Concert: Piano Smithfield

Tonight, I tried out a new Meetup group; London Music Showcase - Gigs & Drinks specifically exists to promote the Piano Smithfield bar. So I tried out the gig there tonight - cheap tickets on TAC, as apparently with all theirs. I booked to eat in The Old Red Cow beforehand - gee, seems you know there's a place for you if they respond immediately to your booking enquiry; if you don't hear, it's a no.

I had to detour because of roadworks, but still arrived early. Upstairs, and I stated my case to the guy behind the bar - I had a booking for 1. He found me a table.. right beside the drinks reception that was just getting going. D'you think he'd forgotten all about my booking? Anyway, he took a drink order, and when he came back with that, a food order. I'd forgotten how lovely the chicken tender starters were - ordered the steak and ale pie, which came promptly and was accompanied by carrots and peas as well as mash. All lovely, no complaints - I had a second glass of wine.

I was just across from the venue - over there, spied the dark stairway leading to the club. Downstairs, offered to have my name checked off - not a bit of it, the "guy who checks tickets" (I'm assuming he exists) wasn't apparently there yet. My ticket never was checked. So I just sat at the bar - unfortunately, they just do medium drinks. I messaged a couple of times without response, gave up on the group - I did see a group come in at one point, but they completely filled the corner they occupied anyway, so there was no point in asking.

When the first act came on, I thought they were very meh.. finished my drink and left. As I was walking to my bus, the organiser messaged to say we'd be meeting upstairs between acts - yeah, too late for me. I'm unlikely to be back.

And tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for the first of two nights of comedy with I'm Sorry, Prime Minister in the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Eating in Bella Italia Shaftesbury Avenue for that one.

On Thursday, going to see Dara O' Briain, yay! Booked ages ago - he's in the Hammersmith Apollo (two Apollos in a row as well).

I'm finishing off the month with two more Meetups - on Friday, back with La Isla Flamenco Club, ole! Back in the gold Bar in the Colab Tower for a show called Identidades.

And on Saturday, back at last with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies for his rescheduled Southwark: Seedy and Sublime walking tour. Afterwards, I'm thinking of joining The Hideout again for Scream 7 - stars Courtney Cox as usual, and Neve Campbell, the original protagonist in the franchise; this time, the intended victim is her daughter. Time and location TBA.

On Sunday, thinking of a film - what's coming up is The President's Cake, set in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was in power, and schoolkids had to prepare a gift for his birthday.. it's that or All That's Left of You, which is Palestinian, and I might have considered, but honestly, I've seen so much Palestinian cinema lately, Iraqi will make a change! The President's Cake is showing in a couple of Curzons - I'll go for the Curzon Bloomsbury, it's handy for shopping.

On Monday, back with Shake it Up! The Improvised Shakespeare Show, at the Hen & Chickens.

Next Tuesday, back with UITCS for Ukraine Unbroken, a set of five short plays at the Arcola, incorporating Ukrainian music.

On the 4th, back with storytelling - and the Crick Crack Club has a new idea, the Story Pick + Mix - apparently rough cuts, experimental work. This one, The Bodies on the Beach, is the story of the legendary Irish hero, Fionn MacCumhaill, and is said to combine elements of 15th-century manuscripts, archaeology, and folklore. And these shows are happening at some place called Theatre Deli, right in the City. Eating in La Spezia restaurant next door beforehand.

On the 5th, back with UITCS for Blink, at The King's Head. A romcom that asks, in the digital age, when we can see everything someone is doing, what does it actually mean to know someone? And then I'm heading back to Ireland for the weekend - a little earlier than anticipated, but I'll be busy for the rest of the month, so might as well go now, before things hot up!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leaving Drinks

Yesterday, I booked with CT for a play called  10 Nights , at  Riverside Studios . But it was a colleague's last day, and he booked the  All Bar One  by the office for leaving drinks - so I did that instead. I loved working with him, he'll be missed - and I was just as happy not to have to traipse all the way to  Hammersmith .. A large card went around, appropriate for all the people that wanted to sign it - and before the pub, there was a speech in the office, streamed on Teams for anyone who wanted to watch and wasn't in yesterday. It was pointed out to those online that we had drinks in the office, too - there was plenty of beer, something fizzy, and a bottle of regular white wine. Unfortunately, I never did get to that - there wasn't a general move, although the CEO's wife, who'd come in for the occasion, partook of the wine. But you see, I didn't want to start a glass and then discover we were en route to the pub! I needn't have worried - I thought...
Read more

Film: I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui)

Image
Tonight, I decided on film - and the film at the top of my list looked really good;  I'm Still Here  is about a  Brazilian  woman whose husband disappeared during the  military dictatorship . Based on a true story, this is receiving a lot of attention. Also showing widely - the closest to me is in the  BFI . I booked it, because it had started to sell out - in fact, in the end it completely sold out . Interestingly,  Movie Roadhouse London  saw it on Sunday , and loved it.. if I hadn't had this booked, I'd have gone with them! And by the time I discovered I was free that day, of course I'd already booked for tonight.. I made it just in time, and had booked for the end of a row, conveniently. Now.. the difference between this and the film I saw on Sunday can be very succintly described - this director knows how to tell a story, that director didn't. For all that each is the recounting of a true story, they couldn't be more different. In this fi...
Read more

Play: Lynn Faces

Image
Tonight, back with  Up in the Cheap Seats  for  Lynn Faces , a comedy about women of a certain age starting a punk group, and playing at the  New Diorama .  My plan was to eat at the nearby Wasabi  beforehand. It was another member of the group, who, when we're both headed to something, joins me for food beforehand, that spotted that it closes at 3! Undeterred, we decided on the one by Warren Street . I got there early, as it happened - to discover that that one is essentially a cupboard with shelving. No seating whatsoever. So, Plan C - I took myself off to the other alternative we'd considered, the Greene Man , pretty much across the road from the theatre, and which, when I spotted it, I realised I'd eaten in when I was here before ! On the way, I passed the other Wasabi, the one that closes early.. I see they have lots of space.. Happily, the pub wasn't too busy, and I got a table without trouble, where my companion duly joined me. And we both had their...
Read more