London in the holidays 2003

[Adam]

I'll be across the pond from 19 Dec to 1 January, in London & environs. Any board members around for a pint and/or a concert? Any interesting shows I should check out? It doesn't have to be jazz. World, pop, theatre, modern art. Anything but the Nutcracker.

(I know about buying a copy of Time Out at Gatwick when I arrive.)

[JohnS]

If you get down to see the the sights(actually there are some!) in Portsmouth I'll buy you a beer.

You shouldn't miss the Tate Gallery and Tate Modern for modern art. The British Museum is worth a visit. The London Eye is recommended too.

[Adam]

Sure, I'll try for Portsmouth. You have palm trees there, right? And a statue of Francis Drake? I did a show on the Spanish Armada and Drake, and actually played Drake in the reenactments.

[Philip]

Avoid the British Museum at weekends, too crowded.

[sidewinder]

Just checked the 'Jazzwise' listings for London. Here are a few of the things going on:

19th Dec, Pizza Express Jazz Club (Dean St, Soho) - Scott Hamilton

20th Dec, 606 Club - Bobby Wellins

26th-31st Dec, Jazz Cafe Camden Town - Roy Ayers Ubiquity

27th Dec, Vortex - Stan Tracey

15th-31st De, Ronnie Scotts - George Melly (doing his usual Xmas 'season') and Ray Gelato's Giants.

Pat Martino starts at Ronnies on the 5th of Jan..

I'll second John's recommendation to see Tate Modern, which is over on the South Bank of the Thames (take the footbridge over from Embankment tube station). It's free too and the reconstructed 'Globe' theatre and Bankside area (full of historic atmosphere with places like the 'Clink' prison and ruins of the Bishop's Palace) is just around the corner.

The Museum of London is also worth a look if you are interested in the origins of the place, back to the Romans (its over by the Barbican, by the old city wall).

Enjoy!

Edited December 6, 2003 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

Sure, I'll try for Portsmouth. You have palm trees there, right? And a statue of Francis Drake? I did a show on the Spanish Armada and Drake, and actually played Drake in the reenactments.

Adam, You are thinking of Plymouth I think. Portsmouth is another naval city, we have Nelson and HMS Victory. Not much in the way of anything else though.

[tonym]

Adam. if you like hills, sheep and beer, have a trip up to Yorkshire. We've got all three in abundance.

Have a great time, tonym.

[Adam]

Sure, I'll try for Portsmouth.  You have palm trees there, right?  And a statue of Francis Drake?  I did a show on the Spanish Armada and Drake, and actually played Drake in the reenactments.

Adam, You are thinking of Plymouth I think. Portsmouth is another naval city, we have Nelson and HMS Victory. Not much in the way of anything else though.

Blast. Just goes to show how well I remember the details of these shows three years after finishing them. Well, heck, I worked on a show on Nelson as well, so I'd love to see the Victory. Let me figure it out.

I like it all - hills & sheep, moors and goats, docks & gulls, islands and palm trees, snow & terns, museums & pubs, jazz & street musicians, theatre & street fights.

I'm pretty sure I'll be spending a whole day at the Tate Modern. They have a film series going that I need to check out, and just so many galleries.

Thank you for looking up those jazz listings!

I may also try to get to Edinburgh. Lord, too much to do. Good thing it's the holidays, and lots will be closed. That will help to limit my selections. The Tate, for example, is closed 24, 25, and 26 December.

(Tangent: First time I was in Paris, there was a museum worker strike, and all the city-run museums were closed [or was it the state?]. Anyway, no Louvre, no D'orsay. Ended up seeing three smaller museums that I might never have seen - Invalides, for example (and Napoleon's sarcophagus). And then the next time I went, I saw the biggies. One just has to go on the belief that one will be there again.)

[fent99]

Here's a fuller listing

http://www.jazzservices.org.uk/index.htm

Once you follow through the links you can find a full London listing and maybe even Scotland too.

I'd recommend a trip to the smaller local clubs (Vortex, Bull's Head, 606 club) even though they are a bit further out.

Ask on the board if you don't know the local acts.

[tonym]

Have a good time in the UK Adam?

[Adam]

I had a great time. Thank you for asking. Although I didn't get to any clubs, nor see any music - nothing seemed that interesting to me. Nor did I get to Portsmouth to visit John.

I did go shopping at Ray's (in Foley's), though, and picked up a couple of Ogun CDs, and Songlines Magazine (whcih is hard to come by in the USA).

Went to a wedding, did some work (interviews on Hannibal), and hung out with several cool peopel that I met at the wedding.

I'll leave the thread up though due to the useful links to cultural events in London