Pre-planned

Weekend Combo: Vinyl galore, decomposing London and martinis shaken, not stirred
By Alex James Taylor | 14 April 2016
Above:

Still, ‘High Fidelity’ (2000) © Working Title Films

This article is part of Weekend Combo – What to do this weekend

We bring you our guide to living well in the world’s capitals, from exhibitions to cinema, food, drink, fashion, music and beyond. Just call it culture and take it, it’s yours.

LONDON, FRIDAY 15th APRIL – SUNDAY 17th APRIL 2016

Film

A top five film about music…
“What came first, the music or the misery? Did I listen to music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to music?” Ponders thirty-something second-hand-record-dealer Rob Fleming, hero of Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, in his typically pessimistic demeanour.

The film adaptation of Hornby’s novel transports Fleming and his store from London’s Holloway Road to the rather sunnier Chicago streets – exchanging N7’s neon-clad The Big Red with the Willis Towers twin points. But that same self-deprecating attitude that works so well in text runs through to the big screen.

With his two sad-case employees, Dick and Barry, Fleming hangs out at his store all the livelong day. During the course of the film he remembers his all-time, top five break-ups, reconnects with old flames and tries to answer some of life’s big questions, namely their top fives (top five songs about death; top five side one, track ones; top five dream jobs), women, and the best way to organise your record collection; chronologically, alphabetical or autobiographically? Surely it’s everyone’s dream to own their own record store, judging each customer’s choices and imposing your (meticulous, obvs) music taste on others. Just us? Fair enough. You’re barred.

High Fidelity is being shown at Hackney Picturehouse on Friday 15th April at 20:00. Tickets here.

Event

Waxing lyrical
Whilst we’re on the subject of records; this Saturday marks the annual return of Record Store Day, that one day a year you can splash the cash on records without an ounce of guilt, vinyl lovers of the world unite. Cue long queues and in-store scrums, so sharpen those elbows and ready those needles.

As always, the list of releases is mouth-watering, from exclusive David Bowie picture discs to a rare live recording of The Doors via Mac DeMarco demos, there’s a little something for everyone.  So gather your camping chairs, a six-pack of tinnies, a 14″ pizza, and perch outside your local record store. These releases are worth queuing for.

Alongside the coveted items on sale, Record Store Day also boasts a selection of special in-house events that’ll put a smile on even the most hardened punk’s face. Over at Rough Trade West – the label’s original shop on Talbot Road – they’re celebrating with a day of free gigs, including ex-Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, Suede’s Bernard Butler and new girls on the block, The Big Moon. Killer bill.

Record Store Day takes place on April 16th, see the full list of events and releases here.

Exhibition

(Not so) Shit art
Claire Barrow is a woman with many strings to her bow. Whilst her artworks and illustrations are mostly expressed in the context of her catwalk collections, this doesn’t mark a definitive border.

Opening this weekend, a new exhibition titled, The Bed, The Bath & The Beyond, extends her art practice and witty dialogue across paintings, drawings and neon light pieces in an exploration of ‘what faith means in our contemporary society’. Turning the gallery space into a bathroom (think about it, bathrooms are basically today’s confession box: the daily routine of cleansing yesterday’s sins), Barrow has created an illustrated shower curtain and a roll of toilet paper, which she completely unraveled and illustrated before rolling back to its original form. Keep your Charmin, we want Claire Barrow-label bog roll.

The Bed, The Bath & The Beyond, runs at M. Goldstein Gallery, 67 Hackney Rd. April 17-24 

GALLERY

Sample sale

“I’ll take one of everything”
Having stocked up on vinyls, save a few pennies and head over to Dray Walk Gallery for a designer sample and archive sale featuring the likes of Matthew Miller, Kit Neale, TDT, Lou Dalton. Quality clobber with up to 70% off, there’s bargains to be had. Cushti.

London fashion designer sample sale takes place 14th April – 17th April at Dray Walk Gallery, Brick Lane

Film

Reality bites
This weekend a section of London will be filled with dead-behind-the-eyes, stumbling, decomposing half-humans… We hear you. Standard, right?

Not so, these walking dead are after your blood rather than your time/signature/shoulder to lean on/picture taking skills. So fish out your best pair of running shoes, pace is a primarily quality in this game of (decaying) cat and mouse.

Secret Cinema – those pesky creators of our weirdest and wildest cinematic fantasies – have focused their attention on Danny Boyle’s iconic 28 Days Later (2002) for their latest immersive venture. If you haven’t seen the film, here’s the gist: man wakes from a coma; man realises something is up when he can freely walk across Westminster Bridge without getting whacked with a selfie stick; man gets chased by flesh-craving zombies; man finds fellow survivors…you get the idea.

On screen, the film is pretty goddamn epic. However, a IRL version would be soooo much better. Just don’t take it too seriously and start swinging for the ‘zombies’ (psst, they’re only actors. Zombies aren’t real. Soz.)

Secret Cinema: 28 Days Later runs between 14th April 2016 – 29th May 2016. Tickets available here.

Casino (chicken) Royale
James Bond is a man of exacting taste. Whether dictating the exact temperature to serve Dom Perignon (“53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit,” for your information), or pointing out the finer points of eating caviar, he’s a modern day food snob by heart. To quote 007 himself: “I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink,” he explains in Casino Royale (the book) over a not-so-shabby dinner of caviar and beef tournedos washed down with copious champagne.

Well, this weekend you have the chance to chow down on some Bond-inspired courses, all thanks to Feed Me Films. On Saturday 16th April, they will be putting on a Bond themed brunch dedicated to Goldeneye, with a film screening and tempting blackjack tables on hand for those feeling particularly lucky.

Having downed your boozy brunch, carry on the Bond themed night by heading down to Dukes Bar in Mayfair, the very place Fleming is rumoured to have dreamt up his infamous vodka martini in its exclusive surroundings. And from there, take a leaf out of From Russia with Love-era Bond: having tasted the finest foods on the planet, the secret agent still can’t resist a good ol’ doner kebab (with” lots of onions in it.”) Now that’s our idea of luxury cuisine.

Feed Me Films: Goldeneye takes place on Saturday 16th April. Book tickets here.




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