Journal
Anyone who says they don't like karaoke needs to go and sit in a puddle because their pants are on fire. It's only a question of how much refreshment is needed to break through the threshold of inhibition before The Great American Songbook is being...
Journal
Steely cold heartbreak, breathless haunting urban sass - FKA Twigs ('formerly known as' simply Twigs) recalls Grimes by way of Sade, mainstream r&b via The xx's ghostly minimalism. Fitting then, that the Gloucestershire-born London-based...
The Edit
Hello sailor. Taking place this weekend, Josie and Rob da Bank's family festival may go by the name of Camp Bestival, but its grown-up counterpart Bestival would do well to share its moniker this year. Born in 2003 with the mantra of being all a...
Journal
Rules, protocols, accepted conventions, norms... BORING! Whatever your opinion of The xx, they're a 21st century band doing it entirely their own way. Free from the shackles of guitar band ritual, the Wandsworth trio have dared to craft their own...
Journal
Most people probably don't, or won't, remember their 20th birthday. You'll have been having too much fun. You're young, up on the latest trends, determined to have a fucking good time, at all costs. Fast forward twenty years and you'll probably be...
Journal
Having been regularly attending gigs in Manchester for 22 years (a mixture of showing my age and starting early), there's scant that can surprise in terms of the city's venues. I've encountered the great, the not-so-great and the down-right shoddy...
Journal
It was late-2009, early 2010 when I fell in love. A spiral of bewildering Tumblr blogs, brimming with collages and post-political meanderings led to a sparsely recorded primal scream of a pop song, set to monochrome war footage and a zeppelin...
Journal
100 things you'll never hear a DJ shout during a set #69: "somebody call this party an ambulance"... Ambulances at raves typically mean all's not well, however, the one we stumbled across at this year's Sónar was more about dancing than...
Journal
For any music lover, lost classics are the Holy Grail. Years spent digging through crates of vinyl in a bid to upstage your friends and peers - an unheard gem, a rare b-side; it's like scientists and conservationists spending months camped in...
Music
These days any old Tom, Dick or Harry can foist their dubious artistic talents onto the unsuspecting general public. If you've got enough patience to write 90,000 words that more or less relate to one another, you can self-publish your book. Are you...
Journal
Joining a growing roll call of metropolitan festivals in 2007, celebrating the city's 800th birthday, we dropped in on Live at Leeds as it hosted its 7th annual session over the May bank holiday. The festival may be a mere puppy in festival years -...
The Edit
It's a popular criticism of art that it takes itself too seriously – not a charge that can be levelled at illustrator Jack Hudson and set/prop-design magicians Lord Whitney regarding their project Mock 'N' Roll. Inspired by famous album covers...
Dispatches
With works spanning the design of buildings, landscapes, installations, exhibitions and objects, the projects of Asif Khan MBE explore sites of complex narratives, community empowerment and questions of identity. Collaborating with Canada Water and...
City Notes
Inspired by the golden age of nightlife, Calgary's Sweet Loretta Bar nods to the throbbing energy of 1970s discos and vintage sound studios, the late-night venue situated in the city's design and arts district and offering an inclusive space for...
City Notes
Located within Newson’s Yard — a recently conceived design hub on the Pimlico Road in London’s Belgravia — Wildflowers is a new neighbourhood restaurant, wine bar and deli with a focus on seasonal, high-quality ingredients cooked over...
City Notes
Chef Santiago Lastra's latest venture sees London-based A-nrd Studio create a metaphorical home-away-from-home, where the locally inspired fare and affable atmosphere of family-owned Mexican restaurants unite with a contemporary twist informed by...
Dispatches
Looking for that vibrant green look that you see on the internet? Well, with the best lawn care experts, these grasses can now be within your reach. You’ll be able to turn your garden a serene outdoor retreat with the lush lawn underneath your...
Dispatches
Moving from Chicago to New York City is a thrilling yet daunting leap. You’re trading deep-dish pizza and the stunning Lake Michigan views for bagels and the electric energy of Manhattan’s streets. Whether you’re chasing a career opportunity,...
Dispatches
If you drive, you know there’s a danger element that always goes with that. Even if you feel you’re an excellent driver, and you follow all traffic rules, you might still have some bad luck. A drunk driver might plow into you, or someone might...
Dispatches
Among all the other decisions you have to take regarding renovation of your house, choosing the right bathroom remodeling contractor is the most important. When partnered with a trained professional, your idea will be turned into great, efficient...