Chantoozie

Ah, I shall take it in the spirit with which it was intended, then, Keef :). Just getting any live music going locally would be great... I may be a jazzer, but will go and see and support pretty much anything. Yes - *even* dirty loud rock.

Oh sure, Keef - in fact a "rawk" band would perhaps be more in keeping with the place... Or maybe an acoustic night or something. Again, like jazzers, there seem to be lots of singer-songwriters in the SE London area - so could be a good new spot for people to play. It's certainly a good size for it. (PS. Note that I ignored the slightly insulting "nice" comment. Except that, damn, now I've gone and acknowledged it. D'oh!)

I reckon you can have full bands if you have a live music licence - they have the licence sticker thingy in the window, and I specifically asked Kevin, the manager. the 'two in a bar' rule doesn't apply anymore under the new law. ie. if you've got a licence, you can have as small or as large playing in your venue as you want! so I think it's definitely worth approaching Kevin if you want to get more live bands on there. It's a big room with the bar in the middle - could easily hold a performance area.

*Chantoozie scrabbles around for ABBA sheet music*

Thanks! :) If the weather's nice, I'll see if I can persuade them to let us perform in the decking/garden area!

Yes, I can't believe there isn't more live music going on here - esp. given (a) the number of great musicians living in the area (it's like jazz Stella Street near me), and (b) the local crowd being pretty much the perfect target audience, as far as I can see. I'm making it my mission to try and get some regular live music going in the area... I'm in talks with the manager of the EDT too about a weekly residency there, hopefully starting July 16, so watch this space. He seems really keen, and it would be great to get a regular local music night going. Can't believe none of the bars or restaurants on Lordship Lane have tried it before! Re. the refit - it's pretty good. Well, I'd drink there now, put it that way! See the other FHT thread I started...

Further to my thread about the FHT, I'm now actually going to be singing there this Sunday night! I'm actually a jazz chantoozie - in the Diana Krall/Bebel Gilberto/Nouvelle Vague stylee... Check out www.andreamann.com to find out more/hear tunes/etc. I'll be performing with Barry Green - one of the UK's most amazing young jazz pianists - and we're playing from 7pm-9.30pm. So please come on down - it would be lovely to meet people, and to get support going for live music locally. Cheers!

Well, the manager has just called me and I'm performing there (with a great jazz pianist) this Sunday!! I'll start a new thread to plug the gig... Please come on down, one and all! :))

I was just walking past the Forest Hill Tavern - as I do, when I'm going to the veggie shop - and couldn't resist popping in to have a look at its refurb. The FHT has always looked so grim and ever-so-slightly scary that I've not been in it before - so can't really compare and contrast - but they've done a pretty good job in there and created a nice airy, almost wine-bar-ish, feel with dark brown leather seats, wood panelling, nice ceiling etc. There's also a big new decking area at the back, with trees and loads of outdoor tables, which could be lovely on balmy summer evenings... Oh, and it's already no smoking :)-D. I got chatting to the manager Kevin, and he tells me that they're starting serving food there this weekend, with a Sunday roast. They've also got both a late licence and a live music licence... so of course I couldn't resist dropping off my card ;-). some live music outside in the summer could be really nice there, I reckon. In short: could be a good new place to patronise, for those of us over this way...

my friends and I saw the 'I heart SE22' bags at the fair on Saturday and agreed they were fab, but over-priced. shame. otherwise it could have made that ideal gift for a friend who's got everything, and all that.