Norway tragedy and Amy Winehouse

An odd grouping of people at first glance, but these deaths of course have both made the news within days of each other.

92 people have been killed in the massacring in Norway on Friday, and then a bombing happened too - my thoughts go out to their families. Of course, this has recieved a great deal of media coverage, as it is a terrible tragedy, but just two days later, Amy Winehouse was reported dead by Sky News, having suffered from an overdose on Saturday.

Tragedies happen at the same time all of the time, but these were both notable for one reason or another - and there has been a lot of controversy on Twitter from those mourning the Norway deaths, angry at the amount of mourners tweeting and reporting the death of Amy Winehouse. The fact is, that all deaths that occured this weekend were equally as tragic - whether self-induced or not, Winehouse suffered and her family are suffering, highlighted even more by the abuse that they're probably getting for their daughter having 'stolen the limelight' from the sufferers.

The world of celebrity is always going to be huge in the media, and although I wasn't a fan of Winehouse personally, many, many people are upset about her death as she was a huge influence and talent for this generation.

Rest in peace, people who suffered at the hands of Anders Behring Breivik, and also Amy Winehouse, whose death is still very sad, and doesn't deserve all the moronic comments such as 'wat about the ppl of norway its her fault fuckin druggie' etc. She was cremated after her funeral today, Tuesday.

I love festivals, but...

Having just been to 2000 Trees, a lovely festival in Cheltenham for underground and new music, and having written a review (soon on Beat Review), I compiled a list of festival pet hates.

1. The dreaded cry of 'Alan!' If you don't know what it is, it's this. Usually some equally hilarious creature retorts with 'Steve!' from twenty feet away. Universally moronic. Well done.

2. People with flourescent messages on their backs. They're usually not funny and make people want to hit you in the face, yeah? 

3. Putting the tent up / down. Something ALWAYS seems to go wrong. For example, this year so far, it has taken two hours to deflate the airbed and we tried to pitch the tent with the wrong poles. It. Was. SAGGY.

4. People who piss on your tent. This hasn't happened to me personally but I've many friends who've lost good tents due to a hefty piss. It's rank and lazy. Go and pee in a hedge or something.

5. People who sit on people's shoulders. It's great you're having a good time and everything, but please try not to kick me in the head.

6. Toilet habits in general. There is a good, clean toilet right there so why did you have to POO NEXT TO IT!??

7. Couples. You're in love, but that does NOT MEAN you can chew each other's faces off when I'm trying to watch Frightened Rabbit (They got their comeuppance).

8. Looking like shit. I love camping. I really do. But I look back at the photos and think, was it really too much to ask not to look like I've drowned and then been dragged through a hedge backwards?

9. People who have no idea who they're watching and act like their biggest fan. I have no problem with the first part but don't pretend you would travel the world to see them and scream in my ear - I JUST heard you say to your mate 'Who is this?' (I have to thank Mason for this one).

10. Really tall people. I know it's not their fault but I'm short and I can never see.

So, there are some annoying things about festivals. But then there are bits like this (that's a man from And So I Watch You From Afar lying down on some people's outstretched arms), and it all seems worth it - great bands, great people and beer.

Check back for my review of 2000 Trees which should be up on the Beat Review site soon. And more blog posts, of which there will be more as I have ideas and a laptop now (crucial).

NB: As always, I'm sure everyone (even me) is guilty of a few of these things once on a while, so this is jokes, yeah folks?

Telegraph Supplement Contribution

Oh, and I feel that I should share that at my internship, I recently contributed to an interiors supplement in The Telegraph (just wrote a few reader offers and called in all of the items for the front cover shoot) and for that, I got a byline as a contributor on the inside cover. Not only that, I got to work with the print editorial team, who were great and very kind for letting me write.

My internship ends on Thursday. I can only hope I won't cry.

I'm the first contributor. Next to Orla Keily.

My New Favourite Places in London

This week I went to Cafe Boheme, recommended to me as 'louche' by my cousin - after I looked it up in the dictionary I knew I had to go there ( Disreputable or sordid in a rakish or appealing way). It's a fairly small place - one could describe it as cosy - we were a little too close to comfort to the couple beside us trying to eat one another's faces but the atmosphere was good.

I had a crab and avocado salad which was bulked out with a large amount of chicory, but not unpleasantly, and my friend had moules marinière (not bad) with a bottle of wine - twenty quid each wasn't bad for a meal and a bottle of wine. We were also seated next to Rich Fulcher (AKA, Bob Fossil from The Mighty Boosh) which helped the cool credentials.

We went on to Bourne & Hollingsworth for a few cocktails, which may well become a personal favourite. A cocktail bar in the basement, replete with ripped floral wallpaper and the smell of damp (easy to ignore after a few cocktails), it attracts the hipster crowd to some extent. Serving really good cocktails (avg. £7) in teacups and jamjars, with wartime-style pictures on the walls and secret doors and even a DJ, it manages to be both cool and unintimidating. And the tube journey home was more than a little wonky.

Doctor Who and Orbital

Just when I thought I'd heard it all, a remix of Doctor Who theme tune by Orbital comes on in my brother's car (amongst some other erm, questionable stuff).

This is possibly one of my favourite things at the moment - I'd love to go and see Orbital, I imagine it's a very calming but intense experience.

(And of course, sadly awaiting the time when I have an excuse to be sad on a Saturday night and stay in).

Glastonbury Review #1

So I wrote up my review of Glastonbury today for the people at Beat Review which should be up soon but this is a personal review concentrating on specifics as opposed to a general overview (ish). So I decided to write something here, but at the moment I'm not really feeling any inspiration. So I ate some mackerel (brain food, you know). SO. Glastonbury. The big G. 

Pulled Apart by Horses

It was pretty amazing. There was a lot of mud for the most part, but that just made it all the more fun (kind of). We went up to the Stone Circle (hippy central) on the first night when we'd pitched the tent, which I wish we'd seen more of, met some cool Scottish people camping nearby and Thursday we explored and went to the headphone disco - which started out with shitty, generic indie and continued to some classic songs (I can't remember what exactly but I danced a lot). We also met up with some friends by the Brother's Cider stand which was very pleasant (both cider and friends).

Highlights of Friday included Two Door Cinema Club (they were bouncy and so grateful to be there and can I marry the lead singer?) and Asian Dub Foundation - I hadn't listened to them in aages (I used to listen to them when my brother wasn't in his room) and they're still really good! Brilliant political, dub-rap. They've drifted a bit away from more dubby stuff but are still intelligent, danceable and put on a brilliant show (I didn't even know they were still around until I saw them on the line-up). We also saw Metronomy who had the difficult task of kicking off the Pyramid Stage, and they did a really good job - as a band they were really tight.

Glastonbury Review #2

Saturday, the winners for me were The Kills (VV is my idol for being ridiculously cool). They played an amazing set which just exuded cool and energy - when she started playing guitar and the drums... Wow. It was a shame, though, because we were so far back, the people around us were fairly static and, well, I looked a bit of a fool doing the standard 'I'm-at-an-indie-gig-rocking-back-and-tapping-my-foot' dance. They were still amazing though. We stopped by the BBC Introducing Stage a few times too. Also Krafty Kuts deserve a mention, as although we only saw a little of their set, were SO GOOD and really got the crowd going (I have never seen so many DJ sets within such a short space of time). Pulled Apart by Horses. Oh my God. Amazing, full of energy and shouty as always and the guitarist was hot... Chemical Brothers - we weren't even going to see them, but boy am I glad we did. Blew me away - they mixed their own songs so skilfully and really built up the suspense.

Sunday - the last day. Started out watching some reggae-ish people in The Park (who played 54/46 by Toots & the Maytals) by the Glastonbury sign, and went to see Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobious Pip who were surprisingly enjoyable since I'm not really a fan on record - it was their MCing which really made it for me - they were funny! After that we saw the Vaccines for a bit but didn't really pay much attention, and then a glut of DJs overlapping. The Freestylers were really good - breaks and dubstep mostly; we only saw a little of DJ Fresh but there was a massive crowd and he cranked out the big beats; and then back for our final act of the festival - Plump DJs. They really interacted with the crowd and because we were so close we could see every expression - they were genuinely happy to be there. And played some AMAZING breaks.

So Glasto was a success - I think with all the mud I'll need a couple of weeks to recover until my next festival (2000 Trees). Oh and one other thing - if you go in 2013, go to the Hare Krishna tent and get free food! Amazing (and tasty).

A lovely view of Glastonbury's sunset over some er toilets.

Glastonbury

I have just come back from Glastonbury - it was brilliant, I got covered in mud and saw some phenomenal acts. Now I'm home (via Cardiff for various reasons), I have been mostly recovering (and cleaning up) before I go back to work so there will be a review within the next couple of days.

Actually, maybe several reviews - there's just too much to fit in one post.

Beat Review

So I feel like a bit of a good Samaritan lately, promoting other people - perhaps because I've got a week's holiday to go to Cardiff and then Glastonbury or perhaps because I've just become a nicer person.

Nahh.

Anyway, you may not know that I do a bit of writing for Beat Review, an online music mag for Cardiff (why, you ask, am I writing about a place you don't live and let's face it, can never rarely afford to visit? Well, I don't know why but I know that I love music and Cardiff. And I can write. And they were desperate. 

I've just written an article for them (it was a long time coming since the last one) but from now on, there will be many more coming. This is my latest, about Primal Scream.

Sometimes controversial, sometimes funny and usually informative, you should read / follow / facebook if you don't already.

Some more articles that are worth a wee read:

Jobseekers - Connor Cupples (Co-ed)

Spotify - Charlotte Coxhead (Me, if you didn't know)

Twitter - John Shortland (Contributor)

Wimbledon Weather - Harriet Mould (Contributor)

Eurovision - Sprink Laysson (Contributor)

www.beatreview.com

www.twitter.com/beatreview

Pre-Glastonbury

I took this week off work for Glastonbury so I came home. On Saturday I met up with a friend and went to a food festival where Lindsay was showing off her work (it was amazing - loads of really nice food and she was dressed up as Alice in Wonderland. Also, I got some nice olives and discovered pickled garlic - sounds disgusting and I don't even like garlic, but I am completely addicted now). And I went out in Oswestry (my home town), which was simultaneously amazing and cretinous as usual.

Tomorrow I'm preparing to go to Glastonbury. When I say preparing, I am thinking about buying some wellies which I still haven't done (when I typed 'wellies' into a word document, autocorrect changed it to 'willies'. Interesting). I have a tent (zebra print so I don't lose it), I have a ticket and apparently there's a line-up clash app I can download. So I'm kind of ready.

I'm going to Cardiff tomorrow with my mate beforehand for a couple of days, and we'll go out to a bar (on a Monday night! How exciting!) and probably spend Tuesday panic-buying wellies from Primarni ( I couldn't face going to the Oxford Street jumble sale branch so I'll get my necessaries from Cardiff. I am very excited (and can't think of a witty ending sentence so this will have to do).

Lindsay's Cakery

Cake-lovers, sit up, there's a new baker in town.

Lindsay's Cakery is one one of the newest businesses in Shropshire area but her 'sweet treats and savoury delights' have attracted a lot of local press interest, and from the locals of course. She makes flapjacks, shortbread and birthday cakes amongst others but it is her cupcakes that have been a roaring success - with plenty of icing and handmade sugarcraft decorations.

Established only in July 2010,  it is still a new business but she has been preparing for this her whole life - we didn't listen to her when she was 12 and talking about owning a cakery because she liked the word 'cakery', but this dream is now a reality. She gains new followers every time she goes to a food event, having recently done a wedding order for 160 cupcakes (a growing trend, a quirky alternative to ANOTHER fruit cake). 

I've got my eye on her cakey pops - like chupa chups if they were made of cake and covered in chocolate. Maybe she'll let me try one *cough* freepublicity *cough*.

Check out her website for full gallery, contact or if you're just bored and hungry. If you're not doing anything, you should probably go to one of the events she's at over this summer.

www.lindsayscakery.co.uk

twitter.com/lindsayscakery

Spuntino Review: Eating my Words

I am currently engaging in my least favourite past-time: Admitting I'm wrong. It's hard, but someone has to do it. I went to Spuntino last night, expecting to be simultaneously unimpressed and intimidated but had a lovely time. Well, that's what I get from believing everything I read in the Evening Standard, I suppose.

Anyway, once I found the all-day place (after wondering confusedly down an alley full of dodgy sex shops and peep shows), I easily claimed two seats by the bar and was offered water straight away by a waiter / barman. There are no tables, just a bar with stools all around (it is a fairly small venue). As I awaited my friend, I looked around and noted its minimalist - menus are brown paper placemats, wine is served in tumblers and food is served in tin camping crockery.

My friend arrived, we ordered wine (which came in said tumblers - well, it's something different), and then food, a selection of nibbles. The eggplant chips with fennel yoghurt were incredibly moreish, as was the baked chicory - mackerel burger didn't really taste of mackerel (a vital characteristic for me) and my friend's eton-mess-y dessert was a little claggy (strawberry to meringue / cream ratio is vital), but mostly the food was a delight. We had a couple of cocktails afterwards which went down a treat (one had egg white in, one was a Moscow Mule with a twist). The walls were now lined with people waiting for a seat (the gap inbetween the bar and wall is just large enough for a small person to walk through, but not without making awkward body contact with those standing up)

Overall, it was an enjoyable eating experience - staff were not intrusive, but accessible and friendly (and wouldn't be out of place in Artrocker), food was a little bit different (I was actually very tempted by the boiled egg and soldiers) and it looks like a fairly cool, bright place. And I had a lovely catch-up. The only downside, as you would expect from a place like this is the price - the food and drinks add up easily. Such is London life...

Picture credit: LondonEater

œuf à la coque

It's been about a month now since I left the flat in Queen's Park so I decided to meet up with my ex-flatmate (she pencilled me in for two weeks time because she's very busy and important unlike me ('You want to meet up tonight? On the other side of London? I'll be there in ten minutes. In fact, I'm already halfway there on the offchance').

Anyway, that is now tomorrow and she emailed me today with the website of a bar that's 'supposed to be pretty cool'.

Well, it looks er, minimalist. It's got NY roots I think, and there's not a website as such, as a URL with a single page stating 'No bookings' and 'No telephone'. I mean, come on. Luckily she sent me a review which confirmed my suspicions even further - they serve soft-boiled eggs and soldiers as nibbles - which sounds wholesome enough, but it's probably very now and a mechanism for Soho types to discuss, you know, wasted childhood and chicken foetuses. Probably.

Naturally I emailed back straight away saying 'OH MY GOD IT SOUNDS SO PRETENTIOUS! Let's go!!' - and as my work is closer, come 5.45 tomorrow, I will be sitting there, fighting for dear life to save two seats, looking horrifically out of place and resisting the urge to ask if they have cheerios as well. I'll keep you posted.

London Waits for no Man (or Woman)

I think it was somewhere in between eating the discarded pasta from last night when I woke up and getting halfway through the series of the weak shitcom I was watching that it became very clear I had to stop this pattern. I had not really got out of bed for 1 1/2 days, the pile of Evening Standards I'd taken home has been getting increasingly higher (because I must re-read that article about that interesting artist, which I never do), made slightly higher by the pizza boxes that have been there for a week. I was rejecting invitations to go out, even the half-hearted one at 9.30pm yesterday for a drink (I had fully resigned to my bed by then).

I had just about given up on the day, and decided to ring my cousin to see what her plans were that week - she invited me over. I went over there a couple of hours later and after a pleasant evening of chat and abusing her contacts book, walked to the tube station. I was out there again: tasting the air, pounding the street with my faux worker boots, tapping my oyster card on the reader with a flourish and praying I didn't mis-time my entrance and walk into the barrier, eying the tube passengers and looking away when I made eye contact and ignoring the canoodling couple a few seats away making noises that made me increasingly nauseated and grateful that I was getting off at the next stop.

Finally, I’m ready to embrace London once more - life goes on.

My Top 7 Mash-Ups

I love mash-ups. One of my favourite pastimes is to trawl music blogs to see if I can find ones I haven't yet come across (cool, I know), but if you dig through all the crap, there is some talent out there. Theese are my favourites. The links mostly go to HypeMachine where you can listen and then download an mp3 if you so wish.

1. M.I.A. Vs. Mylo - Sunshowers (A + B Mashup by Lumifire) 

I love M.I.A.'s funky raps, I love Mylo's lush synths and Mylo just makes her more upbeat and summery. 

2. Nirvana Vs. Jackson 5 (Go Home Productions) - Smells Like Rockin' Robin

This is just amazing - such a ridiculous juxtaposition of songs - "tweetly tweet -" and bam, Kurt Cobain's gravelly voice cuts in and it gets all kind of amazing. Go Home Productions is a master of mash-ups.

3. Missy Elliot Vs. Modest Mouse - Get Your Float On

One of Modest Mouse's finest songs, and I didn't think it was possible for it to sound cooler... But it is.

4. Skee-lo Vs. Survivor Vs. Breeders (Soulwax)- I Wish Vs. Eye of the Tiger Vs. Cannonball

This is amazing, it not for the fact that I know the first verse of 'I Wish' - also for the fact that these songs seem made for each other - and then for the suspense when the rhythm guitar kicks in after the bass on 'Cannonball'.

5. Christina Aguilera Vs. Diana Ross - Upside Down and Dirrty (YouTube)

For anyone who found the Christina original a bit abrasive, this is much more fun and danceable.

6. Blondie Vs. The Doors (Go Home Productions) - Rapture Riders

Two classic rock soon which mesh perfectly together. And we still get to hear Debbie Harry's amazing rapping.

7. Dolly Parton Vs. Destiny's Child Vs. Royksopp - Independent Woman Working 9 to 5

There's just a touch of DC at the beginning, but as Dolly Parton fades away to Royksopp there is a definite feeling of dreamy euphoria - perhaps not a mash-up in the sense that the rest of these have been, but still brilliant - perhaps better listened to in the whole album context, but it works for me.

Cardiff and hand-sticking-down-pants

It's been a while... Why I've been putting off something I love for so long eludes me - too busy? (nah), not enough inspiration? (I'm in London ffs) errr... Can't be arsed? You choose.

Anyway. I finally got over being in a room of hipster Wayne's World fans and have been mostly meeting friends in overpriced bars in Soho, making plans to eat mung beans every day and live on 5 p a day (I'm getting there) and getting annoyed with other, more successful writers who are shit (they're not really, I'm just jealous).

I'm currently listening to classical music as listening to LMFAO doesn't seem to breed creativity - I spend most of the song waiting for that guy to say 'Every day I'm shufflin', and do a little seat-dance when he does. I'm not really sure what this post is about yet, if I'm honest... 

I have been doing exciting, really - the other day, I went to Cardiff, which was amazing - I went to Barry Island and dug a hole in some sand and danced in a  club 'til I was dragged away (apparently it's not cool to dance to S Club when there are 10 other people on the dance floor). Oh, and I saw someone from Big Brother who apparently tried to stick his hand down my friend's pants in the middle of the dance floor a couple of years ago.

I am really at a loss as to why he didn't tell anyone.

I will not be schwinging along.

I went to see a 'Schwing-Along' ctually that was very traumatic. I mean, I'm not sure what I was expecting of interactive cinema, but it was considerably more so than I well, was. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and it was great to see my friend (whose idea this was, I had words), oh, and there was popcorn.

But a room that densely populated with hipsters in previously ironic Wayne's World hats, ridiculous wigs and ripped jeans proved too much for me. I managed to stay in my seat though, albeit rolling my eyes passive-aggressively and sinking into my seat so I couldn't be cajoled into quoting along (every SINGLE word, really?!)

You may be thinking, 'what a miserable twat'. Well, maybe I am. Or perhaps a tad socially awkward in this panto-type (but worse) situation. I do appreciate this sense of unity and fun, but forgive me for cringing a little at the headbanging competition (they looked like they had a lot of fun, though, and some people really made a brilliant effort at fancy dress).

All-round, I did have fun (believe it or not - well, you cannot fail to at laugh a lot at that film, or at least smile) and my friend was in her element, singing along, looking at me encouragingly whilst singing (it didn't work). It was a very well organised event (with some enthusiastic and entertaining hosts), if you like that sort of thing, but apparently, it's not my cup of tea.

Campus, growing on me, and Doctor Who, an amalgamation of Pirates of the Carribean and SHIT.

This post is about TV, as you may have deduced from the title. I have either been too busy or preoccupied to write anything for a while, or perhaps I just can't be arsed. You decide.

TV. I just had to write about last week's Doctor Who because it was so shit. I'm not much of a geek, but I just had this fascination with it ever since my mum took me to visit the museum in Llandudno (I was mistaken, it's Llangollen for the pedants) when I was about 8 (hmm, going to sound AWESOME however I put this...). Anyway, in this capacity, I love the sci-fi stuff, and after a great series opener (I love The Silence and I love how simultaneously confusing and exciting that episode was), I was excited about the next episode. Matt Smith could have been Jonny Depp for all I know, I don't really know what happened anyway. No plot development, barely any sci-fi and we still don't know if Amy is pregnant and we don't know who the child timelord is!! Next week's episode will be brilliant though. And full of River Song's-unravelling-goodness.

Campus, however, I am in severe danger of warming to. No, it doesn't always get it right but some of that familiar Victoria Pile warmth is creeping into it (although Matt, one of the main protaganists, is a cross between Mac and Guy from Green Wing, and I'm not entirely convinced). The romance between Nicole, an accomodation officer and pretend lesbian, and Jason, is rather endearing (if not slightly Tim-and-Dawn from the office-esque) and Imogen is just lovely and awkward - and her relentless pursuer and boyfriend, Flatpack, well, he just resembles a puppy (who is just adorable). I seem to have got thus far without mentioning Jonty, the Vice Chancellor - who I really can't warm to - he is just trying, and failing, to be wacky. Where Green Wing succeeded, you have failed, Campus: Pip Torrens trotting like a horse down a hallway is funny (it is), an entire cast breaking out into 'Eternal Flame' and dancing is not funny (about 44 1/2 minutes in, I challenge you to watch it without cringing for more than 10 seconds).

Facebook Crimes #2.

We're all guilty of them from time to time (some of us more than others), here are ten more things that really annoy me about people on Facebook. You can read the first installment here.

1. That nickname that you made for yourself. John 'two-pints' Grey? No-one else calls you that and it's not funny.

2. Status shuffle. If you can't think of anything funny or profound to write yourself, you probably don't need to write anything. At all.

3. Sympathy/Vindictive Status.
Shaniqua Bloggs: 'Some people need to get a life'.
Rachel Twatt: 'Aww hunni, what's wrong? xx'
Shaniqua Bloggs: 'Just someone who's been giving me some shit.'
WHY TELL EVERYONE IF YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO MAKE IT INTERESTING THEN?!

4. The 'indie song lyrics so your friends know how cool you are'. I will admit guilt on many counts for this...

5. People getting annoyed at other people's frapes. Calm down, it's only a frape (I should know, my friends and family constantly get me). And god knows it's probably more funny than the other shit on their homepage.

6. People getting confused and annoyed at why they've been hacked when they clicked an obvious spam link. Actually, that's quite funny.

7. Farmville. 'nuff said.

8. Running commentary of TV shows. Not even for the fact that it's reeally annoying, but because I HAVEN'T FUCKING SEEN IT YET AND YOU RUINED IT!!!

9. Your parents on Facebook. Sometimes funny, usually embarrassing (Dad, I know you'll probably read this).

10. The best one - inane shit that no-one cares about (but apparantly they do). You just had fish and chips and four people liked it? Really?!

Blooms

I went into the garden and took some photos. Turned out alreet.