Portobello Live - Punk's most TRUE celebration
Affable, Inclusive AND affordable, Portobello Live Festival happens Sunday 1st May to the early hours of 3rd May over the UK's first BAND holiday weekend of 2016. It's gonna be a heady mix of amazing moments, outrageous DIY style, ridiculous fun and the stuff that future myths are made of. At the very least. So many exciting entertainers on one bill! Get your tickets (under 16s go free!) and more information from http://portobellolive.com
One of the highlights of the weekend are rock n roll punks, Pink Cigar.
This noisy, glam, energy force are ring leaders of the BritRock tidal wave that's been building up steam over the last couple of years. If you've not heard what's going on underground, please check out this live session video; 'Boulder', made in their studio recently and join in at a show. It's craziness. You won't be disappointed.
With UK fans travelling from around the land to catch them live, a European Top 20 LP 'We're Gonna Get You Out Of Here' and a triumphant USA tour recently, it's no surprise Pink Cigar were crowned No1 Rock n Roll Band Of 2015 by Forkster. Recommended one of 2016's most vital bands, by those in the know, they hit Portobello Live Mau Mau Bar stage Monday 2nd May before stunning more festivals around the country, and Europe. They win new fans with each appearance because this band are everything you want your rock stars to be, and more https://facebook.com/PinkCigar/
Pink Cigar have been keeping the punk heritage of West London alive (as well as recording in Mick Jones of The Clash's studio) and are rightly considered part of the capital's musical culture which is the richest in the world due to Shag-tastic London being the most internationally fused city in the world. What better way to celebrate (and escape tory-inflicted dystopia and division) than this weekend? Notting Hill, Europe's biggest Carnival town, has now added this, the continent's biggest punky reggae party to it's credentials.
Born in 2015, Portobello Live was an instant huge success. Uncynically celebrating Punk - they say life begins at 40, you KNOW where the future is gonna explode; a Dozen venues, hundreds of art and visual treats, food, drink, laughter and over 80 sets of top notch live music, word and cabaret. We love all ages access to shows, there's an under 18s stage. Proper. Micky P (fest director) has pulled off something that our recent ArtBeat weekend can only aspire to. This lack of snobbery / inverse snobbery is uniqulture in action. In short, a 4real festival. 20th Century Glastonbury/Isle Of Wight vibe lovers, this is the one for you. See Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite, Rotten Hill Gang) preview Portobello Live 2016 by introducing highlights from the debut festival last year;
Tickets are flying for this weekend that unites legendary music royalty with hottest up and comers and the underground's new cult faves in the locality's special spaces alongside well known faces. Held in association with the internationally reknown labels Wall Of Sound and Rough Trade (among others) Portobello Live knows how to throw the biggest bash in the world, starting with a huge sing-along celebration of Punk's 40th anniversary. For all the poetic souls of every generation.
Building on the success of last year’s debut, Portobello Live! has secured the likes of The Members, The Woodentops, The Egg, Vic Godard & Subway Sect, Youth, Murray Lachlan Young, Rusty Egan, Noel Watson and Spizz Energi, and many more. Sponsors, alongside Mick Jones, include actress Anna Chancellor (Notting Hill), film director Kevin Allen (Twin Town, Under Milk Wood) and Don Letts (of Big Audio Dynamite who is one of the UK's most respected, film maker / author / DJ names. A weekend of immersive theatre from the installation of situationism. The spoken word programme will feature Sixty Years Of Howl, as a group reading of Alan Ginsberg’s classic beat poem by ‘man and machine’ will create a unique mix of classic reading and new media interpretation. TheZineUK was born in "Rocklands" (i.e. South East London opposite Docklands) we feel magnetically drawn to unite with this Rockland of North West London. There will also be workshops offering steel pan tuition and master classes in sound sculpture and moving image, which will then be performed live at the festival. Look out for punky, cabaret and political fusing up and comers making a name for themselves like Smiley & The Underclass, Mourning Birds, Santa Semeli and the Monks, The Garage Flowers and Ming City Rockers Portobello Live stages; Mode, Acklam Village, the Elgin, the Cow, Mau Mau, Dock Kitchen, Westbank Gallery and the KPH, are all within walking distance plus there are in store performances at Rough Trade West (where wristbands for the festival can also be purchased). New this year are stages commemorating local rock legend Alan Wass and People’s Sound reggae record store owner Daddy Vego, plus a stage featuring the under 18s competition and showcase.
On Monday evening, the all mighty bill of Dreadzone headlining Mode, with Rotten Hill Gang as special guests and Don Letts on the decks, is gonna be a MOMENT.
Read ALL about the festival, the bill, the background and the growing story, to understand why the official photographer for this weekend just had to be the legend that is Jeff Moh. Talking of legends, his good friend, and another rock n roll tale in his own right is Tommy Kennedy IV who has been getting properly fab and feisty rocking live shows on to the stage of the Mau Mau Bar, a venue which is now on the landmark gig map. Tommy, who is also one of the event's co promoters, knows what's going down; "Peace, love and harmony are going to land in Portobello Road for a free for all, of fun, music and Laughter ....in the real Notting Hill"