|
|
When the Rise festival was cancelled earlier this year, many fans were quick to point accusing fingers in the direction of City Hall, citing Boris Johnson's decision last year to strip the event of its intrinsic anti-racism message. A group called UpRise formed a petition calling on the mayor to revive the festival, with that anti-racist message present and correct.
This week the group posted Boris' response, and it's not good news. In a rambling, freewheeling missive, the blond befuddles by boasting that the success of last year's festival -- the most-visited in its history -- was actually because of the scrubbed anti-racism angle. Lest anyone think he's courting some of the more malodorous elements of our body politic, the Mayor goes on to assure that he deplores racism, and urges Londoners to combat it at the ballot box.
There's clearly a lot more iceberg under the surface than this chilly peak shows, and blogger Tory Troll has some thought-provoking ideas on why it was really cancelled. Though the battle to re-instate the festival may be lost, UpRise organisers aren't yet admitting defeat: they're set to hold a Rise Festival picnic in Finsbury Park this Sunday, from 2pm. What it may lack in previous festival headliners like Kelis or De La Soul, it will (almost) make up for in the sweet smell of people-powered success (not to mention cupcakes and crust-free sandwiches).
|
|
|
Skystation, a "new concept in public seating", has opened outside the Hayward Gallery.
Looking like a UFO prop from an old Ed Wood movie, the circular sculpture-cum-bench is designed by artist Peter Newman, who took inspiration from Le Corbusier's LC4 chaise longue. Despite the tough fibreglass build, the Skystation is contoured to the human body, and is surprisingly comfortable to sit on, letting the reclinee gaze up at the passing clouds and drift into a daydream while waiting for the spaceship-like form to actually fly off to the stars. Whistfulness is encouraged by a small plaque that reads: "In Loving Memory Of Those Yet To Be Born".
This being a British summer, of course, the dangers of any outdoor artwork are legion, and last night the Skystation's official opening party was hit by the torrential storms, as one of the pics neatly demonstrates. But when the rays returns, it'll be tough to find a spot to sit on.
Skystation is at the Hayward Gallery until 14th September, and is free
|
|
|
News
