By Charlotte Cox
Bottomless cocktails, endless tunes and art without limits. This weekend, no rules apply
NIGHTLIFE: The Ting Tong Club
Twisted. Surreal. Scantily clad. No, we’re not talking about Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall’s honeymoon (ahem). We’re talking about The Ting Tong Club, the latest night to join Ministry of Sound’s rejuvenated roster, which mixes high theatre, pop culture and lavish costumes with electro-tech tunes from the likes of Riton. Organisers promise ‘a sexy and bonkers club concept bringing together a crew of insensible, off-script actors for an immersive evening of bizarre happenings.’ Which is the long way of saying: F-U-N.
12 March; free with RSVP here at 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP
FESTIVAL: Label Mates
Are you always meaning to get into more new music? Consider it done – thanks to this 10-day showcase from hip independent labels including Burger Records, Bella Union, Heavenly Recordings, Fuzz Club Records and Fierce Panda. Taking over multiple venues around Hackney, you might end up seeing anything from reverb to rock to retro futurist pop. Trust us: your new favourite band is in here somewhere.
Until 13 March; various Hackney venues
DRINK: Cocktails in the City
Staying firmly on theme, we now bring you to another opportunity to drink cocktails. Lots of cocktails. And not just any dreary daiquiri at that – we're talking cutting-edge concoctions from 25 of Europe’s best bars (Cahoots, Coq d’Argent, Ruby, Little Red Door), all under one roof. Yes, this can only mean the return of Cocktails in the City, a three-day celebration of all things shaken, mixed and marvellously muddled. Which, incidentally, is a fairly accurate description of our state of mind after a few of these bad boys...
10-12 March; £15 One Mayfair, 13A N Audley St, W1K 6ZA
FOOD: Bottomless Brunch at Urban Coterie
‘Bottomless’. It’s one of our favourite words. As is ‘brunch’. And we’re pretty big fans of ‘mimosa’ too. So when faced with the prospect of a new brunch involving bottomless mimosas, we’re very happy campers indeed. Throw in classic dishes like scrambled duck eggs and smoked salmon, newer options such as duck confit with fried egg and lentils, AND 17th-floor city views – and suddenly ‘Urban Coterie’ is essential vocabulary.
From 12 March; £32. Urban Coterie, 51-157 City Rd, London EC1V 1JH
MUSIC: Bonobo presents Outlier
Ever since the release of Black Sands – alternate title: As Played At Every House Party You've Been To For The Past Five Years – Bonobo has been quite the big deal. And so this all-day affair he’s curating at venue du jour Tobacco Dock promises much. Not least guest sets by Kiasmos, Gilles Peterson and Loan, plus of course the heady mix of hip-hop and electronica of Bonobo himself. Like every house party you've been to for the last five years, then. Only a MILLION times better.
12 March, 12pm-10.30pm; from £42.50.
Bonobo presents Outlier, Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, E1W 2SF
ART: Graffiti and the Everyday Utopias of the Street
Remember when your mum told you that graffiti is an eyesore? Well here’s proof positive that she was WRONG. Somerset House’s new blockbuster exhibition brings together specially commissioned works by 17 of the world’s street-art stars (including Shepard Fairey, Swoon and REVOK), plus artists-in-residence creating pieces live on-site. It’s all to show that creating unsanctioned public art is a utopian act. And a damn beautiful, cool and joyous utopian act at that. See, Mum?
Until 3 May; free. Somerset House, Strand London WC2R 1LA
SHOPPING: E17 Designers
We've seen the future. It goes something like this. YOUR FRIEND: ‘That’s a cool necklace/bag/print/candle/hat’ (delete as appropriate). YOU: ‘Oh thanks, I got it from E17.’ YOUR FRIEND: ‘Whaaat? Brian Harvey has gone into upcycling hip accessories?’ YOU: ‘No, not East 17 – I’m talking E17 Designers, the market that brings together east London’s coolest independent makers.’ YOUR FRIEND: ‘Oh.’
12 March; free. E17 Designers, Vestry House Museum, Vestry Rd, E17 9NH
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