Brighton is abuzz this week, with its annual arts and foodies festivals taking place, not to mention the new music haven that is The Great Escape returning. But it’s not just the South East having all the fun, there’s plenty of other events to go to on Bank Holiday Monday and the following weekend. Here’s the Weekly EDIT.
Brighton Festival (Brighton & Hove, till May 26th)
Brighton’s annual celebration of music, theatre, dance, circus, art, film, & literature, sees more than 130 events popping up over three weeks in May, with artists and performers arriving from more than 20 countries.
With the theme this year built around storytelling, selected highlights look to be performances from Neneh Cherry, writer Jon Ronson talking about the weird world of porn, a sound and light installation in the Prince Regent swimming pool and an exhibition from artist and printmaker Hannah Forward.
Telegraph Hill Soapbox Derby (SE14, 6th)
If you fancy an afternoon watching some amateur daredevils in a range of vehicles which range from pretty tech to downright shoddy then Lewisham’s Telegraph Hill might be the place for you on Bank Holiday Monday.
The homemade carts will be taking to the course driven by aspiring Lewis Hamilton’s from around the area. Turn up from 12pm to savour the thrills and more than likely spills at this event.
Classic Football Shirt Pop-up Store (Albert Dock, Liverpool, till 19th)
Footy shirt aficionados in the North West should head to Liverpool’s iconic Albert Dock for a browse of a limited edition pop-up store open this month. Classic Football Shirts is the home of classic, rare, retro and vintage football shirts.
All shirts are original and official, dating from the seasons in which they were worn. Ranges include Premier League clubs, European and international leagues, plus official match-worn tops issued to players including Gerrard, Fowler, Gascoigne and Rooney amongst many others.
The Original Harlem Globetrotters (Wembley Arena, 6th May)
The world famous Harlem Globetrotters return to our shores this month to showcase their enviable silky skills. Founded back in the 1920s, the Globetrotters, in their various incarnations have been wowing crowds around the world with their spectacular live show featuring ball handling wizardry, rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, and more than a dash of comedy.
Don’t miss this current line up of top athletes on their latest World Tour stop.
Lucha Libre (Roundhouse, Camden, 11th)
Mexico’s high flying luchadores land at Camden’s Roundhouse this week for a show quite unlike any other. The spectacular masked superstars will be performing in The Greatest Show of Lucha Libre, with a line up of talent ranging from the flamboyant to downright evil.
Nacho Libre star Ramses will bring the badness, with Exótico wrestler Cassandro El Exótico providing some sparkle, while icon of the sport El Hijo del Santo and his famous silver mask will be gracing everyone with an appearance. It’s going to be a fight packed and very fun night.
Streatham Common Kite Day (Streatham Common, 12th)
London’s only free family-friendly kite festival returns to Streatham Common with a host of world-class kite displays along with the chance to take your own flying machine to the skies. Expert teams like Spectrum (pictured), will be showing the amateurs how it’s done with some incredible flying to music.
Pop up stalls will be offering food and drink and selling all manner of kites giving you the opportunity to try your hand at what turns out can be quite the artistic endeavour.
Gigs
The Great Escape (Brighton, 9th – 11th)
The place to see the next big thing in the music biz has long been Brighton’s Great Escape. For well over a decade the fest has been responsible for bringing the best new bands and musicians to the forefront. Look no further than recent MALESTROM interviewees Amyl & the Sniffers.
This year you’ll find some acts you’ve heard of to some new nuggets of gold to discover with the likes of Foals, Lewis Capaldi, Indoor Pets and Fat White Family playing among the hundreds of gigs.
Four Tet (Alexandra Palace, 8th/9th)
When you can fill the huge space of Ally Pally for two nights on the trot you know you’re doing something well. And
Kieran Hebden, better known by the stage name Four Tet, has been doing things very well for years now.
His live shows have become something mesmeric and could be described as large scale art installation as much as anything with magical lighting that transports you to a wonderland. Mixmag called it the best live show in the world, find out why for yourselves this week.
Eats & Drinks
Foodies Festival (Brighton, 6th)
Tens-of-thousands of visitors flock from the surrounding areas to visit the culinary haven of the Foodies Fest every year. Monday marks the final day of the fest, but still plenty of time to get involved in the food and drink ‘Theatres’ where you can watch top chefs and mixologists cooking and shaking up a storm.
Along with live music, a Vintage Tea Tent, Chilli Food Market and Chilli Eating Challenge, it’s a fantastic day out for food lovers.
Ludlow Spring Festival (Ludlow Castle, 11th – 12th)
One of the most unique events on the food festival calendar is Ludlow Spring Festival, chiefly due to it’s setting in the grounds of the imposing Ludlow Castle. The focus here is on the heavenly sounding ‘beer, bread, bangers & classic cars’.
Peruse the lovely looking motors while sampling some of the finest brews from the region and get the chance to meet the beer makes themselves. With eclectic live music and top nosh provided by over 60 exhibitors, it’s not to be missed.
New Podcast
Beast of Man (BBC, Out Now)
The phrase ‘Former England cricketer Kevin Pieterson presents a programme on rhino poaching’, sounds like the sort of thing Alan Partridge might have pitched to Tony Hares back in the day, but in the meta world we live in that’s exactly what happens in this 10-part podcast.
In his retirement, KP, now relocated to South Africa, has taken it upon himself to be something of a saviour for the endangered species. Here along with BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sarah Brett, he gets to see the horror of the situation up close, speaking to poachers and those out to stop them.
New Music
Clinic – Wheeltappers and Shunters (Domino, 9th)
After a seven year break, Liverpool’s cherished post-punk pop experimentalists Clinic, return with album number eight. The unusual name is taken from the long-forgotten 1970s ITV variety show The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, compered by Bernard Manning.
Their singer Ade Blackburn says the album is, “a satirical take on British culture – high and low.” The creativity of the tracks including recent single Rubber Bullets with its surreal psych-circus nightmare sound, suggests Clinic have done nailed it.
Mac DeMarco – Here Comes The Cowboy (Caroline US, 9th)
Oddball Canadian musician Mac DeMarco has become somewhat dependable with the slew of very listenable records he’s released in a row, this his fourth full-length LP.
This new collection of songs shows off his considerable songwriting talents and melodic voice, with a stand out track being ballad ‘Heart to Heart’. There are a few emotional heart-tuggers on the record along with some strangeness we’ve come to know and love with DeMarco. Watch the sublime weirdness of recent single ‘Nobody’ here.
New TV
The Society: Season 1 (Netflix, May 10th)
Spooky new Netflix series that sees a group of teenagers struggling to survive after they’re mysteriously transported to a replica of their wealthy New England town.
Which all would be weird enough in itself, but the added twist here is that this version of their town contains no trace of their parents. And with no guardians about, that means no rules! It’s going to get messy. Watch the trailer HERE.
Lucifer: Season 4 (Netflix, May 9th)
Clearly, there’s plenty of sympathy for the Devil after fan power won the day, with the supernatural drama Lucifer having been picked up by Netflix for a fourth season, following its cancellation by Fox.
The Season 3 finale (spoiler alert) found Lucifer (Tom Ellis) revealing his true devil face to love interest Chloe (Lauren German), it’s been a year since that cliffhanger and this time around fans will get to see what kind of impact that has had, plus there’s the tantalising addition of the biblical character Eve to the cast. Watch the trailer HERE.
New Movies
High Life (Cinemas, May 10th)
French director Claire Denis is no stranger to pushing boundaries. With her latest movie High Life she’s reaching for the stars by setting this strange, but rather beautiful tale in deep space. Monte (Robert Pattinson) and his baby daughter are the last survivors of a damned and dangerous mission to the outer reaches of the solar system.
As the mystery of what nastiness has happened onboard the ship is unraveled, the pair have to rely on each other to survive as they hurtle toward the oblivion of a black hole. Head scratching and spectacular in equal parts, it’s space Jim, but not as we know it. Watch the trailer HERE.
Arctic (Limited release, 10th May)
Mads Mikkelson stars in this compelling survival movie as a man left stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash. He must make the crucial decision whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive. Tense with a great lead performance, Arctic is worth watching for the stunning cinematography alone. Watch the trailer HERE.
Competition Time
WIN a Char-Broil Gas2Coal BBQ worth £579.99!
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Best of luck!
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