Chantoozie

oops, didn't spot your post, EDOldie! but yes, I can definitely second that recommendation.

there's usually a bonfire and fireworks display at Dulwich Cricket Club, on Burbage Road. they have BBQ, mulled wine, etc, and the setting is lovely. does anyone know if they're doing one this year, and if so, what date? PS if anyone *doesn't* fancy a bonfire on November 5th, they can always come and hear me sing Upstairs @ the EDT on that night, instead. ;-)

I'm sure it's very impressive, but when you live near it (as I used to) it's awful having a clocktower chime throughout the night - the sound travels unbelievably and it used to wake me up in the middle of the night (and remind me what time it was dare I should wake up early ;-)). Fortunately I was only renting for a while; so used earplugs... but if I'd lived there as a 'proper' resident, I would have tried to see if it could be silenced at night. I don't know how their neighbours stand it!

would that be the mini-churchtype structure in the garden that strikes the hour, every hour, even throughout the night REALLY REALLY IRRITATINGLY??!!?? :)

update...Green And Blue has WiFi, too - went and used it on Tuesday afternoon. very pleasant on a sunny day with the 'are they doors? are they windows?' open onto the street.

I've never been to the Caffe Nero on Lordship Lane but that's partly because I've always found Caffe Neros to be dirty! Clapham Junction station, Regent Street... they've always been grubby, especially the loos which are often really quite foul. methinks CN Head Office really needs to work on this...

don't you know that you can't stop the music? nobody can stop the music. sorry. for a moment there I was in an '80s musical...

bearing in mind the Alternative Dulwich thread, I think everyone's just getting ready for the Fourth of July.

The Picture Room - MoMA

Brighton Beach = Brighton Beach no?

PPS Considering the above: Peckham Rye = Prospect Park.

PS Actually, my boyfriend lives in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn, and given a) the large number of white middle class creative people there, b) the tendency for these aforementioned white middle class creative people to raise families there, and c) the abundance of nice, right-on cafes, bars, restaurants, etc. in the area, East Dulwich and Park Slope are surprisingly similar (except for the lovely brownstones). Any EDer would feel remarkably at home in Park Slope. Perhaps we should consider twinning with them?

Dulwich Park - Central Park Nunhead - Brooklyn Goose Green Roundabout - Columbus Circle The back of Ed - Garment District

I think Liquorish has Wifi, too?

Thomas: I think a purely veggie restaurant would go down a storm because, as everyone's saying here, there are already meat restaurants a-plenty on Lordship Lane. so I don't think you'd lose any meat-eating custom: you'd get both pure veggies, and meat-eaters who fancy a change from the current LL fare.

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bob, I am actually a very happy jovial person, but > places who take on this gastropub look and feel > lose all identity and I dont feel you can have a > laugh because everyone is grouped together round > tables eating seabass and drinking mineral water > listening to music, it's hardly a knees-up is it? > 1. I don't think the FHT has a 'gastropub' identity - it just looks and feels like a smartish pub now. 2. Believe me, people were knocking back pints there on Sunday night, not sipping mineral water. just like in "the good old days"! 3. There are different types of music for different vibes. What we did on Sunday was pretty mellow music which yes, some people sat and paid attention to (shock! horror!) - possibly coming to the pub specifically because we were performing - and which others seemed to enjoy as background music while they chatted to their mates. I totally appreciate both types of audience (I can fall into either category myself on a night out), and it was a great mix of both at the FHT. Not all gigs have to be full-on 'knees ups' you know - and the world of music would be very boring if they were!

ahh thanks very much Madworld74! we really enjoyed the gig - so thank you for the support. barry and I will be back to play on the last sundays in June and July, too :)

I don't see what's so bad about putting on live music - of any description - unless you're Al Murray the pub landlord and so prejudiced that even saying the word 'jazz' makes you twitch and immediately think of poncey wine bars. In fact, I think live music is something which is to be encouraged anywhere, whatever its type. And I'm not just saying this because I'm a musician - I haven't always been doing this for a living. There's a huge tradition of music in 'old' pubs: folk music, singer-songwriters, rock bands, jazz (yes, really - in some of the hardest pubs around!) - so a place putting it on isn't automatically the sign of some bland corporate takeover. In fact, you're far more likely to find an independent owner/bar manager encouraging it, just as Kevin at the FHT did when I approached him, and Ray at the EDT. Or to put it another way, Louisa: A girl walks into her local pub. Asks them if they've thought about doing live music. Gets a gig there. Hopefully we make good music, which people seem to enjoy, and which is free. What's so wrong with that?!

bagsy the bedroom with the 20ft-tall, south-facing stained glass window!

aww, thanks very much! I was the singer there last night. it was really good fun - a really nice crowd and a lovely atmosphere; very laidback, like you say. it will be a pleasure to sing there more and hopefully to build something of a regular night. thanks for coming down! (as all_star says, there are a couple of other threads on this topic - here and here)

So, the gig last night was really lovely - thanks to any EDFers who came down! There seemed to be a few old FHT regulars there, but the pub is definitely mostly attracting yer more typical East Dulwich type now. And I mean that in a good way - it was a very nice, friendly and laidback atmosphere in there. And anywhere that has a Prosecco as its cheap bubbly of choice is alright by me ;-). It's going to be a monthly thing now, me singing down there on a Sunday night - so will let you guys know when the next one's on. I spoke to the owner Kevin again, and they are definitely up for getting live music going there. Apparently a six-piece Irish band rocked up there on Saturday night and just performed spontaneously for three hours!

Having seen the inside, believe me, it's not pretentious! It's a bit like an airy pub you'd find in the West End, and I can see it attracting a more down-to-earth type than, say, the arty crowd of something like Inside 72. I actually much prefer the feel of the latter than the new-look FHT, but I still think it's better than being a very unappealing, grotty pub that you'd never want to drink in. Plus, like I say, with a new look hopefully comes a new lease of live music-promoting life :). which can only be a good thing, no?

*Chantoozie breathes a sigh of relief, continues writing out chart for 'S.O.S.'*

Incidentally - I dropped off some promo posters at the FHT earlier this evening, and a) They're having their big relaunch tonight - cheesy disco ahoy! (probably. there'll be DJs from 9pm. whether they turn out to be cheesy or not remains to be seen); b) Kevin is the owner, not the manager. my mistake. the manager is Peter, and he said that yes, they intend to put bands on there. so get thee down there, Keef! Erm, once you've set up a band, that is. If you need anyone on vocals or tambourine, let me know.

Oh gosh - is that what it's going to be like on Sunday?? :-$