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Amelia’s Magazine | Festival Review: Shambala 2010

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Shambala 2010

The costumes have been returned to their dressing up boxes; the mud has dried out and been brushed from the boots; newly-learned dance workshop moves have become vague; reality has crept back into view… The Shambala Festival has packed itself away for another year – and, cialis 40mg my oh my, health what an incredible time it was.

Shambala is a 3-day voyage of discovery. Yes, there’s a programme – and an impressive one at that – featuring acts and activities as diverse as chant-arousing Dizraeli & The Small Gods on the main Shambala stage, the jaw-dropping Cirque de Freq in the Kamikaze tent, min-beast safaris in the Permaculture garden and the Cock Drawing Club in the Random Workshop Tent. But the most magical Shambala experience is a haphazard one, in which the clocks stop and the concept of time is snubbed as punters follow their ears, noses and tapping toes into the most thrilling and unexpected of entertainments.

Noémie Ducimetière creeps out The Compass House of Lunacy

Poet Rosie Carrick in the Wandering Word yurt

Bewitching bewilderment was the lifeblood of the Compass House of Lunacy, in which the ghosts of French songstresses (Noémie Ducimetière) and high-kicking, be-corseted madams ruled the stage. Just around the corner, the Wandering Word yurt beckoned dazed punters into its cosy folds to have their ears tickled by pirate poets and their imaginations led through eerie worlds summoned by storytelling eccentrics.

Shambala parade

Shambala parade_Picture Frames

Shambala Parade_Gorilla

After Friday’s inaugural explorations and familiarisations, on Saturday Shambala donned its gladrags and revelled in magnificent peculiarities and with newfound friends. For Saturday was the festival’s official fancy dress day (not that that prevented costumes from coming out to play all weekend…), and was topped by the spectacular Shambala parade.

Permaculture Garden

Shambala crazy golf

Shambala blows: Getting down with the didgeridoo

Peeping over the debauched brow of Saturday night, Shambala’s Sunday air was thick with drowsiness as the festival rubbed the night before from its eyes, picking up lost wellies, rogue headdress feathers and the first few threads of the real world. It was on Sunday that the Healing Area really came into its own, offering to knead the weariness from revellers’ muscles, revive their vocal chords in the Music & Voice workshops and fix them a jolly good old cup of chai to nestle between their crossed legs as they flanked the crackling camp fire.

Shambala dragon

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So, there’s a whole year until Shambala returns. Will it be the same? Of course not, and that’s exactly why we’ll love it. Expect the unexpected – and in the meantime keep the Shambala spirit of discovery alive by forgetting your watch every once in a while…

Written by Amy Hughes on Thursday September 9th, 2010 2:00 pm

Categories ,Chail Wallahs, ,Circus, ,Dizraeli & the Small Gods, ,festival, ,Noémie Ducimetière, ,permaculture, ,Shambala, ,The Compass House of Lunacy, ,Wandering Word, ,workshops

Amelia’s Magazine | Secret Garden Party 2011: Festival Review

The Secret Garden Party, buy illustrated by Sam Parr

A playground for all ages, ed The Secret Garden Party boasts a reputation as a festival where you can temporarily seek refuge from the hassles of real life and indulge in a few days of crazy creativity in a temporary community where a surprise lurks around every corner.

In my estimation, medical The Secret Garden Party is the closest you can ever get to Wonderland without reading Alice Through the Looking-Glass (It even has croquet). Held in the Cambridgeshire countryside just outside Huntingdon, this festival occurs on the grounds of Abbots Ripton Hall, home of Lord de Ramsey. These days the festival is a pretty badly kept secret and as many as 26,000 people attended this year, compared to the more petite 1000 or so that partied there back when it was begotten in 2004.

The grounds, as well as the festival goers, function as an impromptu art exhibit with fancy dress encouraged and contributing to the surreal ambience. Although marketed as both an arts and music festival, the lack of well-known bands means that more often than not the attendees are lured to the festival on the premise of the experience itself.

Illustrations by Lilly Allen

Festivals rest in the perilous hands of the weather and although our entrance to the festival was marked by the rain, an ominous start to the weekend, it was hot enough by Friday that we could mosey to the lake and go swimming with hoards of other eager beavers, desperate to wash off the glitter and UV paint from last night’s exploits. The lake is a vital part of the festival atmosphere, not only because you can swim and row across it, but because there is also a temporary stage in the centre that you can only get to by boat. This stage, in the shape of a dragonfly, was burnt on the Saturday night.

Blondie, illustrated by Sam Parr

This is a festival where you go with the flow, whether you choose to follow the trail of glow sticks being left by a person in the distance in the hope that it leads you somewhere, or you want to sit in front of the sand stage and relax burning marshmallows on the bonfire. Each festival experience is unique and as well as being handed some snacks by someone in a Kindness Initiative tabard we were approached by someone who presented us with a piece of paper reading “switch off your alarm clock”; SGP is a hands-on festival if ever there was one.

There are an impossible number of things to do. They say that curiosity killed the cat, but this is a place to satiate your interest, taking advantage of what’s on offer, whether that is life drawing or an introduction to fetishes: in a tent filled with pillows where you are required to take your shoes off at the entrance and a small make shift cinema (complete with popcorn). Forming just a sample of the odd attractions on offer, you’re guaranteed never to be bored. Other more mainstream activities to pep you up during the day include miniature golf and yoga. If you want to watch someone in a wasp spray costume chase a bee around, or throw paint at people you don’t know in the annual paint fight, then this is the place to do it. With so much on offer its impossible to sample everything in one visit and this festival will undoubtedly leave you wanting more.

We got more than we bargained by watching mud wrestling, the climax of the show being impromptu nudity as well as a Mission Impossible style drop for items located in the mud pit. We also checked out Shitfaced Shakespeare, a performance of Romeo and Juliet for which the actors are completely and utterly trollied. Both of which made for unique experiences.

We were totally sheltered from the real world here: with no plug sockets, the news of Amy Winehouse and the Norway massacre filter through the crowds with shock, reminding us that we have to go back to our lives on Monday.

Married to the Sea, illustrated by Nicola Ellen

The majority of bands playing at SGP are relatively unknown and reading down the list makes me feel suddenly lacking in hipster knowledge. There are big names, too: Leftfield, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Mystery Jets and of course Blondie. We watched rising stars like Cosmo Jarvis and relative unknowns like Married to the Sea, wandering through the various stages in search of the best tunes. But mostly, we weaved in and out of the tents soaking up the atmosphere, picking up the phone of the random call box that lets you talk to strangers somewhere else on the festival and being glad that we were lucky enough to get tickets.

Cosmo Jarvis, illustrated by Rosemary Kirton
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There is more to SGP than the music. This is the festival to end all festivals and has a certain je ne sais quoi that other festivals fail to achieve. If you want to dress up as a different animal every day then this is the place for you. It’s an art gallery with its visitors welcome to become part of the exhibit. The Secret Garden Party is one of the few experiences in life when the reality of the festival will no doubt outstrip your expectations.

All photography by Jessica Cook

Written by Jessica Cook on Monday August 1st, 2011 4:09 pm

Categories ,Abbots Ripton Hall, ,Alice in Wonderland, ,amy winehouse, ,art, ,blondie, ,dragonfly, ,festival, ,Glitter, ,Glow sticks, ,Golf, ,Jessica Cook, ,leftfield, ,Lilly Allen, ,Lord de Ramsey, ,Martha Reeves, ,Mission Impossible, ,music, ,Mystery Jets, ,Nicola Ellen, ,review, ,Romeo and Juliet, ,Rosemary Kirton, ,Sam Parr, ,Shitfaced Shakespeare, ,The Secret Garden Party, ,The Vandellas, ,UV paint, ,Yoga

Amelia’s Magazine | Crayfish Bob’s at the Two Degrees Festival by Arts Admin at Toynbee Hall

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Clare-Patey Toynbee Hall-photography Amelia Gregory
Crayfish Bob’s. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

This week Two Degrees is hosting Crayfish Bob’s al fresco pop up crayfish shack every evening in the paved courtyard next to Toynbee Hall. How could I resist the chance to sup on South London wine whilst crunching on succulent seafood? I couldn’t, thumb is the answer, doctor and I was lucky enough to secure a seat at the first sitting on Monday evening.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Claire Pavey Toynbee Hall-photography Amelia Gregory

Crayfish Bob’s is supplied with Bob Ring’s freshly caught American Signal Crayfish from the Thames, an invasive species that has been busy decimating our native wildlife since the 1970s. At first introduced to be intensively farmed in controlled ponds American Signal Crayfish soon used their ability to walk across land and spread out across the country. One account tells of a late night encounter with a long procession of crayfish walking from an abandoned trout-farm pond and heading directly towards the nearby river. Clever buggers. I’ve encountered a crayfish clambering out of a pond at Hampstead Heath as it goes: it caused much consternation amongst the nudist sunbathers on the women’s ‘beach’.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Claire Pavey Toynbee Hall-photography Amelia Gregory

American Signal Crayfish carry a plague to which they are immune but which kills our native White Clawed species and they also damage river banks with their tunnelling – but despite their disastrous effect on the environment nothing much has been done to stem their march. Sadly the crayfish that are increasingly used in tasty sandwiches and snacks across the UK are all farmed abroad because it is so hard to trap the American Signal Crayfish found here commercially. So, determined to do his bit, Bob Ring has hatched a plan that goes against the grain of modern business acumen: he hopes to build the Crayfish Bob brand into one of high integrity and desirability so that he can sell as many tonnes of UK caught American Signal Crayfish as possible. His ultimate dream is to go bust due to lack of stock. Obviously I felt very good about helping him on his way to achieving this.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Claire Pavey Toynbee Hall Bob Ring-photography Amelia Gregory
Bob Ring.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Clare-Patey Toynbee Hall-photography Amelia Gregory
Clare Patey.

As soon as we were seated Bob’s co-conspirator the interdisciplinary artist Clare Patey darted past, offering us beautiful peach coloured Urban Wine from the gardens of Tooting (it was very good) and stacks of moist sourdough bread. Our food looked utterly beautiful, served with panache by Blanch and Shock food designers, who produce theatrical food productions and educational workshops based on themes of sustainability and the psychology of eating. They aim to provide opulent food with the minimum of waste. Again, happy to help out.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Blanch and Shock -photography Amelia Gregory

Large glass bowls of locally sourced and wild foraged salad – I never knew that Common Hogweed was so darn tasty – were placed on our tables but for the main course we were encouraged to visit Crayfish Bob’s shack for ourselves to converse with the man who had caught our delicious meal. Crayfish are a messy dish to eat, requiring a certain amount of cracking and sucking to demolish, but with a finger bowl of water at the ready we all got a certain amount of pleasure from the ordeal. There was time for chat with our fellow guests as we were all seated on a friendly communal long table.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees urban wine -photography Amelia Gregory
Peach coloured Urban Wine from Tooting.

On one side I was joined by food blogger Laura Fleur, who I have conversed with on Twitter (ain’t it always the way these days?!) and her friend Lizzie, aka Hollow Legs. On my other side I chatted with Kevin and Jane of Platform, another organisation which is doing great things by mixing up art and activism and with whom I worked to Redesign the Royal Bank of Scotland for Sustainability in 2009 at the Arnolfini. On my right sat Peter Koenig, a former financial editor of the Independent. What an intriguing and diverse bunch!

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees Blanch and Shock -photography Amelia Gregory
For desert we were served a gorgeous Douglas Fir Panna Cotta that slid off the spoon in the most delectable manner, with a side serving of strawberries and butterscotch.

Crayfish Bobs Two Degrees kevin smith -photography Amelia Gregory
Kevin with a rescue parrot that came to visit us!

It was a rare and wonderful chance to talk with some new friends whilst remembering how enjoyable good local food can be. As Diana Damian points out on her blog for This is Tomorrow, our act of eating the American Signal Crayfish demonstrated how social engagement can become a political act in itself, and an enjoyable one at that. I couldn’t really put it better myself.

At only £5 for the entire meal this was fantastic value so not surprisingly all seats at Crayfish Bob’s have now been sold out, but there is plenty more going on at Two Degrees over the rest of the week. I shall be taking part in a round table discussion about the state of climate activism on Saturday 18th June between 1-2pm. Please do come along and take part!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday June 16th, 2011 2:23 pm

Categories ,activism, ,American Signal Crayfish, ,art, ,Arts Admin, ,Blanch and Shock, ,Bob Ring, ,Claire Pavey, ,Climate Change, ,Common Hogweed, ,community, ,Crayfish Bob’s, ,Crayfish Shack, ,Diana Damian, ,Douglas Fir Panna Cotta, ,festival, ,Food, ,Food Design, ,Hollow Legs, ,Kevin Smith, ,Laura Fleur, ,Peter Koenig, ,Platform Arts, ,Pop-up, ,Salad, ,South London, ,sustainability, ,This is Tomorrow, ,Tooting, ,Toynbee Hall, ,two degrees, ,Urban Wine, ,Wild Foraging, ,Wine

Amelia’s Magazine | Creauremag Festival Edition

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“It’s nice everyone getting dressed up and making an effort, hospital stomach round Christmas time ‘n that”, generic slurred an old man at the bar after telling me this was his local. Halloween did he mean? A gaze and a nod.

Peggy Sue (there were some pirates but they’ve long since fled to the Caribbean to find themselves) have a knack of adding a distinct flavour to everything they do. Brewed in soulfulness and peppered with giggles, they are an intoxicating concoction of many lovely things; compared to the likes of Lauryn Hill and Regina Spektor in a single breath, all manner of genres tossed in their direction.

But references aside, that tend to reduce everybody to something regurgitated, there’s lots of other good stuff – like a compilation CD released for every month (100 copies only, complete with artwork), like how their voices emulate astonishing power and soft effortlessness all at once; or that their low-fi sound is brought together with honeyed harmonies, punctuated Spektor-like noises and an unending supply of bizarre percussion instruments. It is finally exquisitely tied together with lyrics that detach our body-parts as things to be stolen, tell stories of the woes of superheroes, and give life to ‘those fragile little things’ that live inside. It all feels very refreshing, and nicely homemade – ‘Peggy Who?’ asks the drum-face.

The Horror Movie Marathon had the Peggy stamp all over it, made apparent in its details. A projection screen hung behind them playing classic horror gems; a new horror song, complete with screams had been written for the occasion; and the widely acclaimed ‘superman’ was illustrated by a live puppet-show on stage. The wide-eyed Alessi’s Ark and feet-shuffling Derek Meins were there to support, marking the beginning of the Triptych Tour – one bus, two weeks, three acts. Catch them if you can in a venue near you! But what oh what does Triptych mean?

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Be Prepared, sildenafil long the motto of the Scouts, is now being added to by The London Climate Camp Social Group with Be Inspired and Be Involved. A series of nights around town broadly divided into these three headings encouraging all to socialise and fund-raise for Climate Camp.

Be Prepared nights fund-raise with bands, djs and comedy. It’s one to bring your friends who may not be into all the “eco stuff” but would be interested in finding out more about Climate Camp.
Be Inspired focuses on what’s going on at the moment. Film screenings, speakers and debates wil inform people what is happening and why Climate Camp is doing what its doing.
Be Involved is the actions based adventures, such as Climate Rush, the forthcoming Day of Action and what ever else happens in the future.

The first one is tomorrow and is a Be Inspired night held at The Old Crown, 33 New Oxford St starting at 19:00. The line up consists of Alistair James playing music, Leo Murray introducing his excellent animation Wake Up, Freak out and Get A Grip, a short presentation from Climate Camp about what is being done right now and where it’s going and why, including two ladies instrumental in organising Climate Rush. Plus plenty of music to dance the night away.

The Old Crown
33 New Oxford St (corner of Museum street),
London WC1A 1BH.
Between Holborn and Tottenham Court road tube station.

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Hotel International 1993

Dear Tracey, discount

It wasn’t so long ago that I really thought I’d had it up to my neck with you. I think it was one of your columns in the Independent that did it. You’d had a bad day, page you know, one of those ones when you don’t particularly feel like getting out of bed in the morning and then when you do, you burn your toast, or scald yourself in the shower or something. And instead of having a quick cry, or swearing, or generally getting on with things as most people might do, your especially bad day led you toward one overarching question: ‘did my dad ever really love me?’ I thought it was a tad dramatic. So upon hearing about your retrospective at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art I was expecting 20 years of torment in the space of a few rooms. And you didn’t disappoint. But what I wasn’t expecting was that I was going to leave the exhibition liking you. Feeling for you, maybe. Being critical of you, definitely. But actually liking you? No, I wasn’t expecting that. But there is a reason that we hear so much about you Tracey, because you know what, you’re actually a pretty good artist.

Emin’s exhibition opens much like one would expect it to, throwing the viewer head-first into the deep-end. The first work we encounter is a tribute to her deceased grandmother; the second, a graphic description of a traumatic abortion. All the staple Emin classics are here: the neon signs, the tapestries, expressionist etchings, and of course, the infamous bed. And yet after the piss-stains, the used condoms, the confessional video diaries, the purging of torment and the sheer tragedy of it all, something beautiful remains. Emin’s letter to her uncle Colin is a striking example of this. Lucid and incredibly moving, Emin succinctly describes her emotions as she learns of the horrific accident that caused her beloved uncle’s death. Exploration of the Soul, a work comprised of 32 sheets of handwritten text, is similar in its expressive eloquence. You may baulk at the several spelling mistakes, shudder at the sadness of other people’s lives or smile at the moments of humanity within it; Emin will fail to leave you unmoved.

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My Bed 1998

The further we continue through the exhibition the more we feel as though we are Emin’s confidante; her scars are ours now and they are weighing us down. To enter, toward the end, a room removed of much of the abject excess of the others, comes as welcome relief. Two sculptures in particular reveal the diversity of Emin’s talent as an artist. Self Portrait (Bath) comprises a rusty bath filled with bamboo, barbed wire, chicken wire and a contorted neon streak entwined to create a work of great textual interest. In the same room a rollercoaster of reclaimed wood, It’s Not The Way I Want to Die from 2005, dominates the space. Constructed entirely from old crates, the past life of the wood seems to echo Emin’s own (one plank retaining it’s FRAGILE label), but is here reworked into a somewhat rickety yet undeniably beautiful piece.

Tracy%20Emin%20It%27s%20Not%20the%20Way%20I%20Want%20to%20Die%2C%202005.jpg
It’s Not The Way I Want to Die 2005

Emin is a chameleon, expressing herself in several mediums and seemingly mastering them all. Love or loathe her – you won’t easily forget her, and to my mind, that’s what makes her continue to be worth talking about.

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The Perfect Place to Grow 2001

Images courtesy of Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

September marked the official UK launch of the new shopping/networking website, ampoule ShopStyle. Already popular amongst fashion followers in the US, viagra the best way to describe this new digital phenomenon would be a ‘Google for fashion with a MySpace twist‘. Shopstyle offers a unique online shopping experience, which enables users to browse the rails of thousands of brands through a simple search box option. Just like Google, ShopStyle carries out all the hard work trawling through shopping sites in order to bring you any matching items to your keywords. Users can also narrow down their searches by price, brand, store and size so only the most relevant results are displayed.

The site proved to be heaven sent in my own hunt to unearth a descent pair of gladiator heels, presenting me with options from new and smaller brands that I wouldn’t usually consider in my shopping choices.

ShopStyle’s nifty social networking twist means even those of us a little strapped for cash can still muzzle in on the spirit of fashion. The StyleBook tool allows users to play around and create their own fashion look books based on their own personal tastes and styles. These can be viewed by fellow users who are free to comment and discuss ideas. Unlike other virtual stores, ShopStyle embraces a love for fashion and creativity, moving beyond the simple idea of consumption.

Keep an eye out next month as three emerging designers, selected by stylist to the stars, Bay Garnett, get the opportunity to display their collection on the site.

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Creaturemag sets out to bring together artists from all around the world, adiposity and produce an online publication, which works as one big collaboration. Being the arty literate types that they are, they’ve also created a sort of character out of the Creaturemag concept. This has led to an entertaining, if not ever so slightly confusing, interview with themselves, or Creaturemag – you kind of have to read it to understand.

They have just released Creaturemag festival edition – a diary of their activities over the summer. Its content though is a little more in depth than trudging through mud and drinking cider though. The wonderful cover has been done by long time Amelia’s contributor Nikki Pinder! It also features interviews with up and coming musical geniuses Alessi and Zombie Zombie.

Being the creative types that they are though, no pages go without a little artistic decoration. A group of top notch illustrators have contributed – bringing the entire thing to life.

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Crafty pirate

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Floating from festival to festival over the summer, the creatives behind Creaturemag have compiled pieces on the more out there festivals like Secret Garden Party and End Of The Road. The festival edition acts as a sort of guide to how they have often created their own arty fun at festivals this year. Perhaps the most intriguing of which is the feature on concrete mushrooms that were taken to festival all over the country. It is also a testament to how devoted they are to their art. The idea of dragging massive concrete mushrooms on top of the mounds of bags and tents I always end up hauling to campsite doesn’t appeal to me.

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Concrete mushrooms

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The whole thing just makes it look like the guys behind it have had the best summer ever, and it really makes me want to go back to a festival.

Written by Charles Drakeford on Wednesday November 12th, 2008 5:40 pm

Categories ,Alessi, ,Blog, ,Creaturemag, ,End of the Road, ,Festival, ,Illustrators, ,Nikki Pinder, ,Secret Garden Party, ,Zombie Zombie

Amelia’s Magazine | Art Listings November 23-29

Monday 23rd November, viagra 60mg Lisa Hannigan, Royal Festival Hall

Debut album “Sea Sew” came out this summer from Miss Hannigan and she is now touring to support this. The Mercury Prize nominated album includes singles “Lille” and “I Don’t Know”. She continues the tour in Manchester and Birmingham before a string of Irish dates leading up to Christmas.

Tuesday 24th November, Pyramiddd, Flowerpot

Previously known as something that isn’t suitable for publishing at this time of day, these punk/rock/pop/disco kids tick all the boxes. They are touring in the UK for the first time to support debut single “Medicine” which is out November 30th. As well as appearing at the Flowerpot tonight they will also play ICA with those Filthy Dukes on the 25th and Notting Hill Arts Club on the 26th of November.

Wednesday November 25th, The Puppini Sisters, Pigalle

Catch jazzy pop trio The Puppini Sisters at the peak of a 5 night stint at the Pigalle club. Album “The Rise & Fall of Ruby Woo” is out now on which Beyonce, The Bangles and Take That get the unique Puppini swing-stylee treatment.

Thursday November 26th, Musee Mecanique, The Luminaire

This Portland based posse come to London to treat us with their mellow indie folk tracks that feature on the beautiful album, “Hold Your Ghost”. These guys who have been compared to Neutral Milk Hotel and Beirut are tonight performing with Laura Gibson.

Friday November 27th, Silver Odyssey Experience, Secret Location

Fancy some Friday night stimulation? The Silver Odyssey experience covers all bases with Sounds, Sights, Smells, Touch, and Tastes to please. The techno teatime sounds come courtesy of Radio Slave and The Time and Space Machine. The secret location shall be revealed 2 days before the event.

Saturday November 28th, Cinammon Chasers, Master&Servant and Glover, Proud

Listing films such as “The Never Ending Story” as one of his influences, Cinnamon Chasers says . “I try to create music that gives me the vibe those classic films gave me as a kid”. Do you need another reason to go and experience this?
Electro act Cinnamon Chasers shall perform along side Master&Servant and Glover.

Sunday 29th November, Sophie Solomon, Purcell Room

Learning to play the Violin by ear from the age of two Sophie Solomon combines this with her vocal skills and merges a melody of styles into her music. The album “Poison Sweet Madeira” is her most recent offering.
Monday 23rd November, salve Lisa Hannigan, Royal Festival Hall

Tuesday 24th November, Pyramiddd, Flowerpot

Wednesday November 25th, The Puppini Sisters, Pigalle

Thursday November 26th, Musee Mecanique, The Luminaire

Friday November 27th, Silver Odyssey Experience, Secret Location

Saturday November 28th, Cinammon Chasers, Master&Servant and Glover, Proud

Sunday 29th November, Sophie Solomon, Purcell Rooms

Tuesday 24th November, Pyramiddd, Flowerpot

Wednesday November 25th, The Puppini Sisters, Pigalle

Thursday November 26th, Musee Mecanique, The Luminaire

Friday November 27th, Silver Odyssey Experience, Secret Location

Saturday November 28th, Cinammon Chasers, Master&Servant and Glover, Proud

Sunday 29th November, Sophie Solomon, Purcell Rooms

Learning to play the Violin by ear from the age of two Sophie Solomon combines this with her vocal skills and merges a melody of styles into her music. The album “Poison Sweet Madeira” is her most recent offering.
Climate Rush Film Screening: DEEDS NOT WORDS
Tuesday 24th November 2009

climaterush

Image courtesy of Amelia Gregory

It’s been just over a year since Climate Rush decended on Parliament dressed as Suffragettes, this web demanding an immediate halt to airport expansion, buy information pills no new coal power stations and an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. Amazingly, camera footage documenting that historic day has been developed into a stirring new film that features significant moments such as an inspiring speech by Caroline Lucas MEP. (and also featuring Amelia’s Magazine’s Amelia Gregory!) Go along and relive the thrill of the first Rush at the VERY FIRST screening of this momentous new movie!

Image courtesy of Climate Rush

Image courtesy of Amelia Gregory

Where? The Flea Pit, 49 Columbia Road, London
When? 6 – 10pm, Tuesday 24th November 2009
FREE ENTRY
www.climaterush.co.uk

www.tubbybrother.co.uk

Fun Between Your Legs: Help design the Resistance Machine!
24th – 29th November 2009

Climate Camp and Art Activist group The Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination merge to create Operation Bike Bloc, which will launch it’s Resistance Machine during the COP15 UN summit in Copenhagen next month. The machine, in case you’re wondering, will be fashioned from hundreds of old bicycles and activists bodies. Artists, engineers, welders, bike hackers and more will team up to create this new tool of cival disobedience and you can get involved too. If you’d like to help design and build the prototype get yourself down to the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol this week, or even help build the final design at the Candyfactory in Copenhagen between the 6th – 16th of December. More coming on Operation Bike Bloc later this week!

Image courtesy of Katie Rose Gill

Image courtesy of Katie Rose Gill – Girl & The Deer

Where? Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol
When? 24th – 29th November
www.arnolfini.org.uk

Live to Create November
Saturday 28th November

Switch from Consumer to Creator in this special one day workshop held by Live to Create founder Lucy Wills and Carbon Outreach‘s Erica Grigg. Us humans are unique in our over consumption and this workshop aims to confront these barriers that are perhaps preventing our creativity and reconnect with our creative identities. Using ideas, tools and dynamic activities that have been drawn from corporate best practice, grassroots activism, personal development, magic and Laban dance theory the purpose of this event is not to tell you what you can and cannot buy, but to help you discover what you could be doing and to nudge you out into your new creative universe.

There are only 16 places for this one day workshop held at the lovely Time for Tea in Shoreditch, so book as soon possible. Pop along for the workshop and stay for the tea, cake and conversation!

Where? Time for Tea, 110 Shoreditch High Street, London
When? 10.30am – 4.00pm, Saturday 28th November
Cost? £50 each, £30 concessions
Order tickets www.livetocreatenovember-efbevent.eventbite.com
Climate Rush Film Screening: DEEDS NOT WORDS
Tuesday 24th November 2009

It’s been just over a year since Climate Rush decended on Parliament dressed as Suffragettes, what is ed demanding an immediate halt to airport expansion, this web no new coal power stations and an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. Amazingly, camera footage documenting that historic day has been developed into a stirring new film that features significant moments such as an inspiring speech by Caroline Lucas MEP. Go along and relive the trill of the first Rush at the VERY FIRST screening of this momentous new movie!

Where? The Flea Pit, 49 Columbia Road, London
When? 6 – 10pm, Tuesday 24th November 2009
FREE ENTRY
www.climaterush.co.uk

A HONOURS ILLUSTRATION – I-Spy Holborn

Illustration by Holly Trill

Haven’t got that Christmas present sorted? Here is an idea; Holly Trill is a student at Middlesex University’s BA Hons Illustration course. Her fellow students and staff at the University’s Illustration programme are throwing an exhibiton celebrating the vitality and diversity of Camden’s inner heart, viagra sale Holborn and Covent Garden. The art is all available to buy and all money raised from this exhibition goes towards the degree show in the Truman Brewery, purchase Brick Lane next June.
Why not come down to he private view on Tuesday 24th November, from 6.00 – 8.30pm?

Kingsgate Gallery
110-116 Kingsgate Road
London
NW6 2JG

Open daily 12.00 – 6.00pm from 24th – 29th November 2009.

DEV HYNES, aka Lightspeed Champion – Hello, My Name is Dev

Photograph courtesy of Devondra Hynes flyer

How about being the first to see photos that have never before been exhibited in public? This exhibition documents the life and travels of British musician Devondra Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion over the past two years, both at home in New York and on tour around the world. Dev is this type of artist with boundless creative energy that tackles every new ventures, be it comic books or video installations, with gust, originality and breathless artistry. There will be performances and DJ sets from Dev and his friends during the evening. Fancy an evening of drinks and music to celebrate the opening with Dev and co.? Then head over to the Legion on Wednesday!

The Legion, 348 Old street,London, EC1V 9NQ

JAMES MAJOWSKI- GIFTED CHARITY ART AUCTION

Illustration by James Majowski

‘This the festive season to be merry…and charitable! So how about heading to Devonshire Square for a charity art auction? Aside from work by artist James Majawski, contributing artists include Pablo Picasso, Rankin, Chrissie Abbot, Mr Bingo and Jimmy Turrell, so it promises to be a fantastic night! All the revenue raised from the art on auction is to support Kids Company and Teenage Cancer Trust. So this is a perfect opportunity to plan that extra special Christmas present. The auction day is 26th of Novembre and the exhibition runs from the 23rd to the 26th of Novembre.

9A Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4YE, just opposite Liverpool Street station.

URBANART – Burning Candy + Panik’s new work
OLLY BECK – The Impossible Room (project space)

Photography courtesy of Urban Art

There are a lot of artists out there doing good work being part of and supporting their community. Panik, ‘Burning Candy’ at Sartorial plain air and Jeni Snell’s inflatable bunker ‘Fortress Sartorial’, are part of a local community graffiti interactive event with the participation of South Camden Youth Access Point and Corams Fields Youth Resource Centre. These open workshops events are supported by the Arts Council, Camden Council and O2 It’s Your Community.

Olly Beck’s chosen title for his debut show at Sartorial Contemporary Art ‘The Impossible Room’ is taken from JG Ballard’s experimental and seminal book ‘The Atrocity Exhibition’ written in 1970. And like Ballard coming out of the 1960′s, Beck’s recent painting precludes a decade of millennial hope tainted and occluded by extreme political, cultural and domestic crises. For Ballard and his contemporaries it looks to us like this sudden dystopia was written on the wall for all to see – and thus responded to (within the luxury of our retrospective insight) in a unified way. But our current experience is bizarrely more subtle and full of detached and unending ambiguous irony. Who or what we believe in becomes less and less clear. Beck’s work contains and runs with these lines of upended meaning, and his reading of Ballard’s notion of a room or a space with its ‘psychotic’ apparitions is perhaps an epitaph of our ‘silent rage’ and unattended loss…

Private View Thurs 26 Nov Open from 27 Nov to 19 th Dec 2009

Sartorial Contemporary Art, 26 Argyle Square London WC1H 8AP + 44 (0) 20 78371013

RITAM BANERJEE – Mumbai: The City that Talks to Me

Photography by Ritam Banerjee

Here at Amelia, we’re an international bunch. So let’s head to India. How about being moved by a bard? For Ritam Banerjee is a poet, albeit a soulful one. “For over a decade now, all that I have been doing is to turn negatives into positives.” In light of recent tragic events, his photographs are a poignant and fitting ode to the slain city of Mumbai. Banerjee believes in artists with a social conscience and is the worthy recipient of the coveted ‘Karmaveer Puraskar’, an Indian national award for Social Justice & Citizen Action commissioned to recognize individuals who have been pivotal for leading change. The awards are given to individuals from various sectors for their contribution to promote social justice and action. For those of you in Mumbai, here is something not to be missed.

Photographs will be on display till Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

Gallery Art & Soul
1 Madhuli , Shiv Sagar Estate, Worli, Mumbai 400 018.
Tel : 022 – 24965798 / 32536266
Email : galleryartnsoul@gmail.com
Web: www.galleryartnsoul.com

MARISTELLA COLOMBO – My Body Landscapes

We’re continuing with the international exhibitions to head over to France and Italy and have a look at photographer Maristella Colombo. Matieres Sensibles is an international photo festival now in its 3rd Season; its current theme is CORPS, IDENTITES, TERRITOIRES, FRONTIERES ( Bodies, identity, territories, frontiers). Since 2007, in Novembre, this French alternative event organised by artists exhibits in restaurants, bars and book shops. The concept is an interesting one: take artist installations and musicians and mix it with performance to get the sort of vibrant happenings we, at Amelia, really get excited about! This year, there is an exchange with Milanese artist Pomezia Uno and more of the exciting blend of sculpture, fashion, music and fun for what looks to be really fun shows!

Photography courtesy of Matieres Sensibles

Written by Valerie Pezeron on Monday November 23rd, 2009 7:15 pm

Categories ,art, ,auction, ,charity, ,craft, ,exhibition, ,festival, ,illustration, ,Indie, ,installation, ,international, ,Kids Company Charity, ,listings, ,live, ,london, ,middlesex university, ,music, ,painting, ,photography, ,pop, ,sculpture, ,students

Amelia’s Magazine | Comic books: not reserved to spotty nerds

Image courtesy of Environmental Justice Foundation

ENVIRONMNENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION POP-UP STORE
13-27 NOVEMBER (MON-SAT: 10-7PM, cialis 40mg SUN: 12-6PM)
WHITE GOLD, 1ST FLOOR, KINGLY COURT, W1
FREE ENTRY
Over the coming fortnight the Environmental Justice Foundation charity will be setting up shop in the heart of London’s Carnaby Street to help raise awareness of forced child labour and environmental abuses in cotton production. The EJF pop-up store will be selling a limited edition range of T-shirts designed in collaboration with fashion heavyweights such as Luella, Giles Deacon, Zandra Rhodes, John Rocha, Betty Jackson, Christian Lacroix, Allegra Hicks, Katharine Hamnett, Jenny Packham, Alice Temperley, Richard Nicoll and Ciel. EJF will also be stocking 100 shopper bags designed by Eley Kishimoto which will retail at the bargain price of £10 or come free when you spend over £50 in store. As they sold out like hot potatoes at LFW last month make sure you get there while stock lasts.

ASSEMBLY THRIFT STORE OPENING
19 NOVEMBER
THE WATERMAN’S BUILDING, ASSEMBLY PASSAGE, E1
FREE ENTRY
This week sees the lovely chaps behind the East End Thrift Store open a new shop called Assembly just off Brick Lane. As an expansion of the existing space in Whitechapel, Assembly aims to bring together the most eclectic and unique vintage finds in clothing, accessories, jewellery, quilts, fabrics and even rare books. Situated within a disused factory the shop space has been created to resemble a New York loft which will also be used to host exhibitions and installations and installations by young contemporary artists.

Image courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum

CELEBRATE OUR FASCINATION WITH HAIR
FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER (6:30-10PM)
V&A MUSEUM: SACKLER CENTRE, CROMWELL ROAD, SW7
FREE ENTRY
If you’re looking to change your image or simply want a new hairdo for the festive season than treat yourself to a makeover courtesy of London College of Fashion students. Head down to the V&A to take part in a fashion illustration workshop and watch an A-list make up demonstration led by LCF’s partner institution the Hong Kong Design Institute. For those who are less keen on having a student get to grips with your locks you can always experiment and try new hairstyles digitally.

Image courtesy of Ethical Fashion Forum

GLOBAL SOURCING MARKETPLACE
20-21 NOVEMBER (FRI: 10-7PM, SAT: 10:30-5PM)
CHELSEA COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, 16 JOHN ISLIP STREET, SW1
£20 FOR UNLIMITEDE ACCESS OVER BOTH DAYS
Later this week the Ethical Fashion Forum will be hosting a two-day ethical sourcing marketplace which will bring together an array of brands, retailers, manufacturers and cooperatives working to high ethical standards. This yearly event aims to create opportunities for suppliers with the overall goal being to reduce the environmental impact of the industry, support fair and equitable trade, and reduce poverty. The event gives industry professionals and consumers an opportunity to network with suppliers and gain information about ways to get involved through a series of seminars and talks.

Image courtesy of Environmental Justice Foundation

ENVIRONMNENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION POP-UP STORE
13-27 NOVEMBER (MON-SAT: 10-7PM, mind SUN: 12-6PM)
WHITE GOLD, more about 1ST FLOOR, information pills KINGLY COURT, W1
FREE ENTRY
Over the coming fortnight the Environmental Justice Foundation charity will be setting up shop in the heart of London’s Carnaby Street to help raise awareness of forced child labour and environmental abuses in cotton production. The EJF pop-up store will be selling a limited edition range of T-shirts designed in collaboration with fashion heavyweights such as Luella, Giles Deacon, Zandra Rhodes, John Rocha, Betty Jackson, Christian Lacroix, Allegra Hicks, Katharine Hamnett, Jenny Packham, Alice Temperley, Richard Nicoll and Ciel. EJF will also be stocking 100 shopper bags designed by Eley Kishimoto which will retail at the bargain price of £10 or come free when you spend over £50 in store. As they sold out like hot potatoes at LFW last month make sure you get there while stock lasts.

Image courtesy of the Victoria & Albert Museum

Image courtesy of Ethical Fashion Forum

DESIGNER SALES UK SAMPLE SALE
20-22 NOVEMBER (FRI: 11-9PM, SAT: 11-8PM, SUN: 11-5:30PM)
85 BRICKLANE, E1
£2 ENTRY, £1 CONCESSIONS
Brainchild of Elaine Foster-Gandey, the DSUK website was founded 20 years ago and is the first in its kind to sell samples and stock directly from the biggest fashion houses to customers at seriously discounted prices. Currently gearing up for their fourth sample sale of the year later this week, expect to find great value womenswear, menswear, kidswear and accessories. With over 100 different labels to choose from during this three day shopping extravaganza you’re sure to find a bargain.
Walking into the ICA on Sunday the 8th of November and you would not have recognised the usual contemporary art venue. The corridor joining the reception to the cafe area was transformed in a vast art experiment with artists drawing little sketches of witty speech bubbles all over the walls.

Welcome to the sixth Comica festival, ailment a place where aspiring graphic novelists get the chance to rub shoulders with established comic book artists for a whole day and where the average age of the hip attendees is 25 to 35. Paul Gravett, price a long time supporter and influential figure in the English comics community who also happens to be organising the festival, viagra 100mg believes that events such as Comica are proof that people’s mindsets about the comics book industry is changing. “Comics tend to be ghettoised by the fan community but we’re trying to build connections between comics and other art forms. It has taken time for people to realise that comics can be about anything. Comic artists haven’t got to draw Batman and there aren’t many rules. It’s about the maturing of the readership and publishers, recognising that this is an exciting form of storytelling.”

The first talk of the afternoon, Starting Out in Graphic Novels, was aiming to help aspiring graphic novelists understand better what it takes to succeed in a business that does not pay as well as commercial art but is as competitive a field. Brian Talbot and Julian Hanshaw explained how time-consuming and hard-graft it is to put a graphic novel together; It took Talbot about 4 years to concoct his last one.

The talk was followed by the presentation of the winners of The Observer/Jonathan Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story prize. This competition is in its third year and attracted over 300 entries. The first prize went to the vividly captured and tender story “Paint” by Vivien McDermid, which the judges thought was a touching portrayal of mother with their small toddler.

Meanwhile, the most sizzling and significant gathering of scribes and scrawlers from across the UK indie scene was taking place in the main theatre; Comica Comiket Small Press Fair was packed with an eclectic selection of self-published comics from dozens of storytellers and collectives. The Internet is a great tool but these exquisite limited editions, show that holding an hand printed original piece is much better than web-comics.

Later, I attended the Ctrl.Alt.Shift Comic Art Propaganda panel discussion where author Fredrik Strömberg, writer Pat Mills, Sean Duffield and cartoonist Polyp debated about political cartooning and its relevance today in our society. There is a huge variety of stories and genres out there that go way beyond any stereotypes people may have about comics and graphic novels. Women artists have flocked to be part of the scene; Cartoonist Polyp is the author of Speechless, an eco-fable published by Friends of the Earth. Award-winning biographies such as Perseplois by Marjanne Satrapi have been turned into successful movies. Comic books are a vibrant and compelling medium where so much can still be achieved. Graphic novels are at last getting some well deserved recognition; they are not just for the illiterate or teenage geeks as some people still believe. It is the older generations who mainly buy graphic novels in the UK and at Comica you could really see that fact reiterated.

Written by Valerie Pezeron on Tuesday November 17th, 2009 11:23 am

Categories ,art, ,artists, ,comic books, ,comica, ,comics, ,contemporary art, ,Ctrl.Alt.Shift, ,exhibition, ,fair, ,festival, ,graphic novels, ,ica, ,Indie, ,london, ,Pat Mills, ,Paul Gravett, ,review, ,self-published, ,Small press, ,writers

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with ace comedian and Latitude regular Robin Ince.

the-peoples-supermarket-shop-front
A new era in food shopping could have dawned a few weeks ago as The People’s Supermarket in Holborn opened its doors for the very first time.

It’s ultimate aim? To bring an end to the big supermarket chains one potato at a time of course! At least that’s what team ‘People’s Supermarket’ believe; chef, online visit Arthur Potts Dawson — already known for his Acorn House restaurant in King’s Cross and London’s first eco-restaurant, the Waterhouse Restaurant in Hackney; retail consultant, Kate Wickes-Bull; and self proclaimed social entrepreneur, David Barrie.

So what’s so special about The People’s Supermarket (TPS)? Well, modeled largely on the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn, established in 1974, it will work as a totally nonprofit venture. Run fully by teams of volunteers, all profits will be invested back into stocking the shop with great food at minimal prices and TPS hopes to help families and low income groups in the community along the way by providing work experience, training, and low cost shopping. A sign outside listed the number of members as 124 on my trip but I can imagine this will soon start to rise, and anyway Potts Dawson reckons they need at least 300 members for the shop to actually become a sustainable business. Anyone can shop at TPS but the team hopes that as customers visit this unique project and see the quality of produce and with the added incentive of getting great discounts they might become a member — pledging to work at the shop for a few hours every month and paying a £25 annual membership fee. The website promises, in Marxist-like terms, a supermarket that is “run by the people for the people, selling the best food at the lowest possible prices.”

the-peoples-supermarket-fruit

Located on Lambs Conduit Street near Russell Square tube, TPS doesn’t stand out as exactly being a glamorous shop, nor has it in anyway been made to look trendy as I was half-expecting — seeing that this is the natural habitat of posh delis, coffee shops and boutiques. Instead TPS doesn’t appear to look much different to the private local supermarket that went before it, and originally belonged to the enemy — Tesco. Now the place has been spruced up by an army of helpers — all volunteers of course, but the main decoration is the addition of posters to the walls – which, although sadly lacking images of Lord Kitchener, famous for appearing in YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU posters – appeal to customer’s philanthropic side, stating in block capitals, “The people’s supermarket needs you, join today”. All this does go to show, however, that TPS is serious about saving money. Instead of investing in funky counters and arty light fittings, TPS has clearly poured all available funds back into stocking the shop with the best produce.

The fruit and vegetables, which are laid out on old second-hand tables like in a market or old-fashioned green grocers, are sourced from some of the best farmer’s markets around. There are also selections of handmade breads and cakes as well as most of the usual foodstuffs you would expect to find in a small local supermarket. But if it turns out that there is something that isn’t available customers can simply scribble a note of it up on the blackboard for the managers to see — grapefruit juice, curry powder, lentils and ghee were among the omissions when I visited on Saturday 5 June.

the-peoples-supermarket-sign

Todd was store manager when I made a trip to TPS on Saturday. Delighted at how quickly word of the store was spreading Todd said they had been really busy since the shop opened on Tuesday 1 June, so he was quick to make an appeal for more staff — then he could have a decent lunch break, he told me jokingly. Todd was also happy about TPS’s reception in the local area too, saying that he really felt the whole community was getting behind the project.

Which is good because the setup will make the greatest difference to those who live or work near the shop who will be able to use it fairly often and make the most of the discounts, after paying the £25 membership fee of course. There might be another reason why people will volunteer to work for free at TPS though — an added bonus for some maybe? The running of the shop is to become the subject of a new prime time Channel 4 documentary, which I’m sure will put a shine on the prospect of volunteering for any self-promoting types out there. There are also plans for a cookbook, packed full of recipes for dishes made with ingredients from the shop. I guess lentil curry is out for the time being then!

the-peoples-supermarket-brea

Perhaps the best thing about TPS though, is the whole ‘niceness’ of it all. There has been a wealth of comments on the twittersphere about the enthusiastic staff, the smiling customers, and the general buzz in the air that something new and exciting is happening. Certainly while at university I used to pop along to a small fruit and veg cooperative each week and I remember the more grass roots approach to buying and selling food being an enjoyable experience. And it seems the tweeters were right — the same pleasant atmosphere is already in full swing in Holborn. Katie, a student from the nearby University College London, spotted me taking some pictures outside, “It’s great isn’t it?” she said, “I think it’s the atmosphere which is nicest, I came in on opening day and people were chatting to each other. Chatting to complete strangers — I mean that doesn’t happen in London very often does it?”

Chatting to strangers, volunteering in a supermarket and reaping the benefits and all while being filmed for Channel 4 — I don’t think that happens anywhere very often.

Sayaka-Monji-Robin-Ince
Robin Ince by Sayaka Monji.

I will not tell a lie – I first encountered Robin Ince only last month, clinic when I attended his School for Gifted Children at Bloomsbury Theatre. Yes. I’m a comedy novice. But I do remember that the comedy and literary tents were the very best thing about Latitude when I went two years ago. I really want to go again this year, visit so it seemed a very good idea to catch up with Robin Ince, website like this a Latitude staple since the beginnings of this ever popular Suffolk festival.

Hi Robin, can you tell me how long the Book Club has been involved with Latitude?
We brought the Book Club to Latitude in it’s very first year when it was much smaller and there were not as many things going on. It didn’t have a reputation at that point so it was very quiet and the organisers must have lost a fortune but then everyone left and told their friends how great it was and things grew from there. This is now the 5th year we’ve been going to Latitude.

Did you ever imagine that the Book Club would be so successful?
To start with the it was a bit of an experiment – and in fact when it became a phenomenon so early on it became a bit of a problem. Lots of journalists said very nice things about how it was at the forefront of the “new alternative” scene that had splintered from the mainstream clubs which meant there was a lot of pressure right from the start and if one performance didn’t go well I would worry that I was tarnishing the image of a whole movement. It was sort of the same thing as happened in the 1980s: if one female comic was bad all women comedians suffered reprisals. Soon there were lots of other shows with a similar agenda and I didn’t feel that ours was up to the standard it had been. It got so bad for awhile that I stopped doing the Book Club except at Latitude and as a solo show, and replaced it with the School for Gifted Children series, which brought together scientists and journalists to celebrate great ideas, rather than laughing at weird books such as Mills and Boon from the 1970s. Nowadays the School for Gifted Children has become the main thing I do but I’d like to turn the Book Club into a more regular show again, although I need to think of a new idea.

james-wilson-Robin-Ince
Illustration by James Wilson.

How do you find the Bloomsbury Theatre as a space to perform? I found the lack of toilets hard work because I had to miss part of the performance.
Yes, I’ve heard they’re a bit short on loos for ladies – maybe we should do a fundraiser for extra cubicles?! But I really like performing there because the people who run it are so nice and I get asked to do things in other odd places like the Tate Modern and the British Library. I like good spaces to work in – we did a run at the Museum of London last year and we had ten different things going on all at the same time. There was someone sitting in an Anglo Saxon hut singing and playing the lute whilst someone was performing in the Lord Mayor’s carriage, and so on.

Who can we expect to see performing at the Book Club at Latitude this year?
I have very little idea so far apart from the usual group of people, which includes comediennes Josie Long and Joanna Neary, the singer songwriter Robyn Hitchcock and Kevin Eldon – who did the Big Train sketch series and works with Chris Morris a lot. Steve Pretty will be there with his brass band the Origin of Pieces and we will be joined by other musicians as well. We try to keep it as loose as possible although we usually have themes, for example I am sure there will be a late night section about pulp novels. Last year Robyn Hitchcock instigated an impromptu hour long musical about crabs on the rampage, featuring a trumpet, violinist, and opera singer. It was the first time I worked with him but I think there will be something similar this year.

CrabAttack_GarethAHopkins
Crab Attack by Gareth Hopkins.

How do you pull everyone together? Is it a case of grabbing performers at the festival?
I like to encourage people to work together and festivals offer those rare occasions when you’re all sitting behind a marquee then one person has an idea which can be created on stage with 5 or 6 performers, but can’t be replicated again elsewhere. I love working with such a disparate group of people – musicians, poets, mime artists, people who hang off trees…. it means we can build a performance around lots of different skills. I hope to meet new people each year; sometimes someone will just come up to me as I’m wandering around the fields and we’ll sit down briefly, have a chat and put on a show. I feel like what we do is in the grand tradition of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland – we put on a big show just like they did in the 1940s.

How many shows will the Book Club put on at Latitude?
In the first year at Latitude we did far more performances, but we usually end up doing it five times a day now because more and more people want to perform at the festival so we’ve lost control of the literary tent! But I will be bouncing back and forth, running around the site. I tend to get to bed at 4am after finishing the last show at 3am, then wake at 6am because the sun is turning me into a baked potato in the tent. So I usually get about two hours sleep and then I forget to eat so my blood sugar is really low.

Does your two year old make matters even more hectic?
No, he is such a ray of joy. He’s been to every single Latitude festival since he was born and he loves it. My wife looks after him whilst I’m performing and every now and again he starts to wander towards the stage but she won’t allow him near it – she’s seen what it’s done to me and she doesn’t want it for our child! He loves to do a bit of dancing though.

Natasha-Thompson-Robin-Ince-Tents
Illustration by Natasha Thompson.

What acts are you looking forward to seeing at Latitude this year?
Well, I haven’t seen Belle and Sebastien live for a few years and I absolutely love Kristin Hersh, who is ex Throwing Muses. Last year Nick Cave played an absolutely blinding set on Sunday evening. I’ve never seen Laura Marling but I hear she’s very good live so I’ll try to see her this year, and I want to find out if Dirty Projectors are good or just make an annoying cacophony. In the cabaret tent I look forward to Frisky and Mannish who are an entertaining musical act, and Laura Solon who does a really good character act and won the Perrier (in 2005) This year I’m on the look out for some good dance acts because I don’t feel there’s enough in my own performance. I love that the Bush Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company have a presence at Latitude, though I never have enough time to see them. I try not to go and see lots of things I know unless they’re very special and because I don’t feel under pressure to get my £150 worth of fun I like to shift around the corners of festivals, which is something I learnt very early on at Glastonbury. I like wandering into a tent and discovering something new or being drawn to a noise in the woods. Because I go to so many festivals I usually have the chance to see a performance in another field in Cornwall or Wales if I miss it first time around. It’s great – there used to be three festivals during the summer and all the comedy clubs closed down, but now there’s so much going on.

Are you going to Glastonbury this year?
I’m only spending two days at Glastonbury this year, Saturday and Sunday. For a moment I was a bit worried when U2 cancelled because I thought they might be replaced with a band that I actually like (on Friday night). But I’m not too excited by the Gorillaz so that’s okay.

At this point dear reader I was able to persuade Robin Ince to join us at the Climate Camp tripod stage whilst he is at Glastonbury! Don’t forget to come and visit us above the Green Fields to find out when he will be performing over the weekend. This inevitably led to a conversation about Climate Change.

What are your feelings about promoting the issues behind Climate Change?
I’m not tremendously well informed like someone like Marcus Brigstocke, who’s been on trips around Cape Farewell and seen the evidence face to face – so I have to be quite careful what I say because I don’t know as much. I know that (generally) alternative thinking is very under represented in mainstream media and whilst large numbers of journalists will follow a carefully run PR campaign it’s not the same amongst scientists.

RobinInce_GarethAHopkins_13thJune2010
Robin Ince by Gareth Hopkins.

There are obviously things that I worry about, and things that annoy me in life, and I try to address these without giving hectoring lectures. I don’t think there are any grand solutions so I’m not about to say “now I know the truth” but I hope that my style of a performance can open up an idea. I guess part of my agenda is to make people question things, to open up a dialogue – because if you hear about something from someone who is passionate about it you might then be inspired to go down to your local bookshop and find out more. Whether it is about particle physics, evolutionary biology or whatever.

What about the comedy/liberal/science community that you seem to be so much a part of – do you all hang out together outside of performances?
Yes, we all get on, and for instance I will pop around to Ben Goldacre‘s flat to talk about stuff – but one of my favourite things is when we are all backstage in the green room and everyone is excited to learn things from everyone else. It’s just so great to have people like cartoonist Alan Moore and the musician Darren Hayman (who was featured in Amelia’s Magazine fact fans) handing out with all the scientists. One of the best things about what I do is learning new stuff, and I love the cross fertilisation that happens. It can be quite bleak as a comedian but the positives definitely outweigh the downsides and it’s far better than a “real job” because you can make your own opportunities. I hate that within most forms of art the main aim is fame, which is about the most negative aim you can have; you must love what you do first of all – for example Josie Long has got more and more passionate about the importance of feminism.

So, twitter. I know you’re a big user, and a lot of comedians seem to be. What is your view on the power of the tweet?
Well, you can easily become accidental friends with people and then end up meeting up with them, which is great. It’s very good for getting ideas out there, for instance every single day the people I follow post articles that I would have missed, but I think that people should be careful when campaigning against something, and make sure it is an important issue or twitter will cease to become a good tool of rebellion. I also think it’s easy to get a very partisan view of things on twitter because we usually talk to those who are like minded so it’s easy to think that everyone agrees. Essentially I’m all about ideas so I like to be bombarded with them every single day so that by the time I go to bed I am thoroughly confused.

You can read a previous review of the School for Gifted Children here, and catch Robin Ince off on tour around the festival circuit this summer, including of course Latitude and Glastonbury. You can book tickets for his next School for Gifted Children performance on 14th July at the Bloomsbury Theatre here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday June 14th, 2010 6:33 pm

Categories ,Alan Moore, ,BBC, ,belle and sebastian, ,Ben Goldacre, ,Big Train, ,Bloomsbury Theatre, ,Book Club, ,British Library, ,Bush Theatre, ,Cape Farewell, ,Chris Morris, ,Climate Camp, ,comedy, ,Crabs, ,Darren Hayman, ,dirty projectors, ,festival, ,Frisky and Mannish, ,Gareth Hopkins, ,glastonbury, ,James Wilson, ,Joanna Neary, ,Josie Long, ,Kevin Eldon, ,Kirsten Hersh, ,latitude, ,Laura Marling, ,Laura Solon, ,Marcus Brigstocke, ,Mills and Boon, ,museum of london, ,Natasha Thompson, ,Nick Cave, ,Perrier, ,Robin Ince, ,Robyn Hitchcock, ,RSC, ,Sayaka Monji, ,School for Gifted Children, ,Steve Pretty, ,Tate Modern, ,Throwing Muses

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney of Lord Whitney

Lord Whitney by Liam Henry.

Lord Whitney are not your average design team: within the space of just a few years, this unique partnership between trained graphic designers Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney has carved out an eye-catching niche within the worlds of set design, art direction and prop making – all from their base – an old mill in Leeds. They have just relaunched their website and are busy preparing for an exhibition created with the help of illustrator Jack Hudson: an entire back catalogue of LP covers designed to promote the sounds of fictitious musical artists. ‘The exhibition will launch you into a sonic time warp where only the best bits from an era rich in music and visuals are permitted. Doves will cry. Hair will spontaneously perm.’ I decided to find out more…

Lord Whitney. Photo by Liam Henry
Lord Whitney. Studio photography by Liam Henry.

How did you two meet and decide to work together, and what creative (and other) parameters did you decide on when you created Lord Whitney?
We met at University studying Graphic Art and Design in Leeds where the first project we ever worked on together was creating a giant 3D theatre set, combining our skills in photography and illustration. As well as a distinctive style we shared a sense of humour, a vision of what we wanted to do and big dance moves! It was the first time that either of us had worked in this way and we never looked back.

Lord Whitney_ELECTRIC BOY
In 2009, Lord Whitney was formed with the enjoyment of creating, working for ourselves and constant curiosity in mind as key elements. We consider the last 4 years to be the biggest adventure of our lives, it has taken us to some weird and wonderful places and we have had some great experiences.

Lord Whitney Skeleton
Your work encompasses illustration, photography and set design: how do you balance the various elements, especially when responding to a brief from a client?
Essentially when we work on a commission basis, the brief generally dictates the most suitable response, so the balance can vary a lot. It’s nice on a day-to-day basis to have that variation as we never do the same thing twice. For our own briefs it’s much more about playing around, being instinctive and having fun with creating work. It’s a very natural process that’s usually determined by what we get most excited about that day.

Lord Whitney Skeleton
What narrative or symbolic elements keep reappearing in your work and why?
Our work often involves elements of our childhoods – whether conscious or subconscious. We enjoy the escapism, child-like-ness, playful and enjoyable elements, which is part of us not taking life too seriously! Other themes do seem to creep into our work regularly – fairytales, nonsense, magic, the surreal. We’re always keen to take people outside of their normal world.

Lord Whitney - Anatomy of a Lion
Do you have other people working with you full time or do you bring various creatives in to work with you on different challenges? What kind of things do you look for from a team member?
Over the years we’ve worked with a lot of different people, generally something just clicks with certain people, which is why we enjoying collaborating. We’re surrounded by so many skilled people, including other artists and studios, which really enriches the quality of all our work.

Lord Whitney_LIAM_HENRY
We recently have had two additions to our little team. A project manager and assistant are with us part time who support the everyday running of the studio, allowing us to focus on the creative side of our work. We also have a good relationship and contacts with students and graduates, as the support and experience we can offer them (as well as vice versa) is something we feel strongly about. Leaving University as an artist is a daunting prospect.

Mock 'n' Roll by Lord Whitney and Jack Hudson
You have recently collaborated with illustrator Jack Hudson, how did that come about and where can people see the results?
Jack has been a friend of ours for a while and we have always admired his work. So when he suggested a new challenge we jumped at the chance. Jack came up to our studio last October for four fun, paint-fuelled days, which was so great just to get stuck into something of our own. I think it really fired something up in us both. Jack has just come up again to work on a new project with us, ‘Mock ‘n’ Roll‘. Together we have created an entire back catalogue of LP cover designs for a series of fictitious musical artists. This will be exhibited at the Leeds Gallery from 27th April – 7th May. This exhibition will launch you into a sonic time warp where only the best bits from an era rich in music and visuals are permitted.

Lord Whitney_LIAM_HENRY
Can you describe your studio set up?
We are surrounded by collections of weird and wonderful objects, paint palettes, old junk, props we’ve made, and always with a cup of tea at hand.

Lord Whitney_Studio
In 2011 we were lucky to find and take over the top floor of an old leather mill just out of Leeds city centre. Partly due to financial and practical reasons, but mainly from our own curiosity, we searched empty buildings high and low before falling in love with the place we now call home. This year we are hoping to open the studio to more events, exhibitions and getting other artists into the space, which is something we’re really excited about. We also intend to complete our vision of turning part of our studio into a real life tree-house!

Lord Whitney_Christmas
Thanks for your Christmas postcard set, which comprised of a variety of photos depicting possible christmas disasters: what inspired this alternative Christmas message?
Creating Christmas cards every year is one of our favourite projects. This years concept came from talking about past Christmas quiz’s (a staple event in both the Lord & Whitney households) and remembering some absurd, but true, facts about christmas accidents. Once we’re in stitches (no pun intended!) it usually means we have the right concept. We figured that if we found it funny and surprising, other people might too. A lot of our work relates to our playful interest in dark humour and how slightly sinister situations can be funny.

Lord Whitney_Christmas
You are based in Leeds and are firm advocates for creative talent based in the North – why and how has this become integral to your work?
A lot of it comes down to stubbornness! We really love living in the North and it was a conscious decision to stay here post-Uni. Not a lot would happen here if everybody decided to go to London, which seems to be the natural step/what most graduates veer towards. The art scene in Leeds is really starting to evolve and we love being a part of that. On a practical level it also means there isn’t as much pressure financially, which allows us more freedom creatively and in our decision making.

Lord Whitney_Portrait
I hear you have some exciting new plans to launch a new bar called Society of Sorts: can you tell us a bit more about it?
It’s in the early stages at the moment but is something we’re really excited about. The uniqueness of the bar will be down to it being a cooperative run by creatives. The concept focuses on bringing together a group of people with very different backgrounds and talents to work together on a new venture for us all. We love working collaboratively so this is a dream project for us.

Essentially Society of Sorts is a bar where music and arts events are key to push for the bar to become a truly cultural venue; evolving from day to evening, seasonally and through the variety of events. There will be a whole range of things happening – from live music based nights with specialist DJs or bands to talks and screenings. We can hold gatherings and parties but also exhibitions, food based events, secret nights and even bedtime stories. We’re all keen for it to have a sort of secret society vibe offering a very different bar experience, especially from what we are used to in the North. Keep an eye out for some intriguing visuals and symbols popping up all over the city of Leeds and beyond!

Lord Whitney_MOOSE
Which festivals and events will you be doing this year? Any top tips for those still undecided about what to attend?
Body & Soul in Ireland is one of the best small independent festivals we worked at last year. It’s one of those festivals that’s great if you are looking for something different, which we love. We’re really into those smaller festivals where you feel like you could discover anything, and fits in with our love for experiences out of normal life. Beacons in Yorkshire is a great little festival which is local to us and is growing and becoming more ambitious each year, we’re sure to be there!

Lord Whitney Spirit Animal
You are planning a big exhibition based on Folklore and traditions in the north: why do you find these so intriguing and what is the most outrageous custom we might not know about?
We’re interested in reminiscing on the past, and unfortunately not that many people widely take an interest in history. We think it’s important to know about where you come from, but the topic is also very visually exciting to us (vivid imagery, eccentric British, nonsensical, which we love). Historical aspects and traditions developing as folklore is an intriguing subject to us. Especially when it can include anything from a ‘long sword dance’ to a Yorkshire pudding boat race!

Lord Whitney with JackHudson - A Step Into The Third Dimmension
Lord Whitney with Jack Hudson – A Step Into The Third Dimension.

Your new website has just launched: what does it feature?
We’ve had our heads down working hard for over a year, so we thought it was definitely time to showcase our most up to date work. Expect to see Nonsense, giant eyeballs and steps into new dimensions!

Lord Whitney with Jack Hudson – A Step Into The Third Dimension.

What would you say sets Lord Whitney apart from other creatives working in a similar realm?
Location is one thing, as there isn’t really anyone doing the same thing in this region. Also our process of working – collaborative, inclusive, playful, fun, friendly and not taking ourselves too seriously. There’s a big cross-over of different techniques and mediums which means we are not limited to one way of working, making us adaptable to each project rather than specialised in just one field. We’re artists with a studio mentality.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday April 5th, 2013 1:27 pm

Categories ,3D Design, ,A Step Into The Third Dimension, ,Amy Lord, ,Art Direction, ,Beacons, ,Body & Soul, ,festival, ,Graphic Art and Design, ,interview, ,Jack Hudson, ,leeds, ,Leeds Gallery, ,Liam Henry, ,Lord Whitney, ,Mock ‘n’ Roll, ,Rebekah Whitney, ,Set Design, ,Society of Sorts

Amelia’s Magazine | Diamond Mine by Jon Hopkins and King Creosote. A review and interview with Jon Hopkins.

Jon Hopkins King Creosote cover
Diamond Mine was released in the UK a few months ago and came out in the US only recently, for sale so I hope that some of my readers will already have heard it for it is without doubt one of the most wonderful pieces of music I have heard in many years. And I don’t say that lightly. The album is a collaboration between Fife based folk singer songwriter King Creosote and Royal College of Music graduate Jon Hopkins, viagra approved who specialises in electronica.

Jon Hopkins and King Creosote by Gareth A Hopkins.

King Creosote is the driving force behind the fabulous Fence Records collective and runs HomeGame Festival in Fife, viagra buy a cult destination for many a muso. Jon Hopkins collaborates with the likes of Coldplay and Brian Eno. Together they really have made something exceptionally special, a sprawling re-imagining of King Creosote songs from across the years, bittersweet lyrics offset with a lushly atmospheric backdrop that includes the sounds of real life. I caught up with both Kenny ‘King Creosote’ Anderson and Jon Hopkins to find out how this unique partnership came about, and what the process of making Diamond Mine was like. First up here’s Jon:

When and where did you first hear King Creosote’s music? Did you fall in love immediately or was it a slow gradual thing?
A friend of mine kept putting Kenny And Beth’s Musakal Boat Rides on at parties and stuff. It took me a while to get into, it had such a different sound to the more polished things I was used to. It grew on me quickly but it was when I first heard his much harder-to-find album Psalm Clerk that I became a massive fan.

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins by Felice Perkins.

This album was produced over a number of years… how has that process worked in reality? How many times have you managed to meet up, and are there any memorable moments from those meetings?
The album probably took about 6 or 7 weeks in total, but hugely spread out. We recorded most of the vocals in one go, then collected sounds from all over the place to build up the backdrops. We’re friends predominantly so we meet a fair few times a year, sometimes we record, sometimes we sit around talking nonsense and consuming fruit beers.

You talk about the songs tapping into the “sweet sadness” of everyday life, and I think this is the first album in so long that has made me almost want to cry. Why do you think that Kenny’s voice is so evocative? And how have you done your best to encourage those emotions he defines so well?
For me it’s something in the accent, the phrasing, the lyrics, and the fact that there aren’t any singers that sound like him. On this record I wanted to kind of build these sonic worlds for that voice to live in, if you can forgive the pretentiousness of that sentence. The crucial thing was never to add any parts that would detract from the voice.

Jon Hopkins. Photo by Steve Gullick.

Where does your female choir come from?
It is just one voice layered many times, that of Lisa Elle, who harmonises with Kenny throughout the record. I liked the idea of making her sound like a choir of sirens, in keeping with the whole seafaring thing – that is what the end section of John Taylor’s Month Away is supposed to be.

Some of the tracks feature a backdrop of normal daytime noises against which Kenny’s vocals are overlaid. Why did you decide to do this? And where were these recorded?
I liked the idea of dropping the listener into the reality of the world that these songs come from. All the field recordings are from the fishing villages in Fife around the place Kenny has spent his life. It’s a big part of the record, and is a technique I’ve been using on my own stuff for a while too.

Jon Hopkins and King Creosote by Lorna Scobie.

What was the best part of visiting Kenny in Fife?
I’ve been visiting that part of the world regularly for 7 years now; Kenny and his friends organise an incredible music festival there every year, which attracts some amazing artists. Too many amazing memories to list, plus most are unprintable.

Will you and Kenny be working again, and if so what have you got planned?
We have been thinking about a follow-up, yes. No definite ideas or plans yet though. This is not a project we tend to move quickly on.

Listen to a taster of the album here:

Next up, my interview with the equally fabulous King Creosote…

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday June 3rd, 2011 11:13 am

Categories ,album, ,brian eno, ,Coldplay, ,Diamond Mine, ,electronica, ,Felice Perkins, ,Fence Records, ,festival, ,Fife, ,folk, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,HomeGame, ,interview, ,Jon Hopkins, ,Kenny And Beth’s Musakal Boat Rides, ,Kenny Anderson, ,King Creosote, ,Lorna Scobie, ,Psalm Clerk, ,review, ,Royal College of Music, ,scotland, ,Sirens, ,Steve Gullick

Amelia’s Magazine | Into The Wild Summer Festival 2014: Review

Into The Wild Festival Festival 2014

Last Spring I felt a strong desire and intention to start exploring the world of Summer Festivals. This was rather out of character for someone who, a little embarrassingly, at the age of 33 has consistently managed to avoid most of the UK large Summer Festivals. The one time I braved going to one before, I hated bits of the experience so much, it made me wonder why people put themselves through it. Being the daughter of a woman who hated camping, I have no practical skills to bring to life my lovely fantasy of natural living in the fields and navigating vast expanses of muddy territory amidst drunken folk will never become appealing to me. But, to my delight, it seems that every year more and more much smaller, quieter, manageable and family friendly field gatherings keep popping up! These were the kind I had my eye on this summer.

Pond Into The Wild Festival

Into The Wild Summer Festival was one of my chosen destinations. It was a beautiful small scale event in Broomlands, Cowden, East Sussex during the August Bank Holiday weekend with a strict no drugs and no alcohol policy. Its workshops schedule covered a wide variety of interests from Yoga to Movement Medicine, Five Rhythms, Shamanism, Bioenergetics, Drumming Journeys, Foraging, Massage, Rebirthing, Singing, Chanting, Storytelling and much more. I felt that these types of activities were a perfect complement to a weekend camping in the embrace of a forest away from the city. They reconnected us with our bodies, grounded us and reminded us of parts of ourselves we often forget to nurture during our busy daily schedules.

Anthony Gogh Into The Wild Festival

People Train Into The Wild Festival

Head Massage Scene Into The Wild Festival

Circle Gathering Into The Wild Festival

Body Contact Improvisation Into The Wild Festival

During the day adults and children played, cared for each other, shared music, stories, rituals and tears that came up, or just sat down in small groups holding hands for a while saying nothing. There was no shortage of smiles to go around and as the night approached there were even more opportunities to bond with strangers around the various campfires. One night I stayed up late wandering and as I joined a fire circle I had the joy of witnessing a young man dancing to the voices and drumming of the group as if he had no single fear in his heart.

The Big Love Experience Seth Newman Into The Wild Festival 3

The Big Love Experience Seth Newman Into The Wild Festival 1

The Big Love Experience Seth Newman Into The Wild Festival 2

Some workshops, like Seth Newman’s of Bioenergetic Alchemy The Big Love Experience, made a grand promise through their title, but this was a truly heart opening session. As we were led through a series of bioenergetics exercises a gazillion of emotions came up for each and every one of us to be released, loved and shared with a sea of other human beings.

Tantric Trance Dance seth Newman Into The Wild Festival 2

Tantric Trance Dance Seth Newman 1 Into The Wild Festival

Seth Newman had another offering for the more brave among us called Tantric Trance Dance. This ‘dance’ event was wildly liberating, hilarious and profoundly touching at the same time! I found it delightful that on a Sunday afternoon we found ourselves blindfolded, naked (the majority anyway) and expressing our wild-man, wild-woman natures with abandon. For me there was also a beautiful teaching to take back home with me. One third of this journey was a super powerful shake, and so, by shaking so much the upper half of the body, while having our feet planted firmly on the ground, we not only moved away from tensions and thoughts ‘up there’, but we also embodied the nature of life itself; the ever changing, ‘shaky’ reality of our every day lives resting on the solid basis of an eternal, unchangeable nature within. We might have read about this duality in books and half understood it intellectually, but during this process we embodied it and it became a deeper understanding, remembered in the cells of our bodies. Mindfully sucking on strawberries at the end was a lovely bonus. If after your Halloween celebrations you feel there is more exploring to do into your wild and darker side, then join a special Tantric Trance Dance event in London on the 8th of November!

Hula Hooping with Amy HoopLoving Into The Wild Festival

There were tons of other activities and workshops on offer, which perhaps did not take us to those deeper depths of our souls, but were equally healing. I LOVE hoola hooping and trying it out in different ways with Amy Hooploving was a joy!

Stephen Meakin Sacred Geometry Into The Wild Festival

We also joined Stephen Meakin on a little forest expedition to gather materials with which we made beautiful dream catchers.

Kids Tent Shamanic Drums Into The Wild Festival

I think it is so important for ‘city’ mums that they take their little ones out into the wilderness often and attending small festivals is a great way to do that.

Lucy Mills Transcendental Painting workshop Into The Wild Festival

I loved watching the lovely Lucy Mills – whom I had met in London at one of her super fun Paint Dance London events – lead these toddlers into some brush stroke action!

Pleebles Art Workshop with Carl Sullivan Into The Wild Festival

I believe I encountered a future talent in the world of illustration at Carl Sullivan‘s Pleebles drawing workshop.

Puppet Show Workshop with Anita Myatt Into The Wild Festival

Puppet Show Workshop with Anita Myatt 2 Into The Wild Festival

Anita Myatt‘s Puppet Show workshops made me want to get in there and sew a puppet sock too!

Laughing Lion Playshop with Lily Laughley Into The Wild Festival

I am not sure what the idea behind Lily Laughley‘s Laughing Lion Playshop was exactly, but the costumes looked fun.

Morning Gloryville Into The Wild Festival

I adore the idea of a rave first thing in the morning and was thrilled to find out that on Saturday and Sunday we would be starting our days with the morning clubbing sensation that is Morning Gloryville.

Boris Austin Into The Wild Festival

I was also thrilled I managed to get Boris Ausitn, one of Morning Gloryville‘s team, to pose for me with his fabulous necklace on made from colourful plastic whistles.

MARIA PAPADIMITRIOU BY BORIS AUSTIN

Boris Austin turned out to be a photographer and asked me to pose for him in return so that he could make a portrait of me. I love how the foliage is filling up my head, as if nature is doing a little spring clean to my brain.

Darryl Black Into The Wild Festival

More fashion related fun came from stambling upon Darryl Black‘s tent shop. I have followed and admired her wonderful upcycled clothing online for some time now, but it was such a pleaure to meet her in person and see her designs up close.

Urubu Into The Wild Festival

The lovely atmosphere created by all the above continued well into the night with live bands and djs playing in the main festival tent until late. It was lush to have the opportunity to dance surrounded by nature to the wild rhythms and drum beats created by the Urubu Collective, whose dances I have enjoyed many times in London.

Formidable Vegetable Sound System Into The Wild Festival

On the last night I was wowed by an Australian band called Formidable Vegetable Sound System. They made us jump up and down as well as laugh out loud with their energetic songs and quirky commentary in between, mixing up biology, permaculture and the human condition in a hilarious mashup.

ladies in wood circle Into The Wild Festival

Throughout the festival everyone was talking about and visiting an ancient chestnut tree, hidden nearby in the forest. So, on Monday morning, before leaving, myself and two female companions made our way to give a long ‘hug’ goodbye to this goddess. And then, just at the last minute I received a last precious gift from this festival experience; as I was waiting by our van for my co travelers, heavy rain pouring down, Bibi Habibi, our friendly neighbour – who, as it turned out, was a professional storyteller – sat me under his caravan porch, made me a cup of ginger tea with honey and placed a candle under my chair to suck out anything negative – as he informed me. He then started performing in front me while I listened to him, with a heart wide open from everything which had occurred those last couple of days, crying and at the same time feeling like a really excited young child who was hearing of the wonders of this world for the first time. He told me an old story of a woman, up on the Spanish mountains, whose feelings were so powerful that the weather shifted according to them, and a new story of ‘Princess Maria’ and her meeting with the Dragon…

Photography by Maria Papadimitriou, The Big Love Experience and Tantric Trance Dance workshops photography by Kevin Stoney, portrait of myself by Boris Austin.

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Tuesday October 7th, 2014 8:38 pm

Categories ,Amy Hooploving, ,Anita Myatt, ,Bioenergetics, ,Boris Austin, ,Carl Sullivan, ,Darryl Black, ,dreamcatchers, ,Ecstatic Dance, ,festival, ,Forest, ,Formidable Vegetable Sound System, ,Hula Hoop, ,Into the Wild, ,Into The Wild Summer Festival, ,Kevin Stoney, ,Lily Laughley, ,Lucy Mills, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Morning Gloryville, ,One Giant Leap, ,Pleebles, ,review, ,Seth Newman, ,Stephen Meakin, ,sustainability, ,Tantric Trance Dance, ,The Big Love Experience, ,Urubu, ,workshops

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