Friday the 13th at Lewisham Arthouse

An evening of music, film and movement on Friday 13 September 2013:

MONKEY PUZZLE TRIO Viv Corringham, electric voice, Nick Doyne-Ditmas, electric double bass, Charles Hayward, drums and keyboards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oYh4V-yY40

JO THOMAS will unfold her elegant and mysterious soundworlds
https://soundcloud.com/jo-thomas/track-2-b?in=jo-thomas%2Fsets%2Fmermaids-jo-thomas-holidays-1

GONE HOUSE, GHOST HOUSE (film plus live soundtrack by RABBIT with butoh interventions/actions by Bridget Scott)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdX__nWNa-o

£5/£3 doors 7.45pm start 8.15pm

Lewisham Arthouse
140 Lewisham Way
London SE14 6PD
Map and directions
gallery@lewishamarthouse.org.uk
www.lewishamarthouse.org.uk
020 8691 9113

Invite 100: Deptford Library/Lewisham Arthouse Building Centenary

The current Lewisham Arthouse building in Lewisham Way was, until 1991, Deptford Central Libary. On April 5th 1913 the foundation stone for the building was laid in a ceremony (pictured).

A hundred years later Townly Cooke and Mary Louise Evans are organising an interesting event to mark this centenary:

'I N V I T E 100 is an Event/Exhibition on Saturday April 6th 2013 that marks the 100th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone for the then Deptford Central Library, now the Lewisham Arthouse Grade II listed building. In 1913 over 70 people sent RSVP letters accepting or declining their invitation to this ceremony that celebrated this new building which honoured the then progressive idea of libraries open to all.

We are inviting today's inhabitants of the same addresses that attended the ceremony on Saturday April 5th 1913. Copies of the letters and archival material will be exhibited alongside new work documenting the process and response to the invitation. Please join us to celebrate this building and be part of this event. All welcome!

For further details contact townlycooke@googlemail.com or evansmarylouise@gmail.com

Thanks to Lewisham Local History and Archive Centre.

Saturday 6 April 2013 at 4.30pm, doors open at 4.15. Free entry. Step-free access'.

More on the history of the building - the architect Alfred Thomas also designed Belfast City Hall and Woolwich Town Hall.

A film on the architecture of the building with Nicholas Taylor

1990s raves in the building

Skeletal punks 1991 and 2012

As discussed at Transpontine before, the Lewisham Arthouse building on Lewisham Way was a library until 1991 and was sporadically used for squat parties until the Arthouse took over in 1994. There was a Spiral Tribe party there in November 1991, and now I have come across this flyer for another 'free party' there on Saturday 28th September 1991.  'Live bands' were promised and the look of the flyer suggests it was probably fairly punky. Anyone remember it or other similar parties?

Then I came across this poster for a forthcoming gig at the New Cross Inn. On 5th May 2012 'Si and Breno celebrate 70 years with friends, bands and beers', with bands including Extinction of Mankind. Very similar skeletal crust punk imagery - could the same person be designing flyers in New Cross over a twenty year period? If you are the artist(s) let me know.

In Kharms Way

Next Friday at the Arthouse in New Cross there's a rare chance to see In Kharms Way, a performance of Danil Kharms texts by Ted Milton (of sometime Factory band Blurt) & Sam Britton:

'"In Kharms Way" is Ted Milton's and Sam Britton's co-operation around Russian absurdist writer Daniil Kharms, in whom Ted found something like a forefather for his own literary style. The works of Daniil Kharms (1905-1942, Russia) bring to the front of our collective consciousness a final, desperate image of the human condition. 'In Kharms Way' presents a snapshot of this reality, animated and shot into the present via the eager, intense vocalisation, saxophone playing and puppetry of Ted Milton and Sam Britton's deconstructed, rewired laptop computer. The piece was first presented in 2OO1 at the Rotozaza Connexions Festival in Paris and the performance developed over the next year, even with Ted slipping back in his role as puppeteer since 15 years. An acompanying book has been published, in the style of the Pagan Strings series. "In Kharms Way" was taken on tour in 2002 and 2003 across Europe'.

Here's a clip of an earlier performance:



Support is from Rabbit, featuring Tom Scott ( Saxes & Electronics) & David Aylward (Drums & Percussion) - David has recently been touring as drummer for Blurt.

Friday 8th October 8 pm at the Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way £5 [£4 concs].

Spiral Tribe parties in SE London

Spiral Tribe were the best known of the many techno sound systems putting on parties in (mostly) squatted venues and free festivals in the early 1990s. They became media folk devils as a result of their role in putting on the famous Castlemorton festival in May 1992, following which people associated with Spiral Tribe were prosecuted for public order offences, only to be acquitted after a four month trial (the government got its revenge by passing the anti-rave Criminal Justice Act).

The year before, Spiral Tribe put on several parties in South London. According to this list included in a Spiral Tribe zine at the time (reproduced below), these included:

- July 27-28 1991, a benefit party in Deptford
- September 21-22 1991, Peckham party
- October 12 -14, Volume 2 Lewisham

I went to lots of free/squat parties a little later in the 1990s, but didn't go to any of these ones. Does anyone remember where they were or anything about them or other similar events?

Here's a few clues. DJ BPM says on her myspace that 'walking into a Spiral Tribe squat party in Carnegie Library in Deptford changed my life, it was a divine experience to me (neither joking nor blaspheming)'. The Carnegie library referred to is the old Lewisham Central Library (now Lewisham Arthouse) at the New Cross end of Lewisham Way, which was built in 1913/14 with funding from the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. It closed in June 1991, and was sporadically used as a venue for squat parties until Lewisham Arthouse moved in three years later. I think this party actually took place after the above list was compiled in November 1991, as Steve Spiral recalls:

'Lewisham Library, the venue walls were painted by Mark and Debbie for a week before the party, and the 2 terror strobes and smoke machine were intense and ran all night long. Darren crashed his camper with the rest of the light show in the back the day before the party. Easy to remember this was my 21st birthday party…Saturday 17th November 91'.

There's some great footage of this party, featuring some classic '91 raver moves. The film was apparently shot in the afternoon when not many people were around, as it was too dark to film at night:
He also mentions a separate party at 'The arches Deptford, the venue was arranged by big Alex (dancer for Back to the Planet and co-organizer of the Urban Free Festival in Fordham park, New Cross). This part took place directly after Camelford so must have been mid Sept 91'. This does slightly contradict the list, so wonder if there's some confusion with the 'Peckham party'?

The exact dates aren't really important, but I'm guessing that the Deptford arches party actually took place in July 1991, as I believe that this was the time of the Deptford Urban Free Festival which he mentions, and I have seen somewhere else a reference to Spiral Tribe organising an 'after party' for the festival. No idea where the Peckham party was or 'Volume 2' in Lewisham.

Cinetopia at the Arthouse

'Cinetopia and Lewisham Art House are reuniting to bring you a second evening of glorious cinematic splendour. So, please bring your friends and join us for a few drinks, a fun film quiz (points mean prizes) and a great mystery film (you won't know what it is 'til it's started). Past Cinetopia evenings have been themed around a wide range of genres from classic comedies to hard-boiled thrillers, including Nine Queens (Argentinian heist thriller), The Shining (epic horror), Adaptation (writers and Hollywood) and Together, (love, sex, childhood and the music of Abba in a Swedish commune). The theme for this event is corruption, cabaret and corporate sleaze.When: Friday 12 June.Where: Lewisham Art House. 140 Lewisham Way, (corner Rokeby Rd) London SE14 6PD. Tickets: £5. Tickets available on the door. Time: Doors open 6.30. Quiz 7.15. Film 8.00'.

This Heat

Excellent interview at The Quietus by Simon Reynolds with Charles Hayward about the great SE London post-punk experimentalists This Heat. Hayward mentions coming from Camberwell, going to Dulwich College with Phil Manzanera (of Roxy Music), squatting in Deptford, hanging out with Crass, and being inspired by fellow Deptfordites Alternative TV.

Two recording studios are highlighted, the famous Cold Storage: 'We came across this old disused meat fridge on Acre Lane, in Brixton. It had been turned into artist studios, Cold Storage. That gave us an incredible power base'; and the Workhouse on the Old Kent Road: 'we'd hooked up with Peter Jenner who ran this management company Blackhill Enterprises. Bit of a wide boy, he'd worked with Pink Floyd early on, Roy Harper, and at that time we hooked up with him he was having a lot of success with Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Jenner said: 'I've got half shares with Manfred Mann in this studio on the Old Kent Road called the Workhouse and while we're looking for a record deal for you, we’ll get you to start on that album...'

The latter, as mentioned here before, was where the Asda now stands, and was used by the Gang of Four, Ian Dury and many others.

Here's my favourite This Heat track, SPQR:



Charles Hayward is still performing in various musical projects, working at the Albany in Deptford with people with learning difficulties and doing stuff in his studio at Lewisham Arthouse on Lewisham Way.

Cinetopia Goes Arthouse

"On Friday 13 June Cinetopia invites you to a special one off film event at The Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6PD.

The Cinetopia experience means a few drinks with friends, a fun film quiz and a great mystery feature film – so you won’t know what it is until it starts!

Each event is themed around the film - from classic comedies to hard-boiled thrillers. In keeping with the Arthouse environment, Cinetopia brings you a paint spattered, bohemian, gin soaked portrait of an artist with great central performances and stunning photography.

TICKETS: £5.00 on the door. Doors open at 6.45. Fun Film Quiz (points mean prizes) starts 7.15. Feature Film starts promptly at 8.00pm".

Flat Sort of Day? See Films!

I'm suprise people aren't dancing in the street to this one but this Friday, 23rd September, from 7.30pm, Bob Godfrey is giving a talk and presenting a selection of animated films at the Lewisham Arthouse, on the Lewisham Way for a mere £2.50/£1.50 concessions.

Who is Bob Godfrey? Only the greatest living British animator after Oliver Postgate and the man who gave us such sublime works as Roobard and Custard. BLOODY ROOBARD AND CUSTARD! This is the man who MADE the cartoon. Ring 0208 2443168 for tickets.

Now, if you're mad, don't like wonky cartoons of a green dog humiliating himself in front of crows and a pink cat or if you think we should all just bloody well get over the television we watched as nippers then perhaps the films at Café Crema, put on by Fresh Films might be more your thing.

They're celebrating their first anniversary with an evening of shorts, animations and live music on the same Friday night (23rd). Starts: 8.00pm. Doors open 7.30. Price: £4.00 includes meal.

The animations include Last Rumba in Rochdale which includes the voices of "Anna Friel, Jane Horrocks, Timothy Spall, Peter Kay, [...] and Radio I djs Mark and Lard", Jo Jo in the Stars and the film Dog Years (more dog fun there).

Screenings will be followed by live music "a chaotic mix of music stuff going on/some open mic, some planned, in a smoky café crema style".

To reserve tickets phone 020 8320 2317 during café opening times Mon-Fri 9.30-6.00. They can only hold reserved tickets until half an hour before the screening start time. Or guarantee your place by coming to the Café and buying tickets in advance. Café Crema, 306 New Cross Road. Close to New Cross and New Cross Gate tube stations on the East London Line.

Film locations - more monster action

Just had confirmation from Lewisham Arthouse that the building was used as a set for the 1992 film Tale of a Vampire. The film, by Japanese director Shimako Sato, features Julian Sands as a vampire hanging out a lot in a library - which is what the Arthouse used to be in the days when there was a decent library service in New Cross (rather than a tiny one opening three days a week). So to recap here's our current list of SE London horror film connections:

- Tale of a Vampire (1992)
- Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - stars Lewisham-born Elsa Lanchester
- Shaun of the Dead (2004) - filmed in Monson Road, New Cross Gate
- Interview with the Vampire (1994) - partly filmed in Deptford, including St Pauls Church
- The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) - partly filmed at Deptford Creek
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - stars New Cross-born Gary Oldman

In terms of other local film locations, we've got Gary Oldman's 'Nil by Mouth' (1997) and Patrice Chereau's 'Intimacy' (2000), both filmed in New Cross and Deptford, and 'Look Back in Anger' (1959) with Richard Burton as a Deptford market trader. Any more?

Bride of Frankenstein - born in Lewisham

At Transpontine we have uncovered various South London monster connections, incuding most recently Shaun of the Dead.

Thanks to Captain Normal, we can now reveal that Elsa Lanchester, who played both Mary Shelley and the Bride of Frankenstein in the 1935 film of the same name, was born Elizabeth Sullivan in 1902 at 48 Farley Road, Lewisham. She came from an interesting background - her parents, James Sullivan and Edith Lanchester 'were militant socialists, pacifists, and vegetarians who caused a scandal when, true to their free love beliefs, they decided to live together in 1895 without marrying. Edith's family was so outraged that they kidnapped her in collusion with a psychiatrist who committed her to a lunatic asylum. Her cause was taken up by fellow members of the Social Democratic Federation (she had been secretary to Eleanor Marx) and her release was secured when she was found not to be insane'. Elsa Lanchester maried Charles Laughton and moved to Hollywood. She died in 1986.

Dracula has been seen locally in various guises, with Gary Oldman (who played the Count in Bram Stoker's Dracula) born in New Cross, and parts of Interview with a Vampire filmed at St Pauls Church in Deptford. Bela Lugosi himself played Dracula at The Hippodrome, Lewisham in May 1951. We have also heard that the old library building in Lewisham Way (now the Arthouse) was used in one Dracula film, but we don't know which one - any ideas?

Great Horned Beasts

Possibly in celebration of all things frisky and spring like, the Lewisham Art House is exhibiting the painted driftwood of Charlie P! on the theme of “Minotaurs, Unicorns and other Horny Beasts”. The blurb describes these works as the artist examining “Greek and Pagan Myths with his usual eclectic mix of rich oil painting and found objects.”

I saw Charlie P!’s (that ! isn’t a typo) last exhibition, Angels Descending, at the Art House last year, which had quite a few pictures of male pop-stars like Tupac and Michael Stipe looking winged, wanton eyed, angelic and available and, sure enough, this exhibitions offers “Musician Tricky appears as the Green Man of Pagan Myth and a drop-leaf table top is transformed into a triptych opening to reveal a Garden of Earthly Delights.”

Which is all fair, there are plenty of pictures of goth girls and waifs done up like S&M vampires, ragged pixies or some other saucy mythical creature out there for straight boys* so it’s only fair some gents get the same treatment. The exhibition is free and runs until the 1st May. Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way LONDON SE14 6PD, the website is here. Opening Times are Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm till 6pm

*so I’m told.

The Art of Noise

Philbin also brings me news of another music / art cross-over. Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way, SE14, has monthly improvised music sessions within its walls. The next one is on Sunday 28th November.

Jeff Cloke on ‘resonation’ and Tony Moore on cello are PANE who say this on their website: “The work proceeds, not through points in time, but through moments in space. We do not 'make music'; the music is simply the sounds the audience listen to when they put themselves in the frame of mind to be music listeners”.

Meanwhile, violinist Angharad Davies, who is also on the bill, creates: “beautiful, a delicate and ethereal evocation of ghost tones” and then “grittier exercises in roughly bowed drone harmonics” according to this website.

I do enjoy a bit of experimental string, me. The performance costs £5 / £3 concessions and, what’s more, it starts at the particularly civilised time of 3.30pm which may mean that local punters can be home in time for the Antiques Roadshow.