QuecumBar Reborn as Lousiana & Creole Bar Opening May 3, 2024

The “home of Gypsy swing” in London, QuecumBar closed during Covid and was a victim of the financial pressures of the pandemic as it did not reopen.

The site, formerly The Old Woodman, at 42-44  Battersea High St remained closed and empty until March 2024 when signs of life started to emerge. It’s now been revealed that the new owners are Peacock Taverns and they’re launching a concept bar/restuarant called The Doghouse.

Described as a “Lousiana Lounge & Creole Kitchen”, the inspiration is 1930s New Orleans. The poster on the bar window promises “A wide range of great drinks, live musice and little cuisine from the deep south”.

Opening Night

The Doghouse is hosting a launch event on 3rd May 2024, with live music from Liam Joseph, a well know jazz, blues and big band swing performer. Expect the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Michael Bublé and many more.

 

 

 

Battersea Jazz Festival

Summer Jazz in South West London

The Battersea Jazz Festival will take place from the 15th-17th July and will celebrate both the incredible and diverse talent of the London jazz scene, as well as the wonderful settings and community that Battersea has to offer. The festival will feature a wide range of acts, ranging from swing bands, to cabaret acts, to bebop, and original material. All events will be free of charge for all audience members in order to make the weekend as inclusive as possible and welcoming to newcomers to jazz. Venues will include, but will not be limited to, upstairs at the Prince Albert pub, the Magic Garden on Battersea Park Road, and the wonderful riverside setting of St Mary’s Church, Battersea, where there will also be the world premiere of an original “jazz mass” on the morning of Sunday 17th.

Here’s the schedule, subject to change:

Friday 15th July, 19:30-21:30: upstairs at the Prince Albert pub.

Saturday 16th July, 13:00-17:00: Jazz in Battersea Square with 4 fantasic groups.

Saturday 16th July, evening: currently unconfirmed but hoping to host a jam session at Room 43 on Lavender Hill.

Sunday 17th July, 11:00: Jazz Eucharist at St Mary’s Church, Battersea

Sunday 17th July, 15:00-17:00: The Magic Garden pub. This is a huge outdoor venue, full of very community-minded people, so a great way to finish the festival.

Visit https://www.batterseajazzfestival.co.uk for the most up to date lineup.

There will also be collections in aid of the Battersea Summer Scheme at the performances. The Battersea Summer Scheme (BSS) is the principal project of the Battersea Crime Prevention Panel (BCPP) and organises a number of events in the holidays for children in Battersea.

As this festival will be completely free for all audiences, Battersea Jazz Festival will rely on external funding to make the event happen, which includes your own generosity. Whatever amount is raised from this page will go to the festival, and therefore any money that you donate will go towards paying the musicians at a fair rate, venue hire, publicity and travel costs, and the funding of potential outreach projects connected to the festival.

Any donations are more than welcome to help bring this exciting project to life!

Donate at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/battersea-jazz-festival

Real life ‘girl from Clapham’ releases feminist reworking of the Squeeze classic

I, Doris release debut single ‘The Girl From Clapham’ – a feminist reworking of Squeeze’s ‘Up the Junction’ – on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2019

Ever wondered what the story of Squeeze‘s classic ‘Up the Junction’ might look like from her point of view? London’s I, Doris are here to tell you.

The band are releasing, this Friday 8 March 2019 (fittingly, International Women’s Day) their debut single, ‘The Girl From Clapham’ – a loving, fuzzed-up tribute to the original song, with a poignant reminder that women’s experiences are all too often erased from history.

The new song lyrics were written by punk poet Janine Booth, and published in her brilliant anthology ‘Disaffected Middle Aged Women‘. Squeeze’s Chris Difford has given the new lyrics – and the I, Doris version of the song – his personal seal of approval. All profits from the sale of the track on Bandcamp are being donated to domestic violence charity Women’s Aid.

I, Doris are a self-proclaimed “kitchenpunk mummycore” band, consisting four 40-something women, dressed in dinnerlady-esque tabards, and answering to the name of Doris (that’s Doris on guitar, Doris on bass, Doris on drums, and Doris on – wait for it – keytar). Audience members are sworn in to the Doris collective with a group pledge at the start of each gig. Their live set is 60s girl-group style pop with lashings of fuzzy punk and plenty of good-humoured swipes at the patriarchy. At least, we think they’re good-humoured.

Bassist Doris (AKA Cassie Fox, previously of Guttfull and Thee Faction, and founder of the Loud Women festival) takes the lead vocals on ‘The Girl From Clapham’.

“I’ve always loved the song, and feel so honoured to get to sing this version” she says, “I am, legit, a girl from Clapham though. My childhood and teens were spent by/on Clapham Common, mostly trying to stay out of the way of my drunk and violent father. The song strikes a big power chord for me. That feeling at the end – of being trapped in a hopeless situation – it’s painfully familiar to a lot of people I’m sure, particularly women. This is the reason I was keen for the profits from the track to go to Women’s Aid.”

I, Doris are currently blazing a gloriously happy trail through the DIY gigs circuit, and beyond – they’ve played with Mekons in Leeds, the launch of Loud Women NYC in Brooklyn, they’re playing the Royal Albert Hall on 17 March, and Rebellion Festival on 2 August. Keep an eye on the I, Doris Facebook page for news of their continued adventures.
‘The Girl From Clapham’ by I, Doris is out 8 March 2019, available to download from Bandcamp for £1 or more, which will be donated to Women’s Aid.

 

I, Doris gigs coming up:
10 March – SheFest in Walthamstow
17 March – The Royal Albert Hall, with ILL, Nun Habit and Lilith Ai
11 May – The Hope and Anchor, Islington, with Miss Eaves
16 May – Paper Dress Vintage, with HAVVK, Charmpit and Scrounge
7 June – The Bird’s Nest, Deptford
14 June – The Finsbury, with CLT DRP
15 June – Sistafest in Oxfordshire
2 August – Rebellion Festival, Introducing Stage

Links:
I, Doris on Bandcamp – https://idoris.bandcamp.com/track/the-girl-from-clapham
I, Doris on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IDoris/

Grand Sandwich

The energetic covers band Jam Sandwich will play a concert in memory of local man Ed Fisk at the Clapham Grand on the 16th of June. Featuring a set list of songs that should have something for everyone, it should be a great evening for anyone who loves music and enjoys a cracking night out. Bring your singing voices and dancing shoes!!

Doors open at 6pm.

Tickets are available here: https://www.designmynight.com/london/clubs/clapham/the-clapham-grand/grand-sandwich

Keep up to date with Jam Sandwich at www.facebook.com/jamsandwichband