What's on in London this week: 1 – 7 May 2023

Discover our pick of things to do in London this week: 1 - 7 May 2023.

Explore London

Unsound London

London's groundbreaking Unsound event is returning after five years with three new works featuring innovative minds in electronic and experimental music. The boundary-pushing showcase includes performances by Osmium, a supergroup featuring Hildur Guðnadóttir, Sam Slater, James Ginzburg, and Rully Shabara of Senyawa. Custom-built instruments blend mechanical and organic sounds to create hypnotic music. Experimental artist Robin Fox debuts a new audio-visual space-time carving using laser projectors. Copenhagen-based Sofie Birch and Polish vocalist Antonina Nowacka revisit their recent album Languoria with set design by Ukrainian Planeta and light design by Jacqueline Sobiszewski. Don't miss this unforgettable event!

Date: 6 May 2023. Location: Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £22.50. Book now.

Image: Unsound London, Barbican Centre

Cinco De Mayo Celebration

Mestizo Chelsea is celebrating Cinco de Mayo (5 May), the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the French, with a tequila masterclass featuring the Cazcabel brand. Participants can taste the full range of tequila and learn interesting facts about the agave spirit. The celebration also includes Mexican canapes, La Loteria (traditional Mexican bingo) with exclusive prizes, and a dance floor with resident DJ Zurdo and live performance by the Matil Duo. VIP tickets include two hours of bottomless frozen margaritas!

Date: 5 - 6 May 2023. Time: from 6pm. Location: Mestizo Chelsea 392 King's Road London SW3 5UZ.

Price: from £16.96. Book now.

IWA Canalway Cavalcade

Experience an unforgettable bank holiday weekend at the IWA Canalway Cavalcade in London's picturesque Little Venice! Don't miss out on the final day of this spectacular event, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Immerse yourself in the vibrant life of London's waterways and community, while indulging in an array of foods and refreshing drinks. The festival offers a plethora of activities, including special boating activities, kids' entertainment, and a chance to volunteer and get involved. Soak up the fantastic vibes and celebrate this unique canal festival while you still can.

Date: 29 April - 1st May 2023. Location: Little Venice (W9 2PF and W2 6NE). Price: Free.

Image: Canalway Cavalcade 2023, Little Venice, April 2023, © MTotoe

Bank Holiday celebration at Ally Pally

Ally Pally is hosting a Bank Holiday Celebration on 6 - 7 May to celebrate the re-opening of The Terrace, the Bank Holiday weekend, and King's Coronation. The event will feature various food options, and visitors can enjoy cocktails, local craft beers, and more from the Phoenix Bar. The celebration will also have acoustic music, DJs, and panoramic city views for the Red Arrow Coronation flypast!

Date: 6 - 7 May 2023. Time: Doors open form Noon. Location: The Terrace, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY. Price: Free.

Vegan Nights Strikes Back

Get ready for an out-of-this-world experience because Vegan Nights is back on 4 May! Treat your taste buds to intergalactic, plant-based snacks and dance the night away to their curated selection of DJs playing everything from reggae to house. By heading out to Vegan Nights, you'll be supporting animal welfare and environmental protection. Don't miss this chance to make a difference!

Date: 4 May 2023. Time: 5pm – 10.45pm. Location: 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane London E1 6QL. Price: from £12.50. Book now.

Image: Vegan Nights

Coronation celebration

London is gearing up for its first coronation ceremony since 1953, with a multitude of celebrations planned throughout the city. From lively street parties to royal-inspired afternoon teas, the bank holiday weekend promises a festive atmosphere that is not to be missed. To help you plan your itinerary, here's a sneak peek at some of the exciting events taking place.

Image: Chris Boland

Mayfair Coronation Garden Party

Enjoy a regal experience at the free Coronation Garden Party in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. Watch the King Charles III coronation ceremony and Windsor concert on a cinema-sized screen surrounded by floral installations and tablescapes. Enjoy immersive experiences, delicious coronation-themed food and bespoke cocktails. There will also be family-friendly activities and live music.

Date: 6 May, 10am - 8pm. 7 May 12pm - late. Location: Mayfair. Price: Free.

Coronation celebration at Battersea Power Station

Battersea Power Station is hosting a King’s Coronation Party with activities, food, drink, and live music. Visitors can watch the coronation service and procession on big screens in Power Station Park with food and drink from bars, restaurants or pop-up trucks. Activities for children include a puppet show and workshop. There are also special offers available throughout the weekend, including Coronation-themed dishes and exclusive cocktails from 30 bars and restaurants.

Date: 6 - 7 May 2023. Time: 11am - 8pm. Location: Power Station Park, Battersea Power Station, SW11. Price: Free.

Image: Battersea Power Station

Coronation celebration in Wembley Park

Wembley Park is hosting a free street party celebration, featuring live music, performances, street food markets, and special kids' entertainment. The event will also have a giant screen showing the Coronation and King Charles selfie moments. Deck chairs will be available for seating. Additionally, the iconic Olympic Way will be renamed 'King's Way' throughout the month of May in recognition of King Charles's accession to the throne.

Date: 6 May 2023. Time: 10am - 4pm. Location: Wembley Park, HA9. Price: Date: 6 May 2023. Time: 10am - 4pm. Location: Wembley Park, HA9.

Click here to discover more of our pick of the best coronation events happening during the bank holiday weekend.

Art & Culture

Opening this week

Saint Francis of Assisi
The National Gallery is presenting the first-ever art exhibition dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. The showcase will display over 40 pieces of art collected from European and American collections, covering more than 700 years, to investigate the influence of Saint Francis on the world of art and how his portrayal has evolved throughout history. The exhibit will feature works from prominent artists such as Botticelli, Caravaggio, and El Greco, in addition to a new creation from Richard Long, and will highlight how Francis's life and miracles have inspired art for centuries.

Date: 6 May – 30 July 2023. Location: Ground Floor Galleries, The National Gallery Trafalgar Square London WC2N 5DN. Price: Free.

Image: Armlet © The Trustees of the British Museum

Luxury and power: Persia to Greece

The British Museum will host an exhibition titled Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece, exploring the relationship between luxury and power in the Middle East and southeast Europe from 550-30 BC. The exhibit will showcase objects from Afghanistan to Italy, including the Panagyurishte Treasure, and highlight how luxury was used as a political tool in ancient Iran, Athens, and the world of Alexander. It aims to provide a deeper understanding of the use of luxury as a marker of authority.

Date: 4 May – 13 August 2023
. Location: Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. Price: from £12. Concessions available. Book now.

#FLOFAVOURITES THIS WEEK

David Adjaye: Yaawa

Carpenters Workshop Gallery has opened its new London location in Ladbroke Hall, and to celebrate, they are showcasing the latest collection by the renowned architect David Adjaye in a solo exhibition. The exhibition will feature eight limited-edition works cast in bronze, including a chair, dining table, and coffee table. The collection, named Yaawa, pays tribute to bronze's rich history in African craft and weaponry, with each piece expanding on this tradition through its form and function in space. Adjaye aims to honour this lineage while also offering a fresh perspective on the material, reflecting his recent experimentation with his ongoing Monoform series while delving into the materiality of bronze.

Date: 28 April – 10 June 2023. Location: Ladbroke Hall, 70 Barlby Road, W10 6AZ. Price: Free.

Image: David Adjaye, yaawa T3. Carpenter Workshop Gallery.

Mat Collishaw: All Things Fall
Renowned British artist Mat Collishaw's latest exhibition, All Things Fall at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation in Marylebone, features two never-before-seen works, Insilico and the Palantir series, as well as The Machine Zone and All Things Fall. The show delves into the impact of social media on human perception and explores the human subconscious through different mediums, showcasing Collishaw's 30-year career as an artist.

Date: 20 April - 21 May 2023. Location: 206 Marylebone Road, NW1 6QJ. Price: Free.

Image: Nick de León, Bruton: Figure Reflected, 2018.

SPRING AGAIN, SPRING AHEAD

No 20 Arts presents SPRING AGAIN, SPRING AHEAD, a group exhibition showcasing the works of six artists, including Raymond Attfield, Helen Bur, Andrea Christodoulides, Nick de León, Jim Threapleton, and Jukka Virkkunen. The exhibition offers an alternate reality for the viewer to explore and challenges existing perceptions. The artists use abstract and figurative forms to represent inner thought processes and convey emotions that result from our experiences of the external world.

Date: 28 May 2023. Location: No 20 Arts, Cross Street, N1 2BG. Price: Free.

Darryl Daley: What You See Here / What You Hear Here

Daley is a filmmaker known for interweaving moving image, photography, and sound to create a diasporic narrative. His work, on show at NOW Gallery consists of 4 filmic works that survey his visual practice to date, as well as newly commissioned works. The exhibition is titled What You See Here / What You Hear Here and explores the concept of home, identity, and memory through the perspective of a second-generation individual.

Date: until 11 June 2023. Location: NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ. Price: Free.

Last chance

Caro and Music 

This week is the final opportunity to visit the Caro and Music exhibition at Annely Juda Fine Art. The exhibit displays sculptures by Anthony Caro that are inspired by music, including the Concerto Series, and features a selection of his works from 1971-2010. It showcases Caro's usage of discarded musical instruments in his sculptures and incorporates the music he listened to while creating them. The exhibition emphasises the relationship between feeling and form in Caro's work, providing visitors with a final opportunity to view the works of the renowned British sculptor.

Date: until 6 May 2023.  Location: Annely Juda Fine Art, 23 Dering St, London W1S 1AW. Price: Free.

CINEMA

A Thousand and One

Don't miss the chance to experience A.V. Rockwell's breathtaking directorial debut, A Thousand and One, which tells the heart-wrenching story of a mother fighting to provide a stable home for her son amidst the slow gentrification of New York. After being released from prison, Inez decides that her six-year-old son belongs with her and not in the foster system. This decision sets them on a course that will change their lives forever. Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury prize, A Thousand and One is a gracious portrait of a mother's love for her child set against the backdrop of a city that can both uplift and destroy. The film is led by the talented Teyana Taylor, supported by a remarkable cast, and showcases the streets of Harlem as never before. Make sure you catch this compelling film at the Barbican before it's too late. But fear not, if you miss it, the movie is also being screened at several other cinemas throughout the city.

Date: until 1 May 2023. Location: Barbican Gallery, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS. Price: from £7.59. Book now. 

Image: Teyana Taylor and Aaron Kingsley Adetola in 'A Thousand and One'. Focus Feature/ Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

Pop-up & Venues

Image: @kiehlsuki

Kiehl's: The serum drop pop-up event

Experience the excitement of New York City in London's Spitalfields with Kiehl's first-ever pop-up event: "THE SERUM DROP." From 3 - 5 May, enjoy complimentary experiential sessions, including a skin series with Dr. Ewoma, a yoga DJ class, and facial sculpting. Discover Kiehl's latest serum innovation, the Ultra Pure Serums, and receive exclusive discounts. Immerse yourself in the world of Kiehl's and be in with a chance to win exciting prizes!

Date: 3 - 5 May 2023. Location: 75-77 Brushfield St, Old Spitalfields Market London E1. Price: Free. Book now.

#FLOFavourites: Pick of the week

FREE EVENT OF THE WEEK

Yeah Ok! Poetry Night

Yeah OK! is a monthly poetry event hosted by Kareem Parkins-Brown in collaboration with Writerz and Scribez CIC, held at Battersea Arts Centre. It is open to all poetry enthusiasts, from seasoned poets to newcomers, with a free workshop before the main event featuring two featured poets and open mic slots. The event occurs once a month and offers a fun and welcoming atmosphere for lovers of words to collide and connect.

Date: 2 May 2023. Time: 6pm. Location: Battersea Arts Centre, Bar Space Lavender Hill London SW11 5TN. Price: Free.

Food of the Week

Afternoon Tea

Image: Coronation Afternoon Tea, Haymarket Hotel

Indulge in Royalty-worthy Afternoon Teas to Celebrate King Charles III's Coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. With a variety of options available, we've curated a list of our top picks for an indulgent and stylish Bank Holiday weekend. Click here for more.

Interview of the week

We had a chat with Ruben Chi & Roché Apinsa of Ghetto Funk Collective.

Image: Roché Apinsa and Ruben Chi. Photo by Maurice van der Meijs

Ghetto Funk Collective is a revolutionary force that embodies an innovative and dynamic philosophy, bringing together a diverse array of talented creatives including dancers, DJs, producers, MCs, and more. 

Click here to read the full interview.

Cause of the week

The Big Help Out

Image: The Big Help Out

This week's featured cause is none other than The Big Help Out, due to occur on May 8, 2023. This uplifting event will invite members of the public to partake in volunteering and providing support to their local communities. Spearheaded by The Together Coalition, along with partners like The Scouts and the Royal Voluntary Service, The Big Help Out seeks to bring into focus the remarkable impact of volunteering on communities, forging an enduring legacy of volunteering from the Coronation Weekend.

Click here for information on how to attend or organise a Big Help Out event. Website: hebighelpout.org.uk