“You can be loud, you can be proud, you are allowed.” Inside Hackney’s open mic night
“You can be loud, you can be proud, you are allowed. Make it your mission to give yourself permission to …
Reviews Archive
Introducing SexyLadyMassive: London’s first-ever women-only rave
Organised by 19-year-old Jungle and Drum and Bass DJ Jolie (Missy P), SexyLadyMassive was the first female-only rave event in …
April 5, 2022/
Features, General Features, Reviews/
Brockley’s Rock is a different kettle of fish
Popular Lewisham fish and chip shop, Brockley’s Rock, has been awarded the prestigious Good Food Award for Fish and Chips …
November 13, 2019/
Lewisham, Meet The Traders, Reviews/
Inside London’s latest zero-waste shop
Nestled in Hackney Downs Studios – the little community of artists and independent businesses between Dalston and Clapton – Re: …
May 31, 2019/
Environment, Features, Hackney, People, Reviews/
Hackney’s best zero-waste shops and markets
Shops and markets that minimise the environmental impact of our consumer habits are popping out across London and especially in Hackney. This new plastic-free revolution is part of a growing eco-initiative trend in the …
May 16, 2019/
Environment, Hackney, Reviews, Uncategorized/
Fanny’s Kebabs marks birthday despite backlash
One of London’s first ‘posh’ kebab outlets, initially frowned upon by local kebab shop owners in Stoke Newington, celebrated its …
March 10, 2019/
Features, Hackney, Meet The Traders, Reviews/
A solution in your pocket: Our top five apps tackling food waste
All week we’ve been investigating different ways to combat food waste, and now we’re looking to the future to see …
Exhibition remembers the forgotten Indian and Nepali soldiers who fought for the British Empire
During the commemorations marking the centenary of World War One very little has been said about the Indian and Nepali …
July 2, 2017/
Arts Features, Reviews, Tower Hamlets/
Influential Croydon women feature in exhibition
It offers a unique glimpse into the lives of some of Croydon’s most empowering women. Ladies First – which features …
March 9, 2017/
Arts Features, Croydon, Features, Reviews/
Award winning storyteller performs in Hackney
Normally, on an icy Monday night, Londoners have no business sitting on a Shoreditch bar’s rooftop listening to tales of …
March 1, 2017/
Arts Features, Features, Hackney, Reviews/
Beyond the cuppa
The great Coffee Countdown to find the best baristas in the world has started. Applications for the annual Coffee Masters …
February 3, 2017/
Features, Reviews, Society, Uncategorized/
From Pepe the Frog to cyber landscapes and digital skulls: Vaporwave hits Hackney
V a p o r w a v e.exe. Pics: Nicholas Thompson. Featured Prints: John Karbon, Jackson Payne, Marvin …
December 1, 2016/
Arts, Arts Features, Reviews/
Best eats in Shoreditch
A meeting point for fashion followers, and trendsetters, Shoreditch has become one of the coolest districts in London with a …
Best apps for East Londoners
New to East London, or just ready to try some new things in your neighborhood? Julie Refsdal has tested the …
Brick Lane fashion show with local twist
It was a charity fundraising event with a local twist. Thursday’s (October 13) fashion show at the Old Truman Brewery on …
October 15, 2016/
Features, Hackney, Reviews, Tower Hamlets/
Homegrown Bestival worth its weight in gold
Finally, June 17: the end of summer term, London’s cloudy sky, and most importantly, Bestival 2016 arrived at Goldsmiths. Even …
New play is a celebration of life and deaf culture
People of the Eye, the new performance from The Deaf and Hearing Ensemble, should come with a warning. Caution: this …
Emotive migrant exhibition pulls no punches
Call Me By My Name: Stories from Calais and Beyond, aims to lend a voice to the thousands of refugees …
An unfamiliar Sikh Festival debuts in Tower Hamlets
The Holla Mahalla Sikh festival in Bethnal Green on Saturday (May 14) showcased some of the many rituals traditionally performed …
May 15, 2016/
Arts, Arts Features, Local News, Music, Reviews, Society, Tower Hamlets/
Bengali community remembers Altab Ali’s murder through new play
“The Altab Ali Story” by playwright Julie Begum, is nothing if not an eye opener. It is shockingly revealing to …
May 5, 2016/
Arts, Reviews, Tower Hamlets/
Show explores iconic self-build project
The UK’s first self-built council housing project, in Lewisham, is explored in an on-going exhibition at the AA School of …
Five East London markets you need to check out
Whether you’re looking for a monster novelty burger you can barely fit into your mouth, or you’re after some fancy …
March 13, 2016/
Features, General Features, Listings, Reviews/
Moving play addresses migrant heartache
Map of Me is moving and educational – it is the migrant story that everybody should be aware of. Set …
March 11, 2016/
Arts Features, Reviews/
Whitechapel performance night a sound success
Both deaf and hearing audience members enjoyed an evening of accessible short performances of all kinds last night (Tuesday 1) …
Remembering WW1: “History should be lived”
Members of The Royal Artillery Living History Group dressed as sergeants and nurses on Saturday in Tower Hamlets to educate …
February 28, 2016/
Features, Reviews, Tower Hamlets/
Breathtaking spoken word and hip-hop from Palestine
Palestinian spoken word and hip-hop nights are not your average Friday activity in Bethnal Green, but last night’s gig at …
February 27, 2016/
Arts Features, Features, Reviews/
Sharp’s Brewery brings Cornish hospitality to Hackney
London Beer Festival is in full swing, with Cornwall-based Sharp’s Brewery travelling up to London’s Truman Brewery to share their …
Propaganda and patriotism: WWI exhibition in Hackney
One poster reads: “SINGLE MEN. Hundreds of thousands of married men have left their homes to fight for KING & …
February 23, 2016/
Arts Features, Features, Reviews/
Festival is a gin paradise
Stepping into London’s Gin Festival, you would be fooled into thinking you had been transported back to a 1920s …
February 22, 2016/
Features, Reviews, Society, Tower Hamlets/
D-I-Y pink is the new blonde
As we step into 2016, it seems the rainbow spectrum is replacing those classic chocolate browns, bleach blonde and brutal …
Birdy impresses Hackney crowd
It was Pancake Day, but 19-year old singer Birdy was East London’s real sweet treat. Following her appearance at the …
February 17, 2016/
Arts Features, Features, Reviews/
Molly Soda: From My Bedroom To Yours @ Annka Kulty’s Gallery
The artist stands by a wall of fake gem-embellished USBs. People buzz around her, some are friend and some are …
December 9, 2015/
Arts, Data, Events, Features, Local News, News, Reviews, Tower Hamlets, What To Do This Week/
Under the shadow of the Orbit: paddling your way through East London
Secret Adventures is a non-profit organisation offering Londoners the chance to escape city life. Kyra Hanson joined founder Madoc Threipland …
November 24, 2015/
Features, General Features, Reviews/
The baby shower you never predicted
Just off Mare Street and onto Valette Street, a five-minute walk from Hackney Central railway station, there resides a small …
Romeo and Juliet: a lighter take on Shakespeare’s classic
It is a bizarre moment as loud laughter echoes in the audience when the cast break out in a musical-style …
October 26, 2015/
Arts, Arts Features, Features, Reviews/
“My Mind Is Free” ends tour at Fairfield Halls
Bringing to an end a two weeks stretch around the city, “My Mind is Free” made a satisfying final appearance …
Bite Sized Comedy for Your Midweek Fun Fix
“Do you have a stamp?” I am asked whilst heading towards the door marked “comedy”. “Nope,” I reply sheepishly. …
Hidden Yet Humble: South Norwood and Thornton Heath Free Film Festival 2015
As the story goes, in 1896 the Lumière brothers first screened “L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat” (“The …
India // Sri Lanka at Stage 3 Hackney
Imagine walking down an old, dusty road in the sunshine. Warmth surrounding you, locals wishing you good morning and sheer …
October 14, 2015/
Reviews/
Croydon then ’til now: Moving to London exhibition
Judging by the astounded expressions on the faces of children visiting Museum of Croydon this week, the museum’s latest exhibition …