Jack Defrosts The Fridge

Well in terms of big fat juicy gigs, The Fridge officially had it’s cherry popped yesterday by Jack Peñate. With support from Brooklynite Theophilus London, he brought in the crowds in a pretty spectacular manner – we even spotted Matthew Horne from Gavin and Stacey in the midst.

Still dragging the stench of dry-cleaning with me, we whipped over from the Ritzy to ensure we played witness to what we hope becomes a regular occurrence from now on. There’s no doubt it’s the perfect venue, (perhaps to fill an Astoria-sized hole?) but the more gigs going on that we can just stroll home from the better. Yeah, yeah call us lazy.

We also got a chance to catch up with Fridge owner Andrew Czezowski, sharply zoot-suited and booted, who’s also hoping that Jack’s decision (he’s a Dulwich boy so he’s practically local) to play at The Fridge will start the ball rolling. Andrew also filled us in on his new night F.A.K.E. that kicks off on Friday the 13th and will regularly showcase some of the upcoming bands on the scene. But I’ll get to that later – it’s Friday evening, I can’t blog on forever!

B-R-I-X-T-O-N

Ooh yesterday was a busy night in B-Town. Being last Thursday of the month and all that, it was of course Rodigan time at the Hoot, but on top of that Post War Years were down at The Rest Is Noise and The Fridge was getting it’s first proper gig on (more on that later).

But I decided to don my freshly dry-cleaned coat and head down to the recently refurbished Upstairs at The Ritzy, reeking like perchloroethylene (is fresh dry-cleaning supposed to smell like a vat of nuclear waste?) for the return of The Illersapiens Soul Jam session.

We’ve mentioned The Illersapiens on here before but I don’t think we’ve waxed lyrical about them properly yet. I think the general consensus at My Brixton HQ is that they’re off the scale. They won us over at the Brixton Splash back in August, especially when they unleashed their track ‘Brixton’ and we unofficially made it our national anthem (B-R-I-X-T-O-N you dunno!). Their EP is most definitely worth checking out here – it’s only  £3.95 on iTunes and for that price you can floss Jay-Z style cause ‘money ain’t a thang’…

But rather then try and explain how tight the band are, how lyrically adept Mr. Man is and how goosebump-inducing Katy B’s vocals are just check this out:

So after a fresh set from them, the stage was open for anyone wanting to come up and jam along, whether singing, playing, emceeing…and this is Brixton y’know, so the talent is fresh. It’s a monthly affair guys, so make sure you book the date for the  next one- Thursday November 19th.

Ivan has retreated, the rest is noise.

Ooh what Jeff Koonsian window display do we have here?

Well after The Flourmill and Flirkin, The Goose and more recently Ivan’s Retreat the pub perhaps best known as the place gig goers flock to when the house lights go on inside Brixton Academy and all that’s left is plastic cup ands mosh-pit debris, has been handed over to new management…again!

The paint on the sign is still fresh: The Rest Is Noise has taken over.  And it seems to be in good hands, now under the management of 580, the company behind The Lock Tavern, Field Day and New Cross’ Amersham Arms. Having kitted out the pub with a decent stage and powerhouse soundsystem built from Notting Hill Carnival leftovers (hmmm…you know what us Brixtonians like), we’re now looking at a pretty decent timetable of events.

Yeah, as you can see there’s loads. But we definitely need to check out the Wednesday night Blacker Dread residency as there’s no way the legendary Coldharbour Lane record store can let us down playing some serious reggae. And this Saturday we’re getting amongst others SCUM and My Tiger My Timing…oh we’re so spoilt!

Drawing Circles Around Brixton

It all started with a dinner at HIVE, which, I have to say was lovely – friendly, cute staff, great service, cool interior and a few mojitos. That kinda set the mood for wanting more from the night, which led to a casual stroll down to the MANGO LANDIN’. For some reason, I always seem to turn up at Mango Landin’ on a funk night. Or maybe it’s always a funk night there, I haven’t quite figured it out. The DJ was hitting us with some classic jams that you can’t help but love.

Rum became the order of the night, and that mixed with James Brown just took it up a notch. Craving for something a little bit more dingy (we mean that in a nice way) we hauled our arses down to the DOGSTAR – I love the Dogstar’s random mix of music – Girls Aloud one minute, Nirvana the next.

A smoke break later and we found ourselves chatting to Katie, the singer from Brixton’s own Illersapiens, – if you didn’t see them at the Brixton Splash, you missed. She was there with her friend Abe Amparo, who we discovered is a very young and talented artist.

Brixton-born and raised, Abe is very handy with a pencil (and lovely in person I might add). Her drawings and technique are out of this world, a mash-up of ridiculous photo-realism and surrealist imagery.

I managed to catch her debut show – under her artist’s name T.S. Abe – at the Electric Blue gallery in East London – yes it’s a Northern Line ride away but this Brixtonian’s work is worth the trip. Take a look for yourself.

Tell me what’s going on?

It’s been months now and I’m still hearing people whisper on the bus – ok that’s a lie – people talking on the bus, ‘What’s up with all this diggin’ bizness and construction bizness in the centre of town?’.

I’ll tell you what’s going on, we are getting a newly designed town square due for completion by spring 2010 and a reworking of the traffic flow. We are talking about a sleek open square with trees and lighting that provides a space for all manners of public expression for everyone. I can’t wait to be surprised by the events that might take place once the square is finished. Looking forward to this: ‘For sure for sure’.

BRIXTON! BACKWARDS NEVER, FORWARDS FOREVER!

For more info, check out here and here.

Brixton Gives Pound

The Brixton pound is here. It officially launches today at Lambeth Town Hall where the final design will be revealed. Olive Morris, Vincent Van Gogh and James Lovelock are among some of the locals who’s likenesses are being used on the notes. Go here to find to more: http://brixtonpound.wordpress.com

The 12 Tone crew @ the Jamm on 20/08/09

Passing by the so missed  Woolworth around 8pm, I heard some jam and thought “hold on , RED’s closed?! Few more steps and bumped into the 12 Tone crew..

Just like back in Jun…giving us a little taste of what Tomorow night will be!

My Brixton will definitely be there for a drink and some  good live music tomorow 20th from8.00pm-1.00am  at the Jamm – 261 Brixton Road, London, SW9 6LH

Line up: United Vibrations, Benin City and the 12tone Brass Band

£3 b4 9
£5 after
ALL PROFITS GO TOWARDS BUILDING A SELF-SUFFICIENT HOUSING CO-OP IN LONDON.

RITZY’S BILLBOARD

If this morning, you have smiled at this:

and have been wondering or even speculating, on what what the deal, with other Brixtonians… only to come back to Brixton to find out that:

well My Brixton found out that from Tomorow 20/08/09 until the 31/08/09, the Ritzy is raising some money for Pan Uk a non-profit organisation who works nationally and internationally to reduce the use of pesticide in order to provide food and meet public health needs without dependence on toxic chemicals and without harm to food producers and agricultural workers.

Here is the deal: £5 per word on the billboard – 3 messages per day (from 6am to 2pm / from 2pm to 6pm and from 6pm to 10pm). The money raised will entirely go to helps improve Niger’s water.

Thanks to the lovely lady down at the Ritzy who took the time to brief me on this.

And Xpress Yo’self!

Folk Night At The Windmill (for Emilie)

Alright! A friend from France recently came to stay with me for a few weeks and as anyone who cares to spend some time in Brixton, she was seduced by the town and the events it puts on. Well, we all know Summer in Brixton is a bit of a treat! She was particularly impressed by the number of  live music venues within a couple of miles radius of my humble little house, the closest one being the Windmill:

22 Blenheim Gardens SW2 5BZ

 The Windmill is small but mighty; over the recent years, it has seen acts, such as Bloc Party, Hard-Fi, Ladyhawk, The Magic Numbers, Noah & The Whale, Ok Go and much much more, so it’s worth taking an interest…

Follow the link in our right column for more info

Back to the story… One sunny day, walking home from the town center, my friend and I stop to look at the numerous posters stuck outside The Windmill informing us about the upcoming events. I look at my friend, her eyes lit up, she spotted something, withing seconds, an expression of disappointment flashes across her face; she saw the date! She won’t be here to see it! What she had seen, I learn as we walk on, is the name of Mariee Sioux; she had caught her on the festival circuit in France and had been charmed by the voice of the songstress from Nevada City in California. She made me promise to go, and not being one to break a deal, I did:

Mariee Sioux

 Alone with a guitar, on the stage that usually looks so tiny, but not that night, she sang the tales of some fantastical kingdom in a land far far away. It had been a while since I had listened to folk music but I was enchanted by her voice, so calm and pure, and her whimsical lyrics.

She performed a few titles, including Burried In Teeth, Two Tongues and my personal favourite Flowers And Blood.

I will not say anymore because I think she is one to be discovered, I will just leave you with the wise words that we found on the wall of the smoking den outside:

Sorry you weren't here Emile! ;0(

 

Reports Of A Splash!

So… We went, we saw, we ate, we drank, we danced and the sun shone! Another lovely weekend in Brixton Town!

Coldharbour Lane

The Brain behind MyBrixton

Spot the bouffant...

Oooh! Another member of team Mybrixton

Go! Go! Go! Go!

Atlantic Road

FOOD!!!

Yup! The music was pretty LOUD!!!

Hope you had fun ;0)