Month: December 2017

B261 – THERES NO PLACE LIKE THIS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

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last night I decided thats its been too long since I last spent some time playing with a slow shutter speed at night and theres also one place which I really need to explore and spend some time at, obviously im talking about the Barbican Centre next to Liverpool street, this place is called “Brutalist” or something because of the crazy amounts of concert and sharpe edges it has, its literally like a hipsters oasis in the middle of the  financial district.

built in 1982 and designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon architects it was designed to be a brutalist styles and with lines on the floor to help people work there way around the housing estate and also the creative arts centre fully equipped with a theatre, music collage and also some weird rainforest room with loads of cool plants and stuff oh and in the water are Koi Carpe, that surprising haven’t been stollen yet and are still there to this day. its literally the coolest places to live, what used to be a housing estate where the upper classes wouldn’t even think to live has changed and become a place to be.

My plan for today was to try and get better at symmetrical photography one thing that I just cant seem to figure out, my eyes seem to lye to me and when I get home to edit the photos I notice that my photos just aren’t symmetrical. I was trying to measure the sides and even use the rule of thirds but its still not proving easy to get that perfect photo. Im not giving up just yet though,  I will the perfect symmetrical shot. On the other hand though I did take one of my favourite photos today, its one I’m really proud of and its of a side on shot of the staircase in the Barbican with the guy walking out of the light almost likes its ET and we are all inside some new Steven Spielberg remake of ET.

One thing I would like you guys to know just so you can see how much its changed in 20 years. Frank Harris a local estate agent is currently selling an apartment in Blake Tower which is one of the iconic Barbican towers for £3.7m. I just hope that one of the original owners that probably brought it off the council 20 years ago managed to get a fair portion of its current value. but hey if I had that kind of cash I would probably splash out on that apartment, its located in the best looking ugly building that you can find in London and its actually a pretty sick apartment.

Heres my photos from last night, I hope you like them as much as I do.

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– this is my favourite photo from tonight, the guy in the background makes this shot so much better –

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– my trying to be symmetrical –

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– this shot feels like something out of a movie –
 

B260 – IVE WANTED TO SEE THEM FOR YEARS

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Last week I went to a gig that I had wanted to go to for a while, it was for a band called Mellow Gang, they’re this band I discovered while in America and was that band I would listen to on the long plane journeys and extra long passport queues, well this band are probably the reason I’m still sane. The gig was at the famous Seabright Arms on Hackney road, you’ve definitely read about me going to this place before, its like 2 minutes from my house and actually plays really good music most weeks. and even better a lot of it is free which makes the whole gig a no brainer.

I find it a bit weird writing about a gig I went to last week as its not that fresh in my head and I cant really remember all my favourite parts, but unfortunately Im really not able to post any photos today as Ive spent the day running around different Disney stores trying to get hold of this Doll for my niece (don’t worry she’s too young to read so no chance of her finds out through this blog what I got her), well anyway that didn’t go to plan as no disney store had the right thing so I just brought as much stuff as my bank account would let me and moved on to the next task, which I cant really talk about on here but I can say that even that didn’t go smooth as I had realised after being in the store for an hour trying to get everything completely perfect to the point where I had to ask for a tape measure, well I went through all that to realise I had left my wallet at home. but luckily after a short phone call to Amy for her card details we were up and away, I just need to go back tomorrow morning and collect it. I have to say this year I have really pulled it out the bag with my christmas presents!

I really hope you like me writing and photographing gigs around London because I actually enjoy it quite a lot. So if you don’t like what I write and photograph let me know why and ill see what I can do to make it better!

Also don’t forget I still have prints for sale, so dig deep and buy one. Ill even send you a christmas card!

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– Mellow gang doing there thing –
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– Seabright arms on Hackney road, have a look at the Dice App for re gigs, trust me it is actually a pretty useful tool –
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– this was Phundo Art, a rapper from South Africa –

B259 – A GIG NOT TO BE MISSED

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Yesterday my plan for the evening was to watch some junk TV and sit on the sofa, that all changed when I got a last minute invite to a gig at the Shackwell Arms, one of the best things about London is the amount of free gigs that go on literally every night, alot of the time they can be a bit hit and miss but theres one venue which always seems to draw a crowd and thats the Shackwell Arms in Dulston, its always got a decent sized audience and the bands that play are mostly amazing.

Last night was no exception, the band playing were called Tracey Bryant and before 4pm yesterday I had never heard of them and definitely hadn’t listened to any of their music. well that has all changed, they were literally one of the best free gigs ive ever been too, you know when a band opens up their set with the first song of just guitar thrashing riffs for 5 minutes that your about to witness something pretty cool.

The band are from Los Angeles and currently over in Europe on tour,  and tonight they play in Belgium which is kind of annoying I was hoping they would be playing in London again so I could go along but I suppose Ill just have to wait till they come back for a festival or something, this cant be there last gig in London I refuse to believe it.

If you want to listen to these guys and trust me I think you should heres a link to their Band Camp profile, its got there latest album.

https://tracybryant.bandcamp.com/

As from me I just need to say thank you to Anders for the invite it was definitely a gig not to miss and as my photography project goes on, Tracey Bryant will definitely be remember as the gig not to be missed.

Any way in other news my prints are now going to be selling in a few coffee shops around London, but you can also buy them on my website. So please help me out during this expensive time of year and buy one of my prints.

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– so many amazing guitar solos it was just talent –
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– LA has some amazing bands and these guys were definitely up there –
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– these guys are going to be massive –

B258 – IT WAS PERFECT

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If after 258 days of these posts you havent realised that my favourite day is Sunday then please understand that sunday has to be the best day of the week. Its all about good food, naps movies and the odd adventure out. Well yesterday was all of those things, after a pretty heavy Saturday night sunday was perfect, we woke up and hit the cafe for some good old breakfast but on out way over there we came across this really cool little market which sold those foods that you don’t really find in a super market, like sause saus and really fresh tomato’s.

After some good old food it was back to the flat to clean up and watch some movies with the odd Nap here and there, what more do you want. at one point I thought I had food poising which is never good but amy reminded me that is must have been the hang over.

As our Swiss friends havent been to Winter Wonderland before and thats unacceptable, everyone needs to see Winter Wonderland, so after our naps and everyone was feeling tip top again we put on some warm clothes and head over in the afternoon, we literally walk round looking at food and eating all the good stuff, I don’t think any of us could have had a drink which made life a lot easier, I really didn’t want to even look at a drink.

its now Monday morning and as I write this post I’m trying to stay productive but my bed is just calling me, christmas has officially started for me but I really don’t want to spend the next few weeks doing nothing, so my plan is not to sit and watch all the christmas films but to get up get dressed and start taking photos or something.

Here are my photos from yesterday, enjoy.

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– the spinning bar at Winter Wonderland –
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– how good does this look, I wonder how easy it is to make the stuff –
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– tomato’s look perfect –

 

 

B257 – THEY ARE BACK

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Firstly I want to apologise for this post being late, I was trying to put it up earlier but after last night my brain just could focus and the laptop screen was hurting my eyes. I don’t think its got anything todo with the amount of beer I drank or even the because of the time we started drinking, I think its because I was up early and in the shops. Any other time and i would probably had said we started to early but our friends of Switerzland have come over so we had a mini party. so I don’t really remember much of the afternoon or evening. but what I can say is that we are having a proper Sunday evening now and you can read about it tomorrow.

We have a few plans this evening and thankfully none of those involve alcohol which is definitely a positive, im also not scared to brave the weather and travel because Im now in the doc martin boot gang and I cant wait to put them through their paces and see what these babies can do. I love buying products like doc martins because its fun to see what you can actually do with them before they break. I think I’ve got a few years in them yet before I need to replace them.

today might seem likes a bit thin on then writing and but its days like these where posting every day for 365 is hard but I need power through. Ill try and make some cool posts this week, I really want todo more portrait photography so I might try and find a model or someone to practise on and see if I can take a decent photo.

Anyway heres my photos and enjoy your Sunday. Also can people please read my post from yesterday and let me know what you think and if its actually any good? I really want to write more music reviews but not really sure if its helpful.

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– Soho on a saturday –
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– Welcome back to london Pauline and gigi –
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– the love of my life –

 

B256 – PSYCHEDLIC POST ROCK ELECTRO GRUNG.

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Yep you read that title correct, last night I ventured over to The Beehive in Bromley By Bow, its this pub which looks and feels like its be held in time, one of those proper east london pubs, where people pay money into the Juke box and listen to Frank Sinatra while downing pint after pint of Stella.

While all that is happening out the front of house, in a small door which is also connected to the Womens toilets, theres a small 10 meter by 10 meter black room where last night you could have found some wild post rock beats mixted with the odd grung song. It wasnt a massive crowd but that doesnt really matter when you think about it.

The bands that played last night where the Desert Clouds, Ditsea Yella, The Anderson Tapes and the Heros Of The Last Age. it was the music I want to focus on for my photography project, it was those bands that dont play to massive audiences and their music is there hobby not there main income. I definitely feel that these bands are the reason for London being such a cool place to live, they are the creatives and expressionists that live and work in everyday London, who on their own are just a little bit quirky but when you have a few thousand quirky individuals all of a sudden its a movement.

I don’t want to show off to many photos from last night as I need to send them onto the promotor who sorted me out with the gig and let him post them all over social media but obviously I need to show you three photos. The Promotor who’s gig I was at is called Spoons Event sound Solution, its kind of an punk / rock promotor so the gigs aren’t your capital FM pop music stuff, its all heavy and completely off the beaten track in a way. really cool music and I’m looking forward to more gigs like it.

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– Ditsy Yella –
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– im not sure if that is a wig or real hair, but its definitly got a stage presences –
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– Desert Clouds, the first band to on stage –

B255 – GRENFELL.

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There was meant to be two parts to this post today, the first part is a pretty serious thing. Yesterday I was at the Grenfell memorial at St. Pauls. Im not going to write more than that about it, ill just show you the photos I took. This isn’t the time for me give you my opinion or facts, it just all comes down to the people and faces you see. The second well Ive decided not to post that, it was going to be about a gig I went to yesterday, but I just post that another time.

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B254 – THE ROOT OF MUSIC

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With (fun)employment being so real right now I’m trying to get a good balance of Netflix and being productive. Its important I enjoy the quite time but also keep my brain ticking over. That’s why today I decided to venture out in to the world of my Photography project on London’s music scene.

I travelled over to Denmark Street, its basically where if you like guitars you buy your guitar, every one from your local guitar teacher to the legends of The Beetles and the Rolling Stones. No Toms Vintage and other guitar shops along Denmark street or as its otherwise known Tin Pan Alley isn’t just a place to pick up a guitar, its on of the birth places for London, Britain’s music, it’s the place that the likes of Jimmy Hendrix and Jonny Rotten would run around jamming to music and creating the stories that everyone in the todays pop culture wants to hear more of. British music carries its self differently to other music, its got more depth to it, when you watch back The Beetles movies and archives, they are literally paving the way of a life style that people like Oasis took to levels that pushed the boundaries of what is and isn’t expectable, But because they make such good music its allowed. Not like if a footballer gets caught driving drunk but more like they get kicked out of Holland for being to drunk and diverting a ferry. That’s kind of the levels which they hit.

But at the end of it all, they were only as good as the albums and songs they produced and that’s what really mattered, the jams, the hours and hours of perfecting a song or solo. That’s what really mattered here. And when the touring stopped or they need supplies most of the time they would head to Denmark street and speak with the people who know those instruments the best.

Walking around Tin Pan Alley you really start to admire a guitar and the beauty that goes into it, you start to acknowledge the culture and the style it has created. It’s the epicentre for what British music was and is. Back in the days it used to be not only shops but also recording studios which have since disappeared and either turned into extra shop space or places to learn the Guitar.

My idea of this photography project was to uncover the underground music scene and the people that really push it, those passionate music lovers who travel on a crappy Wednesday night to listen to good raw music and I feel that Denmark street is probably the best place to start, its at the root of the London music scene. This definitely wont be my last time to Denmark street I will be coming back for one of their events and capturing those “one time moments” with my camera.

As for now, its back to Netflix for the rest of the day and to enjoy my funempolyment. But tomorrow is a new day and I’m planning on being active the whole day. I’m not sure how yet but ill figure it out.

Heres my photos I hope you like them.

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– a shop where people can just go into a jam on a guitar has got to be one of the coolest things out there –
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– if these walls could take, this is a place where the sex pistols used to live –
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– the people who work there couldn’t be more welcoming, thanks for letting me come down and take some photo’s –
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– they even have a comfy couch –

B253 – MUSIC NOT FOR RENTAL !

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Yesterday I watched an interview with Noel Gallagher, where he talked about streaming music and how now days music is for rental, where as music should be for sale. a Transaction between the artist and fan willing to part with money to buy the music and art that comes on the front cover, its a way of telling the real fans from the one time listeners. and I kind of agree with that, but I do have a Spotify account and I do use it daily, who doesn’t?

With my project I’m currently doing focusing on London’s music scene it would be wrong of me not to explore the world of record shops and the passion that goes into them, in todays market owning a record store is like putting two figures up to the internet and counting on those passionate music fans who will trek out to you store during a cold winters night to buy a record or CD, when they could just as easy stream it on Spotify then go an buy it off the Amazon App and have it at their house the next day.

But once you step into the a record store like the one I went to yesterday you soon realise why people do it, its an experience. your welcomed by thousands of actual objects all of which have a story, most have bumps of signs of wear but that just adds to the fact your standing in a musical archive flicking through all those years and years of history and culture. its this weird thing that makes you feel closer to the artist or band, your now physically scrolling through their work, trying to find that gem that no ones else has found yet, and not only are you not sure if its worth it but you cant listen to it till you get home.

My trip yesterday took me to Music and video exchange in Notting Hill, just by the Russian embassy, I wanted to go to some where out of central London, where the shop has no choice but to let the music do the talking. my first thoughts where to head into Soho or even Brick Lane but they would of been busy with people and most are pretty new shops, where as this one in Notting Hill is like stepping into a time portal and heading back 50 years.

If you have a chance go to your local Record store and just say Hi and listen to some music, I guarantee you’ll enjoy it and might even find something you weren’t expecting. I ended up buying a CD by The Manic Street Preachers and as I write this I’m listening to it, and trust me its a whole different way to experience music, before it was an automatic thing, just stream it on my phone and listen to hours of music going in one ear and out the other. Now its a physical thing and its something that has much more of an impact. Oh and I literally paid £1 for it! you cant even get a bottle of water at the shop next door for that!!!!!!

Heres my photos from inside the store, I hope you like them.

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– this is Neil, he works in the store and is the vintage version of Google. he is your answer to any music related question –
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– trying to find a gem inbetween all of this, its all about investing time to get the result you want –
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– most people would walk past this store, but make the trip inside –

B252 – BANG BANG CHICKEN

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8am Monday Morning. temperature, 5 degrees. weather, rain / snow. What better way to start the day?

Thats literally what I said to myself as I walked out my front door and headed to Camden yesterday for a meeting, its hard to find a positive about the weather yesterday when the snow didn’t even set but I do quite like the rain in London, especially when I have my camera mainly because taking photos of people when its raining becomes so much better, everyone literally walks around like the are allergic to water and that makes for some cool photos. Don’t get me wrong I love to sun and the summer and would much rather be taking photos from a beach in the Mediterranean but that wasn’t an option yesterday.

After my meeting I decided to take a long walk back to the train station and grab some photos of the area, Camden is this cool part of London, which kind of feels like its separated from the rest this city and made its own set of rules and its own way of life. its kind of where punk rock has decided to plot up and fight the likes of TopShop and River Island and to some miracle punk rock seems to have won.

Josh’s Top Tip: If you ever find yourself in Camden that chances are your going to want to eat some food, now what most people would do is end up at the world food market and grab some sort of pizza of Naples or maybe a burrito for Korea but what I think is by fast the best option is to head down to the original camden market and pick up some of that Bang Bang Chicken, the food isn’t really fried chicken that you might get at KFC its more Chinese but possible the best Chinese you can get hold of. that stuff is completely out of this world and the guy who sells it might even sing you the Bang Bang chicken song. Trust me, there is a song.

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– on the bus toward to Camden –
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– Camden Market, the home of Bang Bang Chicken –
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– the snow yesterday unfortunately it didn’t settle –