Little Miss Random Recommends – Week Ending 30/07/2012

Man, it was way hotter than expected yesterday. Perfect for a nice, simple, lazy weekend. It’s been noted that it’s funny just how much I pack into a week that my weekends are just so lazy by comparison. (If you’re interested, I was concentrating on catching up on laundry this weekend, because, well, it had to be done.)

Anyway, The Event That Will Not Be Named commences this week, so if you’re looking to avoid any mention of it whatsoever, this is not the right place. I simply love watching the Olympics, though I’m not a junkie, so it’s not something I’d be actively looking to avoid. So if you don’t want to see any events whatsoever, then turn away now.

School Nights

1. Watch the National Theatre be set alight in The Fire Garden – The World Famous. The National Theatre will be turned into a massive riverside hanging garden of conflagration to celebrate the start of one of London’s most memorable occasions.Jul 24th to 26th, The National Theatre, 9.30 pm, free
2. Join Ei Arakawa for Joy of Life, an art historical workshop with Harumi Nishizawa and Miwako Tezuka in exploring the relationship between art and theatre in the 1920s, early ballet productions in Japan, pre-Gutai Gutai and Jikken Kobo. Evening events include Single's Night where singles are invited to dance with Jutta Koether’s work Mad Garland, accompanied by sensual music provided by Stefan Tcherepnin. Jul 24th, Tate Modern, 1.00 pm (symposium) / 6.30 pm (single's night)
3. Enjoy an evening of Grimehouse visuals, music, games, drinking and dancing in celebration of Amy Grimehouse turning 3 in A Very Grimehouse Birthday. Jul 25th, The Book Club, 7.30 pm, free
4. Limber up for a night of sport at the Science Museum. Challenge your friends or team up for a variety of thrilling events. Learn about the science behind the ultimate running shoe. As always, there's the Silent Disco, Speed Dating and Punk Science to bewilder and entertain. Jul 25th, Science Museum, 6.45 pm
5. You've not experienced karaoke until you've got on stage and done it, accompanied by a live band. That's the Rockaoke experience. And what better surroundings to make your live debut than in Soho? Advance booking is advised. Jul 25th, Madame Jojo’s, 6.30 pm (doors) / 7.00 pm (show), £5
6. Marcus Brigstocke previews new material in The Brig Society. No less than the total restructuring of every aspect of life in Britain organised through the medium of jokes. See this show – WIN a free hospital or school! Second prize – a major High St bank. Jul 26th to 27th, Soho Theatre, 10.00 pm, £10
7. Folie a Deux presents a night of live music combining electronic-folk, experimental anti-folk and avant-garde music featuring Trwbador, Wolf Alice, Geese and Sarah Johns Music Party. Jul 26th, The Old Queen's Head, 7.30 pm, free
8. Head to the South Bank and dive into a night of sensational, saucy and sporting cabaret where you can have your javelin tossed, your shot put and your balls… basketed (?) at Time Out Live’s Gold Gold Gold – Alternative Opening Ceremony. Jul 26th, Priceless London Underground, 9.00 pm, £15
9. American one-man band Joe Driscoll and Guinean musician Sekou Koutae perform together in a genre-defying fushion of afrobeat, hip hop, folk and reggae. Sekou (on the collaboration): “He doesn't speak any French, and I speak no English... but through music, we understand.” Jul 27th, Southbank Centre – Central Bar Foyer, 1.00 pm, free

Weekend

1. V&A presents Going For Gold. The museum plays hosts to contemporary artists from Rio, so expect the finest in music, art and films from Brazil. If you’re not able to makea it on Friday, The museum will also be opening late as part of the Exhibition Road Show taking place from Jul 28th to Aug 5th. Jul 27th, V&A 6.30 pm to 10.00 pm, free
2. Netil 360 opens up to the public for one weekend only for the Opening Ceremony party. Expect hot tubs, live music, street food, a cocktail bar, massages, and boutique yurt clubbing. Only in the East End. Jul 28th, Netil 360, 12 noon, £8 (members) / £15 (non-members)
3. The Book Club takes over Leonard Street carpark and makes it TBC Base Camp featuring silly sports hosted by the Social Athletics Club (including a beer pong tournament, for those of you drink-athletes), ales from London Fields Brewery and food from the brilliant guys at Street Kitchen. Jul 27th to Aug 12th, The Book Club, free entry
4. If you’re sick of the modern-day Olympics, be sure to check out the first in a trilogy of Vintage Olympic events taking place in Shoreditch. First up is Paris 1924, right in the middle of Les Annees Folles. Live music from Future Swing Stories, Boogie Woogie Buggers and more will be provided. There’ll be live street art, cocktail specials and even a burlesque show. Dressing up is encouraged. Rome 1960 (Aug 4th) and Mexico 1968 (Aug 11th) complete the trilogy. Jul 28th, Paper Dress, 2.30 pm, free
5. CREATE has commissioned Something & Son to design and build a unique new space, the Barking Bathhouse, to provide luxury spa treatments at an affordable price and also provide a free social space for people to meet and relax, thereby bringing about a little bit of happiness and relaxation this summer. Events such as Laughter Yoga and Singing workshops and stand-up comedy will also take place here at the great price of just under £6. Jul 27th to Sep 16th, Axe Street, Barking, £10/£20/£30 for 15/30/60 minutes of treatment
6. Hotel Medea, an overnight experience with a live DJ, hot chocolate and twisted games of hide and seek, exploring the dark revenge myth that is Medea. Most of the tickets for the series have sold out, but tickets to Zero Hour Market, Part I of the trilogy, are still available, and you can put yourself down on the waitlist for tickets to the rest on the day. Jul 27th/28th, Aug 3rd/4th, Aug 7th/11th, Hayward Gallery, 11.30 pm to 6 am the following day, £40
7. To celebrate the rise of Leather Lane as a food and drink destination, Department of Coffee and Social Affairs (one of my favourite coffee shops in London), Bleeding Heart Bistro, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and The Craft Beer Co. are running a consecutive series of tastings in A Taste of Leather Lane. Check out the free coffee, beer and whisky tastings! Jul 28th, Leather Lane, 11.30 am, free entry
8. Roxy Bar & Screen hosts Swede Dreams, quite possibly the best film festival ever. Swedeing, as the practice is known, is the art of making your own remake of a film in tribute to the original, much in the vein of Be Kind Rewind. The weekend sees several films being screened, including Be Kind Rewind, Son of Rambow, fan-made Emmy-winning Star Wars Uncut, Night of the Living Dead Reanimated and Flooding with Love for the Kid being screened over two days. Jul 27th to 28th, Roxy Bar & Screen, 4.00 pm (Sat) / 3.00 pm (Sun), £7 (one day) / £12 (both days)