Friday 4th August, South Bank
I’m a huge fan of Polly, the woman beside me says: she’s the best in the business. We’re sitting on the far left of a crowded semi-circle that cups the stage. I can’t hear her exacts words, which are drowned out by both the frank invitations of Khia’s My Neck, My Back and the murmuring crowd around us. Continue reading “Miss Polly Rae: Between the Sheets”
Wednesday 26th July, Royal Albert Hall
Prom 16 saw the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, with guest conductor Ilan Volkov, exploring human drama across four programmatic pieces. Liszt was compared and contrasted to Mussorgky; and a new piano concerto by Julian Anderson was premiered. With melodramatic highs, melancholic woes, and thrills in between, this was a night for awe and wonder. Continue reading “In the Arena: Prom 16 with the BBC SSO”
Tuesday 6th June, Shepherd’s Bush
Nikki Lane is the self-proclaimed Queen of Outlaw Country. At least from this side of the pond, it seems a deserved title. Apt too, if you’re a fan of her retro, swaggering sound. Lane’s current tour follows the release of her slickest album yet, Highway Queen. Continue reading “Nikki Lane – Live at Bush Hall”
Monday 29th May to Sunday 4th June, Various Locations
Block Universe, London’s international performance art festival, is now in its third year running. For one week, a truly cosmopolitan line-up of contemporary, multimedia art was presented across London’s diverse institutions and venues. The programme included five newly commissioned and site-specific performances, four UK premieres, exclusive artist talks, and workshops. Continue reading “Block Universe 2017 – Our Thoughts”
Sunday 4th June, Hackney
St Leonard’s Church, intersecting Shoreditch and Hackney, appears to be an awkward island of Georgian England in a sea of proto-gentrification. Round the back, however, is another story. Here the chic shops peter out, the grimy buildings give way to red-brick grandeur. The church garden blooms. Continue reading “Choreography for the Running Male – Egle Budvytyte”
