WOW London: Women of the World Festival

By Matthew Pearson

WOW London: Women of the World is back at the Southbank Centre for a tenth year. Here’s all you need to know about the festival, including...

  • A guide to what it’s all about
  • What’s on at WOW London in 2020
  • How you can get involved
  • And much, much more

What is WOW London: Women of the World?

WOW London: Women of the World is an upcoming three day festival held at the Southbank Centre, celebrating women and girls, while exploring the issues that matter to them most, in Britain and across the globe. Held between 6th - 8th March 2020, it will feature a diverse and broad selection of talks, performances, debates and other events, put on by some of the planet’s most popular and powerful speakers, activists, writers and artists. WOW London 2020 takes place across the International Women’s Day weekend and includes both day pass and additional ticketed events. Now in its tenth year, the WOW London festival is optimistic, hopeful and celebratory when it highlights the impact of women and girls on every sphere of culture, politics and society, past, present and future. But it’s frank and honest in its exploration of the challenges they face in contemporary society and the obstacles they’ve overcome throughout history. WOW London celebrates diversity and explores division in many forms. Its programme champions the successes and causes of women and girls of all backgrounds, while exploring intersectionality, LGBTQ+ issues and racial inequality from a feminist perspective. Previous speakers and performers at WOW London include Malala Yousafzai, Annie Lennox, Angela Davis, Patrick Stewart and Salma Hayek.

So what’s happening at WOW London 2020?

It’s the 10th anniversary of WOW London in 2020, so you can be assured it’ll be bigger and bolder than ever before. It will feature both day pass and ticketed events. Here are some of our highlights...

Day Pass Events at WOW LONDON 2020 Jess Phillips in Conversation (Saturday 7th March, 12pm)

Politician and author Jess Phillips MP talks about the importance of standing up and speaking up. Guided by her pragmatic and powerful new book Truth to Power: 7 Ways to Call Time on B.S., the former Labour leadership candidate introduces simple ways to stand up for what you believe in and how to find the power to do so.

Women’s Parliament (Friday 6th, 12pm)

Panel discussion with MPs past and present. What would it be like if women ran Parliament? With more and more women leaving Parliament, citing abuse online and in the press, will we ever get 50/50 representation in the Commons and Lords?

Dolls: Life in Plastic, Is it Fantastic? (Saturday 7th, 3.30pm)

How do dolls ingrain gender roles? Can 21st century dolls help challenge gender inequality? Are manufacturers starting to care? Or are they just faking wokeness, taking the money and running?

How to Be a Difficult Woman (Friday 6th, 1.45pm)

Complex, challenging, imperfect women make history. Have well-behaved women achieved anything in the fight for equal rights? Journalist Helen Lewis explores what it means to be a difficult woman.

Women of Colour and Mental Health (Saturday 7th, 12.00)

Women of colour are disproportionately affected by mental health issues. Why is this so, what barriers prevent them from getting the help they need, and how can we challenge the status quo? Speakers include Sanah Ahsan, a trainee clinical psychologist, poet and spoken word performer.

Desi: Out and Proud (Friday 6th, 1.45pm)

Inspiring stories from the UK’s Desi LGBTQ+ scene. Hear from activists about all the highs and lows of being out and proud in the community. Panellists include Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first Muslim drag queen, DJ Ritu Khurana and activist and author Samra Habib. The discussion is chaired by Sharan Dhaliwal, editor of Burnt Roti Magazine. All day events include the WOW Marketplace, with stalls raising awareness, offering workshops and selling items from women-led businesses; WOW Bites, where you’ll find an amazing array of short talks, performances and readings; and WOW Speed Mentoring Sessions, where you can get info on how to achieve your goals, with a 15-minute session with an expert.

Ticketed Events at WOW London 2020 The Beauty Myth: 30 Years On (Sunday 8th March, 7.30pm)

Author and activist Naomi Wolf revisits her hugely influential and highly acclaimed book The Beauty Myth. Is the ‘cultural conspiracy’ against women still happening? How have the beauty and industries changed? Is Wolf’s bestseller—one of the primary feminist texts of the 20th Century—still as relevant today?

Shazia Mirza: Coconut (Saturday 7th, 6.30pm)

Comedian Shazia Mirza performs her uplifting, thoughtful and hilarious show about survival in a world gone mad. Why’s everyone fighting? Can we really educate people? Who the hell is Alexa?

The Guilty Feminist at WOW (Saturday 7th, 7.30pm)

Have you ever felt like a bad feminist? Well, you’re not alone. Podcast/cultural phenomenon The Guilty Feminist will be recording a special live episode at WOW London. Deborah Frances-White and Susie Wokoma will be joined by special guests who’ll be encouraged to open up about what makes them a guilty feminist.

How the Hell Did I Get Here? With Sandi Toksvig (Sunday 8th, 5pm)

Join polymathic national treasure Sandi Toksvig as she interviews some of her personal and professional heroes. She wants them to contemplate one question in particular: ‘How the hell did I get here?’ Her special guests include publisher Lennie Goodings, media industry businessperson Pat Mitchell, and space scientist and science educator Dr Maggie Adern-Pocock MBE.

Emma Dabiri: Don’t Touch My Hair (Saturday 7th, 8.30pm)

Celebrated author Emma Dabiri comes to WOW London to discuss her revolutionary book, Don’t Touch My Hair. Join her as she talks about why black hair matters, tells the highs and lows of its powerful history, and heads into the cultural appropriation debates that have become a common feature of our time.

Letters Live at WOW (Sunday 8th, 8pm)

The International Women’s Day iteration of the popular letter love-in, Letters Live celebrates the lasting power of written correspondence. This special edition will feature letters written by some of my most vital, cherished and influential female thinkers, writers and artists...read out by some of the most vital, cherished and influential female thinkers, writers and artists. As with all other Letters Live events, you won’t know who’s going to be performing—or which letters they’ll be reading out—until the day itself. Previous performers have included Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kylie Minogue, Gillian Anderson and Nick Cave.

Where can I find the full list of events taking place at WOW London 2020?

For the full WOW London 2020 lineup, head HERE.

How do I book tickets for WOW London 2020?

You can book day pass tickets for £40. These get you into the non-ticketed daytime events and the WOW Marketplace, WOW Speed Mentoring and WOW Bites. Get your Friday Day Pass HERE and your Saturday Day Pass HERE. For individual tickets to the evening events, head HERE and scroll through the listings. Be quick about it though, WOW London is a popular festival and many of the ticketed events sell out in advance.

Tell me a little more about WOW...

WOW: Women of the World festival started up in 2010 at the Southbank Centre in London. Jude Kelly CBE, then an employee at the Southbank Centre, set up the festival to celebrate women and girls, and take a look at the obstacles that still prevent them from achieving their goals and full potential. The festival has grown over the last 10 years, both at the Southbank and in terms of its national and international reach. WOW festivals have started up throughout Britain, in cities such as Cambridge, Bradford and Cardiff, and in countries across five continents, including the US, China, Brazil and Somaliland. To date, WOW has reached over 2 million people across the planet. The London event led to tangible change in 2015, with the founding of the Women’s Equality Party. The party’s founders, Sandi Toksvig and Catherine Meyer decided on the need for a feminist political party that sought women’s equality across society, while performing at WOW London. To find out more about the WOW Foundation and the work they do, check out the video below.

So, that’s all you need to know about 2020’s WOW London: Women of the World festival. Let us know about your festival plans in the comments below. Have you been before? What did you make of it? Who are you particularly looking forward to seeing this time? Also, over HERE you’ll find our very comprehensive article regarding lates across London. Discover which of your favourite museums and art galleries stay open for after hours revelry, and when in the month these special events take place. And, to learn more about The London Pass—the handy visitor pass that gets you into lots of the most popular London attractions—give the little button below a click. You won’t regret it.

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Top 10 Gin Distilleries In London You Need To Visit

This year has been huge for gin in London. With dozens of bars now specialising in the spirit, and a host of new craft gins to choose from, festivals and tasting sessions are fast becoming the ‘it’ thing to do in the capital. In fact, when you consider the most iconic gin distilleries to date, most made their start on the streets of London. Ask any gin lover where Tanqueray, Gordan’s and Beefeater began, and they’ll tell you London town. It’s true, gin seems to be the taste of the capital. This craze hasn’t just popped up overnight! Since 2009, a new era of gin distilleries have stepped onto the scene, bringing a fresh flavour and vibe to this popular spirit. The good news is that many of these gems have also decided to base themselves in the capital. The great news is, you can actually pay them a visit, taste their selection, and learn the ins and outs of all things gin! What’s more, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 gin distilleries with tours and experiences in London that you need to visit, right now. So get on the craze while it’s still hot and prepare yourself for some smooth-sipping! The Ginstitute The Ginstitute began its life as London’s smallest museum at 171 Portobello Road. Since then they have relocated their museum and blending room a few doors down to the basement of no. 186. The gin instructors lead you through an in-depth talk on the history of Gin in London. Starting with its medicinal use 200 years ago to the ‘Gineissance’ that has now gripped the city. You’ll be greeted by a few tasty tipples throughout your tour. Beginning with a Tom Collins, then onto the classic gin and tonic as the tour moves on the Stills Room. Meet their royal company of copper pot stills, the stupendous 400L King Henry and his 30L sidekicks, Copernicus the Third & Copernicus the Fourth. Then it’s time to get a little handsy as you sample a host of botanical ingredients that will flavour your own unique bottle of gin that you can take home with you. Make your selections wisely, because they’ll store your recipe on their database for you to reorder it online. City of London Distillery Tour Hayman’s Distillery Haymans Gin Distillery has a history of dating back 150 years. Their expertise has been handed down from generation to generation since 1863 and the original gin boom. As such, they provide a glimpse into the authentic history of British gin, championing classically balanced recipes that are distilled as they would have been 150 years ago. Visit their newly reopened space in Balham nicknamed the ‘Home of Gin’. The 1st-floor mezzanine allows you to look over the kitchen styled laboratory below while you sip a G&T at the bar. During your 90-minute tour, you’ll view the stills, Marjorie, Karin and Miranda, and learn about the Haymans two-day distilling process that's used before the copper-pot heating stage. Jensen’s at Bermondsey Distillery The London Distillery Company The London Distillery Company in Battersea doesn’t solely produce Gin, but whiskey too. The distillery prides itself on upholding the innovative traditions of the Georgian era and has partnered up with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (included in The London Pass), to source the best botanicals. The distillery produces two distinct gins. Kew Organic gin and Dodd’s gin- which is named after entrepreneur, Raph Dodd, who attempted to build the first tunnel under the Thames in 1807. Pop in for a tour of their stills, Christina, Little Albion and Matilda, each producing a uniquely flavoured spirit. Learn about the distillery process and their vibrant history. Tours cost £25 and take place on Saturdays at midday, 1.30pm and 3pm, offering a complimentary G&T and samples from the spirits being produced on-site. Slipsmith Distillery Traditional meets, modern refinery in Sipsmith’s distillery, based in West London. As the first independent distillery to receive a traditional copper-pot distillery licence since 1820, Sipsmith has paved the way for a new wave of small gin distilleries in the city. Their experimental distilling process has even produced an orange and cacao flavoured gin- have a bit of that, chocolate lovers! For just £25 you can enjoy a glass of G&T at this beautiful Chiswick space while you learn about the history of Gin in London. Once your done sipping, you can take a tour of the stills, Prudence, Patience and Constance- and get stuck in with a tutored tasting session. 58 Gin 58 Gin distillery in Hackney Downs provides a real treat for the eyes and taste buds. Half situated under a railway arch, the distillery is picturesque- all-white walls and exposed copper pipes, rumbling slightly as trains intermittently pass overhead. Every bottle is handcrafted by founder Mark Marmont and operations manager, Carmen Dunphy and the result is truly delicious. During the gin tasting session, you’ll be treated to some nibbles as well as a few cocktails. Experience an immersive sensory masterclass on how gin is made and an extensive gin tasting session to assess what flavours make you tick. Their skilled distillers will then lead you through choosing your own bespoke blend of botanicals which you will use to craft your own gin. Next comes a bottling process where you’ll label and wax seal your own 500ml bottle. Beefeater Gin Distillery Tour Situated in Kennington, Beefeater is arguably one of the most iconic gin distilleries in London. It received its distilling licence in 1829 and has been making a range of unique gin blends ever since. The tour experience is as equally comprehensive, with a 1.5-hour tour for only £15, but entry is included with The London Pass! The distillery features Victorian pot stills and a botanical room, where the fresh ingredients are stored. It is a self-discovery tour that takes you through the history of Gin in London. Learn how politics, exotic imports, an era of Victorian entrepreneurs, and American Barmen influenced its manufacturing process. Fully immerse yourself in the interactive exhibits and additional information that’s provided via iPad- available at the reception desk. Enjoy a comparative tasting session, and of course, a complimentary Beefeater G&T to round off your tour. To get you in the mood, check out their Blood Orange edition video - perfect for summer cocktails and autumn and winter too, for that matter. Not sure about spring. East London Liquor Company, Mile End The East London Liquor Company put the spirit in gin making. Awarded the Master for Distillery Innovation and a Gold for Consumer Experience in the 2016 distillery Masters Competition. Their factory is housed within an old glue factory, but don’t let that throw you. As a result, the East London space is surprisingly modern. Their Holstein copper stills are a central focal point and sit in full view just behind the bar. They produce a signature London Dry gin and two unique batch gins, made from 100% British wheat. The Borough Market Bottle Shop offers samples of the distillery's gin and whiskey. For a more in-depth experience, try their ‘Spirit of Gin’ tour at the distillery. Tours cost £35 and run on most Fridays and Saturdays. For that price, you'll get a lesson on ‘mother’s ruins’ history, a tasting session in the maturation room, and the chance to sample three East London Liquor Company gins. Add to this tasting three other gins from around the world. Sacred For gin with a twist of science, Sacred in Highgate is the way to go. They use vacuum distillation as a way to preserve the richness of flavour and aromas of their botanicals. And bespoke handblown glassware to originally sourced botanicals macerated in English wheat for 4-6 weeks. The distilling process is designed to an exact specification. The distillery was initially set up in founder Ian Kart’s home residence: talk about keeping it close to home! Alongside classic London dry gins, Sacred has also produced some edgier brews, including pink grapefruit, cardamom and Christmas pudding blends. Brew your own 200ml bottle and take home a 700ml bottle of your favourite gin from the distillery. Just head on over to their website and book a place. In the meantime, while you’re planning your next adventure at one of these great gin distilleries, why not read up on some of our Beefeater Gin Distillery Tour FAQs?
Shashia Mitchell
London British Pub Grub
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A Guide to British Pub Grub

Excited to try some British bites? You've come to the right place! We've crafted the ultimate pub grub guide to fuel your UK adventures. Nothing says Great Britain like sharing a meal in a pub - the locals' living room. You'll find value, casual atmosphere and hearty classic dishes, all washed down with top drinks. A pub visit is a must for any trip to these Isles. To help you find the best bites, we've researched pubs across the country and their specialties. This guide highlights traditional British staples, from fish and chips to ploughman's lunches. Whether you're after a light lunch or a full evening out, follow our recommendations and you'll leave satisfied. Don't forget to check the specials board! You’ll most likely find interesting ‘twists’ on pub favourites like special pies, curry, burgers or even sausages of the week! Dine out in a relaxed environment If you’re looking for a cosy atmosphere and home-cooked food, look no further than a pub. Casual dining is very popular in the UK and you often won’t need to book. Depending on the size and type of pub) you can sit in the bar area or a separate section for dining. Best of all, pub grub offers value for money and large portions! If you want to experience a London pub crawl, we've got some great recommendations. Read to the bottom for our list of fantastic pubs you need to put on your to-visit list. Fun for all the family Most pubs offer family-friendly opportunities to enjoy a meal out in a relaxed atmosphere (although we recommend you double-check first). When it comes to pub grub, there’s usually something for everyone. And if there isn’t a specific kids' menu, you can ask for smaller portion sizes or share some side dishes. A lot of pubs have beer gardens which are lovely in the summer months – even better if there’s some play equipment for the kids. Enjoy some great draught beer Draught beer, bitter, or ale are what pubs are famous for, and traditional British beers are seeing a revival. It’s hard to beat the quality and choice of beer in other eateries, so if you’re in a pub why not try a beef and ale pie? Or a delicious beer-battered cod, with chunky chips? What’s on the menu? Traditional British pub dishes haven’t changed much over the years, although you can now find the addition of non-traditional favourites inspired by cooking from all over the world. Check the menu before you choose your pub – you may be in for a surprise. Some, for example, serve Thai food only. Here are some traditional British pub grub faves: Typical main meals in London pubs Sunday Roast Usually served at lunchtime, the roast is usually chicken, beef, lamb or pork, though vegetarian alternatives are often available. Served with roast potatoes, a mix of fresh vegetables and gravy. And don’t forget the trimmings! Roast beef isn’t complete without Yorkshire pudding (a baked batter pudding, best filled with gravy), mustard and horseradish sauce. Pork is delicious with apple sauce; roast lamb and mint sauce belong together. Don’t worry too much if it’s not a Sunday – many pubs offer roasts throughout the week. Steak and Kidney Pie A savoury pie with a pastry lid, filled with a mixture of diced beef and kidney, fried onion and brown gravy. Not for the faint-hearted, it’s a great winter warmer and delicious with a side order of vegetables. Bangers and Mash A British staple named for its mashed potatoes and sausages, but the gravy is just as important. The type of sausages used varies, but a curly Cumberland is a popular choice. Filling and comforting, it's exactly what you want from British pub grub. Toad in the Hole Not as strange as it sounds and certainly has nothing to do with toads. This is another sausage dish, but this time the sausages are baked in Yorkshire pudding batter. It’s served with loads of gravy and fresh vegetables. Fisherman’s Pie Not in the mood for meat? Fisherman’s pie is classic pub grub. The pie is made with smoked whitefish in a white or cheddar cheese sauce, baked in the oven and topped with mashed potato. It can also contain prawns and hard-boiled eggs and traditionally comes served with garden peas. Fish and Chips No trip to the UK is complete without fish and chips, and the best thing about ordering this dish in a pub is that the batter will often have been made with some of the pub’s delicious draught beer. Try it with some tartare sauce and mushy peas. Ploughman’s Lunch A traditional lunch brought out to the fields by ploughmen, this cold plate of cheese, pickle and crusty bread is simple yet delicious. You might also have some apples, boiled eggs, ham or pickled onions on the side. As its name suggests, you eat a Ploughman's at lunchtime. Vegetarian and vegan eats Hello there, veggies and vegans. You have nothing to worry about. When in London, you'll find that most pubs have a great selection of vegetarian dishes, including vegetarian nut roasts with onion gravy, battered tofu & chips, as well as pies and pasta dishes. You can often customise dishes and order them without the meat element, too - don't be afraid to ask as pubs will usually do their best to accommodate dietary requirements. What's for dessert? Treacle sponge pudding Are you still hungry? That's fair enough. Try this typical British dessert – steamed sponge, with treacle on top and usually served with hot custard or ice cream. Knickerbocker Glory Finally, here’s one for the kids. A 'knickerbocker glory' is a colourfully layered cream, ice cream and fruit sundae served in a tall glass. A long spoon is essential if you want to get to the bottom! Here's the list of our top pubs in London The Prospect of Whitby - Wapping, Tower Hill The Royal Oak - Bloomsbury The Harp - Chandos Place, Covent Garden The Duke of Edinburgh - Cromwell Road, South Kensington Trafalgar Tavern - Park Lane, St. James's The Mayflower - Rotherhithe The Lamb and Flag - Covent Garden The Ten Bells - Commercial Street, Spitalfields The George - Great Portland St. - Great Portland Street, Marylebone The Blue Posts - Rupert Street, Soho And here are our favourites outside of London The Tan Hill Inn - Tan Hill, Swaledale, North Yorkshire The Salutation Inn - Ham, Gloucestershire The Dolphin Inn - Porlock Weir, Somerset The George & Dragon - Haddenham, Buckinghamshire The Bell Inn - Westhay, Glastonbury, Somerset If you’re looking for good food and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere, you can’t go wrong with a British pub - they're perfect for refuelling after a day of sightseeing. Of course, the menu will vary from place to place (from gastro-pubs to carveries and independent locals to national chains), but you’ll often find staple pub grub favourites to suit every appetite and occasion. Don't forget to check out a guided London pub tour while you are at it! Experience everything London has to offer with The London Pass® Planning your London trip? With The London Pass®, you can explore big-name landmarks, local hotspots and epic tours, all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50%, compared to buying individual attraction tickets. ✈️ Buy The London Pass® ✈️  
Vanessa Teo
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Vegtoberfest: The Vegan Oktoberfest

Vegtoberfest, the UK’s first 100% vegan Oktoberfest, recently made our list of the Oktoberfest events we were most excited about this year. So, after proclaiming that, in the form of this plant-based party, there was a new sausage in town, we thought it best to go and see and smell and taste for ourselves just how a vegan Oktoberfest went down. Here’s what we found out, including... What’s the food like at a vegan Oktoberfest? Is it still all about the beer? Is the entertainment also forward-thinking at Vegtoberfest? And More The Food and Drink Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner The main food concession everyone wanted to hit up was run by Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner. It was a good choice from the organisers, bringing over one of Camden’s most popular vegan street food places, and one with a particular reputation for going big and dirty and celebrating indulgence. It’s in their name after all. And that’s what the event needed from its food, to celebrate the Bavarian obsession with all things big and meaty...even at a meat-free event. Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner were serving bockwurst, bratwurst, kartofellpuffer and their classic Dirty Burger. We had the bock and the brat, and they both came out with the wursts in satisfying disproportion to the brioche roll. You know the style, the sausage extending out from both sides like a whale in a human-size duvet. Before rectifying that mad equation by chomping down on meat-free meat, we headed to the condiment table to load up our dogs/paper plates with sauerkraut, crispy fried onions, American mustard and ketchup. It’s definitely possible to have eyes bigger than your belly/dog/paper plate when it comes to those salty, sugary crispy fried onions. So things got a little bit messy. The sauerkraut was pungent and powerful and fresh. Just as you want it to be. But it’s easy enough to stop at a spoon or two when it comes to something like that. Not so with the crispy fried onions. Not so at all. The bratwurst had a real smokiness to it, the bockwurst was herbier and more complex in its delicate spicing. Both were fantastically flavoured and superb at replicating the taste of the ‘real’ wursts they were stepping in for. But the best thing about both bock and brat were their textures: they had the classic ‘snap’ of the original sausages and were satisfyingly juicy. [caption id="attachment_5399" align="alignnone" width="1000"] vegtoberfest.co.uk[/caption] Fest Bar The food on offer at the main Fest bar was less essential and not so well thought out. They were serving vegan pizzas, pretzels and loaded fries topped with pizza toppings. It was all great, 100% vegan, 100% competent cooking, but Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner were the main event, and the only place really fully in the spirit of Oktoberfest. Which was a shame. To pay entry to a festival of food, drink and music, and have only one outsider trader, one standalone stall serving food...wasn’t enough. Something to improve on next year, we think. Drinkswise, you couldn’t go wrong with either of the main vegan German lagers they had on, Spaten and Lowenbrau. It’d be nice to have them served in two pint steins, though. With just a limited selection of Bavarian lagers and craft ales, it didn’t feel like a celebration of beer, and that aspect of the night kind of retreated into the background. Elsewhere on the bar, the mulled wine was well-spiced and warming, as was the mulled cider. We didn’t get the chance to try a vegan Baileys, but if you’re looking for a boozy dessert at Vegtoberfest, it would surely be worth a shot. The Entertainment The cutting edge in the evening’s entertainment was brought by female drag queen and Neo-Burlesque superstar Lolo Brow. As compere she held the evening together, as an act she tore the evening apart. She was a witty, inclusive, fun host for proceedings, getting the audience involved and hyped and ready. But she kind of stole the show with her own performances, which included fire eating and an innovative, funny strip show, with the audience in charge of when to skip the track on her iPod. Vegtoberfest are proud of their progressive ethos, and look to update the traditions of Oktoberfest without completely ignoring them. So, instead of a traditional Oompah band, they booked a drum and brass band who play brassed-up versions of modern tunes and pop and rock classics. They’ve got a great name too: Old Dirty Brasstards. They were engaging performers and played wall-to-wall crowd-pleasing stuff. Total Eclipse of the Heart and Uptown Funk and some Winehouse songs and Shake It Off and Oasis tunes and so much more, often heading straight off into the next track or nicking the chorus from another pop track and sticking it on, creating a real brassy top of the pops mixtape feel. Besuited and with confetti guns set to stun, they were the feel good, family-friendly soundtrack to the evening. Balancing out the irreverence and progressiveness of Lolo, they were a good match for one another. [caption id="attachment_5402" align="alignnone" width="1000"] olddirtybrasstards.co.uk[/caption] The Venue Fest in Camden is not the ideal place for Vegtoberfest. Oktoberfest tents are big and open from all sides, and Fest is small and has a lot of dead ends. So it was hard to get into the main room to see the entertainment. And Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner were stranded up the other end of the complex, with a single-file outdoor corridor separating the two. Ideally, Vegtoberfest would be held somewhere bigger, more open, where the different parts of the celebration can feel more connected. Still, it’s a great looking venue overlooking the market. The private rooms in the old stables are particularly attractive and atmospheric. The decor was all great, all done by Chou Rouge, the team behind Gala Festival and plenty of other parties. Mixing tradition and its antithesis, it set the scene for the evening. But it’s a shame they didn’t have a bigger canvas to work on. Vegtoberfest is back on October 19th 2019, with music from Brasstermind and Dee Riley hosting. [caption id="attachment_5400" align="alignnone" width="1000"] vegtoberfest.co.uk[/caption]
Matthew Pearson

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