The Vault

Find articles from previous issues in our archives

A night out at London’s almost legendary Cargo is a rites of passage for young Londoners living in or visiting Shoreditch. Having played host to various bands in the past, the club/bar stages an eclectic mix of events during the week, from comedy  nights to drum n bass to afro-beat; Cargo caters to virtually every [...]

A highlight of Brixton’s nightlife scene for sometime now, Satay Bar specialises in Indonesian/Malaysian cuisine with exotic cocktails to match. The crab claws with sweet, hot sauce are delicious, as is the Coconut Cooler cocktail.  The décor isn’t jaw-dropping but the stark orange exterior of the bar is certainly eye-catching. The crowd of artsy Brixton [...]

A fresh approach to the bog standard jerk chicken and rice n peas, Bamboo Grove is the latest venture from award-winning chef Anthony Cumberbatch. As good as the local Caribbean takeaway joint may be, the guys behind Bamboo Grove have taken our Caribbean favourites and created artistry by combining European and African influences to tantalizing [...]

Cottons Camden is London’s leading and longest standing Caribbean restaurant. They deliver Caribbean staples in sizable portions: the starter ribs are delicious and the mix meat platter, with buffalo wings, pork belly, jerk chicken, sausage and lamb cutlets, will have you lick your fingers. We love Cottons for its party atmosphere, fuelled by the fruity [...]

Thursday 20 November saw the pre-launch of a temporary new hangout in London, as the German artist Carsten Höller, known for his slide installation at Tate Modern last year, unveiled his new design. This time, Höller cast his craft on a former warehouse in Angel, North London, and turned it into a stylish bar, restaurant [...]

Clapham Common holds its ground as a place of social importance on London’s fickle nightlife scene and The White House lays claim to this, drawing people virtually London wide to this beacon of decadence. Expensive cocktails and beautiful people typify the ethos. DJ’s from around the globe have rocked up here to lay down the [...]

A black lead character is unusual in the world of Japanese animation, but Afro Samurai is not your average anime.  Laura Aylett explores the legacy of 70s American cinema on this bloody and brutal cartoon starring Samuel L. Jackson.
Blaxploitation – the low-budget genre of cinema filled with pimps, pushers and karate showgirls – has had [...]

ILuvLive has fast become a reservoir for London’s live music junkies and its return this month at Shoreditch’s finest, Cargo, came as no exception.  Hosted by 1Xtra’s Ras Kwame and Twin B, ILuvLive did  its  usual to showcase the best UK urban talent, staging the likes of self- proclaimed UK’s best rapper, Sway,  alongside up [...]

With a BBC Sound of 2009 nomination under her belt, a powerful voice à la Amy Winehouse and catchy retro songs with a modern twist, VV  Brown (Vanessa by her real name), a pretty 24-year-old of Caribbean origins hailing from Northampton, is definitely one to watch for a whole lot of music fans – be [...]

If you’re looking for a good fix of comedy capers, then Kiss 100’s Comedy Clinic is the place to go. Taking place at the stylish Sway Bar, located a stone’s throw from Holborn; this is the place to find comedic talent offering a night of sheer laughter and entertainment. As you enter the venue thoughts [...]

Award-winning choreographer Henri Oguike and his successful dance company are celebrating ten years with a Spring 09 UK Anniversary Tour, showcasing some of its best works. Catch a Vibe caught up with the man himself during rehearsals at Greenwich Dance Agency.
You started the tour back in January, has it been a great run?
It’s been going [...]

Poet, award-winning writer, actor and educator, is there anything Dean Atta doesn’t do? Apparently not. Dean Atta talks to Catch a Vibe about his latest project.
CAV: So you’re an actor, poet and workshop facilitator. Is there anything you don’t do?
Dean Atta: Well, I’m also a playwright. I’ve written an urban musical called Scratched Out that [...]

Courttia Newland, a writer and literary activist, established the Tell Tales Collective in 2004. He is devoted to promoting the short story form, and this the 4th anthology. Co-editor Monique Roffey runs a writing centre in Devon for the Arvon Foundation.
Full to the brim with offerings from writers around the world, Tell Tales is a [...]

In celebration of women across the globe, WOMANKIND Worldwide, a charity that empowers women in developing countries, hosted its 20th anniversary at the distinguished Southbank Centre. This all female panel comprised of an inspirational group of writers, poets and singers, including the 2007 Orange Broadband prize for fiction winner, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
With the atmosphere expectant, [...]

There was only one place soul fans should have been on Friday 20 Feb night and that was The Cobden Club in Ladbroke Grove. The event: Soul-D-Out, a night – founded and hosted by D-Nyce of Rampage – that brings to the forefront the unique talents of some of the UK’s finest soul artists. To [...]

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