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An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
Evening Standard rating
Reader rating
Description: Damon Albarn's band The Good The Bad And The Queen headline with support from Hard-Fi, Roll Deep, Drew McConnell (of Babyshambles) And Friends, Jay Sean, The View, Jerry Dammers, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Wiley, Akala, Dennis Bovell's London Lover's Rock Crew, Poly Styrene, Tinchy Stryder, Patrick Wolf, Natty and many more.
Phone: 08707535 353
Website: www.fielddayfestivals.com
Trains: Tube: Mile End 
Marching on: protesters carry anti-Nazi placards as they head for Victoria Park
Good against the bad: Damon Alban and Paul Simonon united in the fight against the BNP
One hundred thousand Londoners packed Victoria Park to give a clear message to the British National Party in the build-up to the mayoral elections: there is no room for racism in our city.
On the 30th anniversary of the inaugural Rock Against Racism concert, where 80,000 marched from Trafalgar Square to Victoria Park for a now legendary open-air show, the Love Music Hate Racism carnival proved that the spirit of ’78 is alive and kicking.
Among the bands on the bill were indie-rockers Hard-Fi. “It’s the only festival we’re going to do this year as it strikes us as being the most important,” said frontman Richard Archer. Admirable stuff, although one suspects Michael Eavis hasn’t been hassling the boys about whether they would like to headline Glastonbury this year.
Festival monogamists they might be, but many of Hard-Fi’s songs are made for the big stage. Hard To Beat showcased Archer’s punchy vocals, while the hard-up lyrics of Cash Machine struck the right note with the large number of students in the audience.
Hard-Fi, however, were not helped by their mid-afternoon billing. Living For The Weekend would have sent the crowd into a frenzy at 9pm on Friday night; on 3pm on a Sunday, it was met with an understandably more muted reaction.
In between acts, a series of speakers praised multi-culturalism and derided the racist attitudes that threaten to destroy it. As with Live 8, swearing played an increasing role in these communications.
Indeed, by the time The Good, The Bad and The Queen took to the stage, Bob Geldof ’s oratory style would have seemed positively meek by comparison.
At protest gigs such as this, The Good, The Bad And The Queen are at a distinct advantage: they have a member of The Clash in their ranks. Rebel rocker Paul Simonon was on guitar at Victoria Park 30 years ago and appeared on stage to the biggest cheer of the afternoon.
However, the band’s dark, complex songs were a difficult listen. Former Blur frontman Damon Albarn, who heads the ramshackle outfit, has a penchant for sarcastic, disenfranchised pop, and these songs were more sneering than cheering.
Fortunately, a series of rappers joined the group on stage to add some much-needed vibrancy to the set. When they did, it was a triumphant.
This was a true British national party: colourful, vibrant and free to everybody.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
