Culture Picks From 2 Guys In The Know

THE THEATRE

I went to the theatre about a month ago and saw the most incredible show. People, Places & Things at the National was just mind-blowing, and you can now watch it at home on the theatre’s on-demand streaming service. Definitely the best show I’ve ever seen. Otherwise, I trust everything Sadler’s Wells puts on, and look forward to its sister site opening in Stratford. 

THE MUSIC

I’m really into Khruangbin at the moment. They’re playing in November, so I’ve got tickets for that. I’ve been dying to see them for a couple of years now. I’m also going to see Lauryn Hill when she returns to the UK with the Fugees, which is going to be amazing. They’re playing at the O2 and there are still some tickets left. 

THE VENUE

I love the Jazz Cafe in Camden. It always hosts these fun, off-the-wall events. The most recent one I attended was a night called Hip Hop Classics, where three rappers performed on stage with an orchestra. The audience was eclectic – everyone from Doris from accounts to a crew of aspiring hip hop artists, students, and people like me. They also have a hip hop karaoke night where you have to get up and perform with no lyrics on the screen, but the whole room sings along with you. The MC for the night is easily the funniest guy on the planet.

THE CLUB

I love going to Koko in Camden – I'm a member there. It hosts some great nights in the main ballroom, and its new sound system is incredible. I saw Jorja Smith perform there not too long ago. It’s quite an intimate space but still manages to have an amazing atmosphere. On a Friday night, if I’ve hosted a dinner party at my house and it's 11 o’clock, we’ve all had a few drinks, and we’re feeling a bit merry, that’s where we go. There’s always a great DJ playing fantastic music. It’s the perfect spot to go, have a dance, and just be a bit silly.

THE ARTISTS

A visual artist specialising in figurative portraits, Ronald Mugabe has an expressive and bold style that will draw you in. His work explores social struggles, justice, community and belonging, inviting us to confront hard truths. From spending most of his childhood as a homeless orphan in the slums of Kampala to being offered a scholarship to join Uganda's most prestigious art school, his incredible story further brings consciousness to such realities.  

Alejandra Aristizabal is also up there. She uses the fique plant in her work, and directly supports the indigenous communities who assist her in harvesting and drying this unique natural fibre. For me, these works are about connection – interconnection between people and nature, culture and the appreciation for the finite resources that bind them. 

Shivangi Ladha is another name to keep an eye on. Specialising in printmaking, Shivangi’s work looks at identity and her engagement with social, ecological and political spaces, and the idea of the collective voice of a crowd.

THE EXHIBITION

I’m looking forwarding to visiting Ade Adesina’s solo exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers. I find Ade’s work intriguing, and this exhibition will showcase his new processes and experimentations with woodcuts and linocuts. 

THE SHOW

The Real Thing at The Old Vic is a new show by Tom Stoppard – and it’s on for another few weeks. It’s about a couple whose relationship started as an affair, and all the complications that brings. The Old Vic is an old stomping ground for me. I lived five minutes from The Cut when I first moved to London, so the venue is a special place.