Weekly Stuff - Quirky Museums, Conrad Herwig, and Cafe Oto Again - Oct 11 2024
Weekly Stuff is a series from me to you in which I keep you updated on the best stuff I've read (and sometimes seen/heard/watched) this week. It won't always be made or from this week. I'm sure you can deal with that.
I was unwell last week, meaning Weekly Stuff was fortnightly once again. I've been keeping busy, though!
Outside of my freelance work (some being outside of gaming, how exciting), I've been fortunate enough to shuffle myself over to some cool places. I even left London! Huge congratulations to me for that.
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That's right, I left London and went to Margate for the day last weekend. It was nice to get some bracing sea air in my lungs. It'd been a while, and it's easy to forget how cooped up one can get in London.
In Margate, I wandered over to the Crab Museum, a wonderful little nook with all kinds of fun crab facts, learnings about the evolutionary history of the decapod, and extra insights into how an understanding of crabs can bring us closer to an understanding of the ways capitalism has destroyed the environment over the years. Not what you might expect, but the vibe is absolutely immaculate.
They were selling a puzzle book with a crossword in it, but it wasn't cryptic so I then went and made them a fully crab-themed cryptic crossword the following week while I was recovering from my illness. It went down a treat. Maybe I'll share it here soon - keep those eyes peeled!
They're having a birthday party soon too - pop along if you're in the Margate area!
I then visited the Vagina Museum near Bethnal Green, an absolutely amazing institution dedicated to vaginas, vulvas, and the gynaecological anatomy. The museum has a lot going on, including the permanent exhibition "From A to V", which documents and educates on anatomy, health, vulva diversity, and activism in a clear, understandable way.
The "Museum of Mankind" exhibition was a piece of parody speculative fiction, telling its story through a really clever hypothetical journey into the year 4024. Regular vagina-related items from our time are misidentified in a variety of funny ways, highlighting the impact a museum's framing can have on the perception of history as well as the widespread lack of understanding many have on these topics.
They also had some amazing stuff in their shop. Literature, jewellery, clothing, if you like fun merch your wallet will be nice and light by the end.
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The chance to see one of the greatest trombonists alive isn't one that comes along every day, so going to the Pizza Express Jazz Club with my dad to see Conrad Herwig was a fantastic experience. Along with a group of incredibly talented musicians, Herwig played a mixture of jazz standards, his own compositions, and dedications to collaborators and friends.
All the while, we were treated to him regaling us with stories of his career and life in that fascinating world of jazz musicians. From Chick Corea to Frank Sinatra, it felt like there was a tale to be told about anyone and everyone in that world.
The venue was lovely, too. I couldn't believe I hadn't been there before. Ol' reliable Pizza Express pizza and an outrageously good quartet? Sign me up. I'll be back.
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Finally, I was happy to head over to Cafe Oto once again. On the menu last Tuesday evening was headliner So Beast, a duo of producers from the Bologna countryside. Coming out with an incredibly infectious energy and relatable societal anger, their sound was difficult to place. Hyperpop gave way to punk, improv to intense vocalism. It was a sensory experience I was delighted to be able to experience.
Violinist Agathe Max performed amazingly too, both solo and with So Beast, blending effects, instrumental, vocal, and presence to a gorgeous degree. R.Y.F. opened the show in an amazing way that set the tone gorgeously. They gave a furious performance. Energy, passion, outfit changes, it was all there on that tiny little non-stage. It's nice to be able to go to a venue and just see what's going on, knowing I'll probably experience something cool as hell. What a fab evening.
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I'm actually going back there on Sunday with a friend, which should be lovely. Hopefully, I'll have a pleasant weekend of no stress. Maybe a walk in one of the London parks I desperately try to pretend is the same as the countryside.
I hope you have the weekend you need! And don't forget to do a JamsWord or two if you've missed them!
