The Foundry, Hoxton - Shoreditch

23-03-2009

2 Review(s)     

From Texas Fried Chicken type-establishments to too cool for school Hoxton-twat bars, Great Eastern Street is a microcosm of East London.

You'll find hairy old men enjoying a pint alongside beard stroking arty types taking in the weird and wonderful exhibitions alongside those graduates in from the North who think that a flat in Bethnal Green, a retro hairdo and a too-small second hand suit makes them cooler-than-thou.

Spit and sawdust pub meets art space, The Foundry is freindly, relaxed and slightly weird. My husband recalls a time an artist/nutter created a controlled explosion in the vaults (installation or terrorism?), I recall an exhibition exploring the bumble bee.

Music to make your ears bleed, art to make your head hurt and beer to be drunk sitting on pub garden benches with a view over a smog blanketed, car jammed junction. Twee and inviting The Foundry is not, hard and a little bit scary and dirty on the surface but creative, inspiring and surprisingly welcoming underneath it is - East London all over.

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Circo, Liverpool

20-03-2009

3 Review(s)     

Circo is set on the, sometimes oddly quiet, Albert Dock, a bizarre addition next to the somewhat tamer likes of Ha! Ha! (rubbish cocktails).

The interior, all neon signage, weird and wonderful wallpaper, taxidermied polar bears and dim lighting Circo is a Victorian den of iniquity brought in to 2009. A red lit sign behind the bar invites you to Roll Up! Roll Up! which is exactly what you should do - pick any cocktail from the surprisingly reasonably priced selection and be spoilt by one of the most delicious drinks you'll get in the 'Pool.

If the wilfully style-over-substance interior had you steeled for some snooty service, fear not. The ringleaders behind the bar are lovely (in a way that only staff in a bar in Liverpool can be) and even do their best not to laugh at you as you loudly announce that you'll get the drinks 'cosh I've made loadsh of money thish month' and then proceed to get your card declined.

Circo is what the new Liverpool is all about - quirky British style with a touch of tongue-in-chic.

http://www.myvillage.com/group/welovethecircopolarbear

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V Festival, Hylands Park, Chelmsford

17-03-2009

1 Review(s)     

Ahhh V, back in the hazy, sun drenched days of 1996/1997 this was my festival of choice.

I rocked to the Longpigs. I crashed the barriers at a Mansun signing. I sang along to Beck and Blur (feeling a little cool for knowing the 'soy un perdedor' bit). I stood in the pouring rain watching the Bluetones after a long day of blistering sun, thinking that life didn't get much better and that it was an act of the God/Mark Morriss. I was there when J Duffy bought ten Caffreys at 10am (a Bishop Reindorp legend for years to come: 'What do you want?' 'Caffreys' 'how many?' '...TEN'). I ran in to a bloke with tattoos called Roger who lived round the corner from me and had a dog called Merlin (I thought this a hilarious coiincidence). I got iced to the floor in my sleeping bag when I couldn't get past Big Ben Richards after he passed out in our two-man canvas, scout-style tent. I joined in with a rousing rendition of 'bollocks'. I smoked weed and sang Live Forever with some strangers who brought an acoustic guitar (the COOLEST thing to do if you're from surrey).

I wouldn't go now I'm not 16 but for a 'first festival' V is lovely and safe and clean.

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Lovebox Weekender, London

16-03-2009

1 Review(s)     

Many people probably think that Lovebox is all about the hands-in-the-air dance sounds but as an indie chick I'm feeling the love for Lovebox! Line up is diverse and the vibe is chilled. No better event in the whole of the capital, perfect for the more sophisticated music fan who find the idea of muddy camping anathema to enjoyment...

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Have Your Say: Broadmarsh, Nottingham

15-12-2008

1 Review(s)     

Good lord, just get rid of the place and start again. Anyway what happens if the good shops move to the Broadmarsh? It just swaps places with the Vicky which turns in to the crap centre...and so it goes on.

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