cities
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South London by Thameslink
In Croydon there are towers high, lean, and empty. At the station, an older woman with a natty blue rinse limps for the front carriage, and passes a human-shaped package in a pushchair. This is topped with a hat with bear ears, poking out from the swaddled layers below. High visibility clothing must be worn Read more
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From Round Hill to the Desolation of Hollingbury Asda
I was supposed to be seeing The Divine Comedy this past evening [1]. They are one of my favourite bands, but I couldn’t quite face it. The assorted gigs, shows and accompanying human interactions of the past week, joyous as they were, left me feeling like I needed to spend an evening somewhere other than Read more
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This Machine Kills Wasps with MJ Hibbett & Chris Thorpe-Tracey, The Highchurches, Lilla Multipass, Leslie Bloom and Verity Grebble
This was a special, sweaty little show, which will live long in the memory of all who attended. It was a bit of a last minute job. Chris and Mark have a beautiful project in which they’re doing a new, stripped down album of Hibbett songs accompanied by piano. They’re songs from the sadder end Read more
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The Portsmouth to Gosport Ferry
My mum moves out of Southsea tomorrow. She has been busy with the emotional task of chucking out what needs to be chucked out, and putting into storage what needs to be put into storage, as she continues to look for somewhere new to live in the old, familial lands of Nottingham. Last week I Read more
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The Hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde
The Hovercraft from Southsea in Hampshire to Ryde on the Isle of Wight is the last commercial passenger hovercraft service in England, and one of two left in Europe. [1] Hovercrafts were the future, once. A British invention, from the endearingly stereotypical crackpot eccentric Christopher Cockrell, these were the postwar zeppelins: a mode of transport Read more
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REVIEW: Brighton Fringe – The Mayor & His Daughter: A Genuine Appreciation Of Comedy
Some artists meet you halfway, with a trail of reassuring breadcrumbs luring you to darker forests. Sketch duo The Mayor And His Daughter, on the other hand, are more likely to ward you off with empty crisp packets and beer cans. If you ever make it to their metaphorical comedy clearing, curiosity getting the better Read more
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Green berets and creeping fascism
Wearing a Keffiyeh in the street leads to a variety of responses, ranging between glares, thumbs up, and baffled glances. Sometimes it even leads to conversation – usually constructive, and often interesting. It’s usually pretty easily to clock the politics of who is approaching and what it is they are likely to want to say. Read more
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I interviewed Rachel Stamp’s David Ryder Prangley for Indie Brighton
This year I’m trying to do a lot more features and interviews alongside my weekly listings. The plan eventually is to set up a proper website to compliment the newsletter, which means I think I have to think a bit more about how comprehensive I want my guide to be, and how to stick to Read more