What’s on in London – October 2018

In order to stand out from the drum and bass also-rans that populate the London club scene, Hackney collective Rudimental choose to pack their sets with high energy workouts, full of call and response choruses and catchy horn riffs. It’s proven to be a winning formula over the last decade as evidenced by a string of chart hits and all-star collabs.

This month, they are invading the picturesque space of Alexandra Palace in order to bring some well-crafted sonic mayhem to North London. Augmented by a crew of live musicians and backing singers, the Rudimental crew are experts at ratcheting up the tension via a series of funky breakbeats and samples before cutting loose with a mammoth “drop” which will probably be heard in Essex. If anyone tells you that dance music doesn’t rock, take them along to Ally Pally.
https://www.timeout.com/london/clubs/rudimental

Incorporating four royal parks and supported by the Royal Bank of Canada, this fun-filled event is designed not only to get Londoners fit, but also eco-friendly. The organisers are keen to differentiate themselves from other similar events that ironically generate a lot of harmful waste while raising money for good causes.

Runners who go around this 13-mile course will be encouraged to do so on recycled footwear while using reusable water bottles. At the end of the event, participants have a chance to win prizes based on how green their training regimes have been. There will also be a mini food festival and live music to sustain and entertain weary bodies.
https://royalparkshalf.com/

The autumn edition of this ever growing, always popular event comes to Battersea with a slew of innovations, themes and a seemingly endless supply of knowledge and advice. Apart from being a massive shop window for a wide range of professional artists, the fair takes a special interest in how members of the public can start buying and collecting art.

To this end, it provides a superb selection of masterclasses on everything from collage making to gallery wall compositions. Individuals can dive into the finer technical details that underpin great art and learn how to capture movement or use abstract concepts. The Affordable Art Fair is unique in the fact that it always seeks to educate and inform.
https://affordableartfair.com/fairs/battersea-autumn

In a bold move, the Natural History Museum uses drama, puppetry and a fantastic original music score to spotlight the achievements of one of the founding fathers of modern science. It’s hard to believe that Charles Darwin was only 22 years old when he set sail on the voyage of scientific discovery that changed the course of history.

Written by David Morton, The Wider Earth is staged in a new drama space that is part of the Jerwood Gallery and uses specially made puppets which bring to life the creatures that the young Darwin encountered. Educational without being stuffy and entertaining without diluting the point, this musical docudrama is a must for all the family.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/the-wider-earth.html

Now that TV and streaming services can now produce movie-quality productions, the film industry must increasingly rely on innovation in order to keep its position as the flagship of the genre. The British Film Institute annually preside over a dazzlingly eclectic collection of films that are drawn from all genres and from all corners of the world and anybody who doubts the future of modern cinema should drop in for some much-needed encouragement.

Taking place over 12 days and featuring 227 films from 77 countries, this is truly a global event that ranges from major league releases (Widows, Colette), to quirky short stories, animation and restored classics (Some Like It Hot). There will be talks by Hollywood superstar, Kiera Knightly as well as by Indie Queen Maggie Gyllenhaal.
https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp

This year sees the festival celebrate its 10th anniversary in style with plenty of inventive combinations of menus, venues and must-dos. As usual, high profile chefs and restaurants will be pooling their ideas and talent in order to create unique experiences during the month long epicurean ramble through the Capital.

One thing has become apparent at this event. You can combine food with almost any activity in order to witness an almost instant boost in interest. This has led the festival to curate special meals that go with art viewings, boat trips and film nights which have proved immensely popular. Dozens of eateries are taking part and will be offering discounts, kitchen tours and special food tastings.

As the Frieze event focuses upon the contemporary art scene, it’s no surprise that live music has played an increasingly prominent role in the festival. This is because so many of today’s installations attempt to convey their meaning with sonic interpretations as well as visual stimuli.

This year, Frieze has commissioned an off-site venue for experimental music and sound collage and pioneer of the genre, Laurie Anderson will be giving a talk. The main event is the usual heady synthesis of cutting edge galleries and established names and there will be plenty of advice on how to source, purchase and collect art.
https://frieze.com/fairs/frieze-london

Many rock bands who become globally successful tend to leave their risk-taking days firmly behind them as they recycle a greatest hits package to sold-out stadia around the world. Strangely enough, U2 had their most interesting period right after the mega-selling Joshua Tree album which means that even casual fans will have been exposed to some more esoteric material.

The O2 Arena show will draw from this era, together with some earlier cuts from their gloriously ragged indie days. Backed by the solid rhythm section of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr, Bono remains one of contemporary music’s most mesmeric frontmen and the Edge is still a one-man sonic tidal wave. Innovative staging and lighting have become par for the course at U2 gigs and this O2 date won’t be an exception, so expect Ireland’s greatest export since Guinness to pull out all the stops this month.
https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/u2