First off the starting blocks is The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret.

It’s a ridiculously cool place – you have to climb a rickety winding staircase to get to it.

Really interestingly, the site had been untouched for nearly 100 years, until it was discovered in 1962 by a curious fellow who asked the question ‘where does that door up there actually go?!’
After getting a ladder and having a look, he found the Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret – untouched and unconverted.

The staircase was partially rebuilt to allow access, with the first stop being the herb garret – a place that was used to dry out herbs for use in medicine.
Garret’s just another word for attic, but it sounds so much cooler – like a funk singer’s first name… ‘Herb Garret Harris’ perhaps.

The entire place is full of wonderful curiosities.

2. Churchill War Rooms 
3. Cinema Museum 
4. Dennis Sever’s House 
5. Dr Johnson’s house 
6. Design Museum 
7. Down House 
8. The Geffrye Museum 
9. London Film Museum 
10. London Transport Museum 
11. Mansion House 
12. Brunel Museum 
13. Museum of the Order of St John 
14. Musical Museum 
15. Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret
16. Pollock’s Toy Museum 
17. Rose Theatre exhibition 
18. Fashion and Textile Museum 
19. Royal College of Music Archives and Museum of Instruments 
20. Sherlock Holmes Museum 
21. Twinings Museum 
22. V&A Museum of Childhood 
23. Bank of England museum 
24. The Stephens Museum 

There are quite a few things I want to do before I’m 25 – let’s see how many I can get through.

Last year, I missed the numbers game a bit, so I’ve put it back into most of the challenges this year, in one way or another.

Toofer
In Canada, a toofer (like ‘two-four’) is a 24 pack of beer.
This year, I want to try 24 new beers – preferably real ale – but anything goes really.

24 frames a second
Well, there’s 24 frames a second in your average movie.
And I remember Dylan Williams saying that planners should try and get a strong grounding in the art of storytelling through film – as it can teach you so much about advertising, creativity and life in general.

So off the back of that, I’m going to:

1) Write a short review for 24 films (I’ll do it as I go rather than write a list, but it will be a mixture of newbies and oldies – none of which I’ve seen before.)

2) Start experimenting with film, and have something to show for it at the end of the year.

3) I might try and take a film/writers course at some point too.

24 hour Parties, people
I’ve got this idea in my head that it would be fun to fly out to a city, spend 24 hours there walking the streets then jumping on a plane back.
This year I’m going to try and do 2 of them.
After all, tourism is an adequate substitute for depth.

24 Museums
Finally, I’ve decided I’m going to visit 24 of the lesser known museums in London and review them. Everyone knows about the Science museum, the Natural History museum and the V&A. But what about Pollock’s Toy museum, or The Stephens Collection?
Hopefully I’ll also have some tasty souvenirs to show for the trouble.
I’ll also try and write down the top 5 interesting things I learn in each one.

Here’s the list:

1. Cartoon Museum
2. Churchill War Rooms
3. Cinema Museum
4. Dennis Sever’s House
5. Dr Johnson’s house
6. Design Museum
7. Down House
8. The Geffrye Museum
9. London Film Museum
10. London Transport Museum
11. Mansion House
12. Brunel Museum
13. Museum of the Order of St John
14. Musical Museum
15. Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret
16. Pollock’s Toy Museum
17. Rose Theatre exhibition
18. Fashion and Textile Museum
19. Royal College of Music Archives and Museum of Instruments
20. Sherlock Holmes Museum
21. Twinings Museum
22. V&A Museum of Childhood
23. Bank of England museum
24. The Stephens Museum

Onwards.

So this year’s challenges are over.
And what a year it’s been.

23:Eat
Complete! I’ve tasted my way through 23 ‘official’ new foods, and many more that weren’t on the list (including those bastard sweet breads.)

23: EAT COMPLETE
1. Jellied Eels
2. Pig Cheeks
3. Sweet Meats (and Sweet Breads)
4. Bubble tea
5. Dried Insects
6. Quails egg
7. Creme de menthe
8. Frogs legs
9. Snails
10. Kangaroo
11. Nettle tea
12. Oysters
13. Steak Tartare
14. Dandelion Wine
15. Gazpacho
16. Pea Soup
17. Root beer float
18. Gnocchi
19. Ox Heart
20. Squirrel
21. Spotted Dick
22. Souffle
23. Kumquat

Adramble
Mixed… Adramble didn’t go quite so well.
I’ve certainly paced the streets more, and I got the whole thing online but I haven’t thrown all of my effort into getting it off the ground. I’m not sure whether I will this year, but perhaps.

Take more photos
Yes sir! I certainly have taken more photos, mostly thanks to the new phone.
I’ve saved my favourite 23 here.

Take a first aid course
Also complete!
I’ve went on my first ever first aid course, which was great fun.
Hosted by Sally-Anne of St John – it was a right hoot. Highly recommended.
Here’s the certificate to boot:

I should probably now say that all of the above almost certainly wouldn’t have been possible without Wist’s help.
But more than that, it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun either.

And with that, I’m onto Challenge 24…

Zomby – It’s Time

Really like this track. It’s almost a bit Groove Armada in the treble, but the drum and bass tracks are underground and heavy. There’s some nice vocal samples that tides you over between sections, and some decent sci-fi sounds around 1.30 in. It’s perhaps a bit long for my liking, but I assume that’s so it can be mixed easily.

Wax Idols – Dethrone

Nice rail-ride indie music from the Wax idols. The vocals aren’t particularly to my taste, but the drums are tight, the bass thick and the guitar twangly. The chorus has touches of Bono’s wail in it, which is interesting, but overall the vocals let this track down for me.

Olivier Libaux (feat Inara George) – 04 No One Knows

Very different from anything before – a smooth jazz version of Queens of the Stone Age. Strangely it works – the percussion clave pattern fits, and the vibraphone in the middle 8 and pre verse works wonderfully. The vocals are whispy, but in a good way, and almost dance alongside the music track. If I had one gripe, it would be the incessant triangle – but there’s not too much spilt milk – nice track.

Molly Nilsson – Dear Life

The intro for this track sounds very 90s – it reminds me of kids at my old school vamping on the electric strings sound that came as standard with classroom keyboards. The track’s fast tempo, and the kick drum hits four to the floor. It’s a bit disappointing – if I’m brutally honest it sounds like something a young me (and co) used to naively put together in Dance eJay, but with half spoken/half sung vocals overlaid.

Halo Halo – Sunshine Kim

Any song called Sunshine Kim has to feature a cowbell by law, apparently. Thankfully – this one is legally compliant. It’s a mixture of folky instruments and percussion – with some questionable vocals during the verse. Once we reach the chorus – the vocals pick up form and the whole track comes together a bit more. It’s nice enough – I’d like to hear what else they’ve done to make a better assessment on the whole band.

Camera Obscura – Do it again

Really nice indie rock. The guitar intro sounds like it could feature on an episode of the Inbetweeners (I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it probably is.) The female vocals work really nicely – and the harmonies that start during the first chorus are great. There’s a synth track in the background that buzzes around, following the chord roots, which I think works really well. The guitar solo around 2.10 is simple and straight, but fits, and it fades out nicely at the end.

Tunng – The Village

Really like the intro to this track – it’s beautifully layered and there’s an interesting synth sound used. There’s a syncopated rhythm between the clapping and the backing – which sounds a bit like slap back. The chorus is interesting, with male and female vocals. It sounds fairly new and different – and the choice of instrumentation is great.

The Riot Squad – I am waiting for my man

Nice happy harmonica starts this, followed by 60s style guitar. In fact, the whole track sounds like it was recorded in the 60s. A minute ago I wrote it sounded like the vocalist had based himself upon David Bowie. It sounded so much like Bowie I had to google it. It is Bowie, in the 60s.
That explains a lot. The harmonica is probably the best bit. The brass is a bit distracting, almost annoying, but the track’s nice enough.

Iasos – Crystal Petals

Weird and glistening throughout. Sort of like whale song, if said whale was holding some wind chimes. There’s a slight crescendo about three quarters through, and a major crescendo near the end, but overall this track is twinkly incidental music that would probably sound great backing a film. But doesn’t sound so great on it’s own.

Lovett – Black Curtain (2013)

Amazing intro on this track – it sounds like it could be used in a hollywood movie. The verse sounds a bit like a Sean Lennon track I used to listen to – it’s fairly standard pop rock – but it’s nicely treated. There’s a touch of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds about it – no bad thing in my books. The chorus is interesting, and the bass and drums are tight as siblings throughout. Can’t wait to check out what else they’ve done.

Stellar Om Source – Elite Excel

Pretty electronica, but repetitive as hell – my heart sunk after the first minute when I saw it was nearly 7 minutes long. There’s some interesting thoughts in it – there’s a synth pattern around 1.15 that I like, and a sort of deconstructed bass line around 2.40 for a beat or two – but overall it’s not my bag.

Goldheart Assembly – Sad Sad Stage

Beautiful echoey drums back this huge sounding pop song. Vocals laden with chorus, strings and jumpy bass guitar – it’s a nice vintage, laid back track but unfortunately it sounds almost exactly like Guillemots. I love the Guillemots, so that’s no bad thing, but it isn’t original. Creativity is not copying, as they say. Nice track all the same.

Continuing on from yesterday’s post about News & Screws, today I saw Mags & Fags in Hoxton.

Top stuff.

I love the fact that Clerkenwell News is next door to Clerkenwell Screws.

Add caption

Very funny

(Via http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/gallery/2013/may/24/worst-films-at-cannes)

Wist and I somehow managed to see 13 bands over the course of this weekend.
Four, on Friday night (with Muse gig + pub)
And nine, at the Sofar Sunday Festival.

1. Bastille – Support at Muse @ Emirates
Pretty good live, but unfortunately was still light and people were more in the mood for drinking than dancing I think.

2. Dizzee Rascal – Support at Muse @ Emirates.
God I hated this. I mean c’mon, seriously?

3. Muse – Emirates
Incredible live gig.
Amazing stadium sound, beautiful light show and pyrotechnics – here’s some pics.

4. Jimmy C and the Blues Dragons – @ Old Kings Head Theatre
Playing the Old Kings Head Theatre pub, which we drank in after the Muse gig.
I’ve seen them a couple of times – they’re a really great blues band with a cheshire-cat-grinning singer that looked like Tobin c.2005.

On the Sunday, we headed to Sofar festival – in an amazing little venue called TestBed1 and the Doodle Bar. Here’s some pics and band thoughts….

5. Lonesound – @ Sofar Fest
Nice voice, with a solid band around him. Strong folk-pop songs. Nice. Funny haircut on the bassist – looked a little bit like that ‘Berries and Cream’ advert.

6. Ali Warren Band – @ Sofar Fest
Wist had a perfect description for this: ‘It’s like they’ve listened to too many Jeff Buckley middle 8s, and haven’t realised they need to put a song either side of it.’

7. Jay Brown – @ Sofar Fest
Very 90s, Skunk Anansie style sound – strong voice and good drummer

8. Cannon Street – @ Sofar Fest
Saw this band at Moseley Folk Festival. I really want to like them, they’ve got some nice harmonies and work well together – but the songs sit on well trodden ground, and they’re still a bit too giggly unfortunately.

9. Danglo – @ Sofar Fest
Very nervous on stage, and wasn’t a huge fan of their songs – the singer was strong in parts and there were some nice ideas in there but not for me.

10. Indigo Earth – @ Sofar Fest
Very very good. Great songs, three part harmonies, confident and catchy.
Not too sure about the name, but the band are brilliant.

11. Annie Eve – @ Sofar Fest
Also brilliant. Bought her EP. Ghostly, Laura Marling style artist with a lotta potential.

12. Fred Page – @ Sofar Fest
Fairly undistinguishable from every other singer-songwriter if I’m honest, but had a powerful voice.

13. Grass House – @ Sofar Fest
I liked this band. Echoey guitar and low, distinctive vocals. Nice.

Childhood – Solemn Skies

It’s quite nineties this track, but I like it. The vocals have a sort of lazy Morrissey lilt during the verse. During the chorus, the vocals straighten out a bit to hammer home the melody.  The track is slathered thick with reverb, which gives it a big old sound – akin to the Stone Roses, but with a harder edge.

Devil – Jstar

What fun. This sounds a bit like a modern take on the Specials, with sultry female pipes and computer game sound effects. I really like this – the off beat drum track is a welcome blast-from-the-past, the fx works seamlessly and the horns sing out. Towards the end of the track, the vocalist really goes for it – nice.

King Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds – Haunted Head

I love the way the drums have been recorded on this – they sound so live and rough – in an Ethan Johns kind of way. The guitar part that plays throughout has the same poise as something from the Shadows, but it’s darker and a little grungey. The vocals is recorded in two levels – one spoken, one sang – and overdubbed. Quite a nice effect, but in this instance I don’t think it works too well. Nice enough.

Melt yourself down – Kingdom of Kush

Party time! This track starts off with ska trumpet, complete with samba style beats etc.
Indie bass kicks in around 27 seconds in, along with some short screams from the vocalist. We hear some nice trumpet harmonies around 2.45 and it ends beautifully – sort of self-deconstructing and consciously falling apart.

Polica – Tiff (feat. Justin Vernon)

There’s some really fine synth sounds in this track. The whole thing is paced nicely – it’s almost relaxing. Everything on this track is heavily effected but it’s far from sounding artificial. A Portishead for the next generation I suppose. And with attitude to match.

Bass Drum of Death – 3 Shattered me

I’m not sure whether ‘3’ is the track number, or whether it’s called ‘3 Shattered me’. The track itself is ace. Sort of underground garage rock – with driving powerchords, impressive drums and commanding vocals. At 2 mins 16 seconds long, it’s all over too quickly – look forward to hearing the album.

Charlie Boyer & The Voyeurs – You haven’t got a chance 

Nice vintage sounds on this track – a sort of clash between modern indie and 70s NYC pop. There’s some great pop organ during the chorus, and a short laddering guitar solo around 1.45. The drumming is consciously loose, which is nice, but overall the track doesn’t feel like anything new. Would be good to hear what else they’re up to.

CocoRosie – After the Afterlife

The first 3 seconds sound like the start of a hardcore electronica track, but we then have 30 seconds of piano and ethereal female vocals – before we go into a mishmash of synth, piano, drum loops and vocals. It’s all a bit too all-over-the-place for me, but there are some nice ideas in there. Plus, every so often you hear a whale noise in the background. I don’t think I’ve heard traditional piano singer/songwriter sounds mixed with synth and vocal effects like this before – which is interesting.

Golden Fable – Crossfire (alt version)

Light, airy, solo chorister style vocals fill this track. It’s nicely arranged, highlights including a delicate drum track (played with brushes) and pretty piano. It’s sort of baroque pop – and there are dashes of Kate Bush and Regina Spektor in there, which is no bad thing.

Lust For Youth – Barcelona

Pulsing synth at the start, and spoken word snippets are sewn throughout. It’s all a bit of a mess for the first minute or so – until the drum track lifts up in the mix and drags it all into line. Even then, it’s a bit too ‘Jez’ from Peep Show for me. “Does it fit into the Big Beat Manifesto Superhands?” Bit off the mark for me I’m afraid.

Maps – AMA

Effected drums, synth, electronic piano and cool slow vocals. I like this track – it’s got a solid chorus and it’s mixed beautifully. It starts to bring it down about half way through, but the volume kicks back in just after 3 minutes and it takes off again. The only issue I have with it, really, is that the synth sound is a little early 90s Ibiza in parts. But other than that, nice track.

The Wytches – Beehive Queen

Really great. Old style indie rock, that sounds like it’s played in a echo chamber. The drums are tight, and the tempo changes two or so times in the track with ease. The vocals are kind of screechy, but in a really good way, and the melody is catchy. Nice. Good one to finish this fortnight’s review.