:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 ::

Black Swan Closed Again

It's closed again. So this Saturday's gig is cancelled. =[

I may have posted this already but I've created a Save the Black Swan flickr group, to run alongside the facebook group.

Labels: Bristol, Gigs, Gusset, News

:: Dan 20.1.10 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

The legendary Black Swan has been temporarily closed down over Christmas and New Year but it has won the second licensing appeal!

This also means that the next Gusset gig IS BACK ON! Opening hours will be reduced to 3am as of 21 days from the hearing (14.01.10) but that will not affect this gig.

Labels: Bristol, Gigs, Gusset

:: Dan 15.1.10 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Gusset VJ set for Alt.Vault back room @ the Black Swan, 23.01.10

Labels: Bristol, Flyer, Gigs, Gusset, Visuals, VJ

:: Dan 14.12.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

A team of homeless people are to begin excavating a derelict corner of Bristol which has been used by rough sleepers for more than 40 years.

"Turbo Island" in Stokes Croft is to be excavated in a project funded by the Council of British Archaeology.



"We have found evidence of homelessness in the form of drinking and drug taking paraphernalia such as ring pulls, needles and a syringe, which we are going to try and date because it doesn't look modern.

"We also found a turquoise imitation ring."

Smiler, 44, has just been re-housed in Dove Street after 20 years of homelessness, and has been helping the experts on the dig.

He said: "I am not sure how much homeless people will value the dig because they have a day to day existence – it's a shame but it's the way it is. But I do think it is worth doing because it teaches people how the homeless live.

"The most interesting thing I have found here today is a steri cup – an aluminium container people use to cook heroin. I was really surprised because people don't normally have them in Bristol."

Labels: Bristol, News

:: Dan 10.12.09 [Arc] [4 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Buy this track to support Amnesty

Portishead have released a brand new track - 'Chase the Tear' for Amnesty International.

It's now available as an exclusive download single from 7 digital with all earnings going towards our human rights work.

First aired on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 9 December, the track is out just in time for international human rights day on 10 December.

And if you were wondering - 'Chase the Tear' is a reference to a paper tear-style 'tear', not a tear from an eye!

Labels: Amnesty, Bristol, Electronic Music

:: Dan 10.12.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

The Atheist Billboard Campaign


E&T chronicles some truly ingenious escapes over, through, across and underneath the world’s most sinister engineering structure - the Berlin Wall.

E&T visits Estonia, a former province of the Soviet Empire, to find one of the most technologically advanced and IT-savviest nations in the world.

There's Only One Sun | Wong Kar-Wai

There's Only One Sun | Wong Kar-Wai
by YforYerom

[thanks Natali]

Solar panels shaped like clay roof tiles


The Bigshot, a DIY digital camera designed for kids to build and use


Muji + Lego x-mas collaboration


In praise of the sci-fi corridor [via grom]

Z-DAY from Peter Thomas on Vimeo.
"In late October 2009 a meteor crashed into St Werberghs, Bristol U.K. While the initial damage was contained efficiently and promptly by the authorities, Solanum-based particles from the meteor quickly spread on the wind, infecting many of the local population and causing a class-2 zombie infestation/outbreak. Within hours, the walking dead had descended on Broadmead Shopping Centre in search of meat and brains... Few survived and many souls were lost that day, however a blood-stained video tape from a local underground film-maker was recovered from the wreckage... Following a press black-out, this film documents the fateful event (dubbed "Z-Day" by locals), and provides a rare and privileged insight into a full-scale zombie attack on a densly populated urban area."

Flavorwire » Blog Archive » DJ /rupture’s Favorite Cities and Songs
"Bristol is amazing, and it’s especially amazing for all sorts of different types of bass music. For a track, it’s hard to say, because there’s so much dub, dubstep, UK garage, reggae, as well… all this stuff coming out of Bristol. But my favorite spot in Bristol, I think it’s a Sunday night party, is at this place called Cosies."

Labels: architecture, Art, Atheism, Bristol, Environment, Film, Humanism, Lego, Photography, Sci-Fi, Technology

:: Dan 22.11.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

New Colston Hall Foyer Opening Night Party
[set times etc on that link]


Tonight: An evening of multi-media events both indoor and outdoor to mark the official opening of the new foyer

Entry free on a first come first served basis - just come along on the night.
No ticket required.

Doors will open at 17:30 and performances will start at 18:15 with African Drummers and Dancers

The event will feature Andy Sheppard' s Saxophone Massive, Adrian Utley's 'Music for Massed Guitars', The Emerald Ensemble, Richard Barnard, Cirque Bijou, Charles Hazlewood, Sheelanagig and more.

An evening of multi-media events both indoor and outdoor to mark the official opening of the new foyer featuring a 200 saxophone massive, a world premiere of a new choral work featuring over 80 voices, the ground-shaking sound of 100 guitars played in unison and, to end the night in style, a gypsy jazz hoopla.



Guess where I'll be drinking afterwork today.

Labels: Bristol, Gigs

:: Dan 18.9.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

main room: jungle & multi core

the outside agency
[aka dj hidden and eye-d - live bristol debut]

twinhooker & paulie walnuts
[mad dem sound usa: soldiers in the streets tour]

duranduranduran
[cock rock disco, planet mu - live birthday set!]

ely muff
[headfuk/deathchant - live]

boep
[aka schemeboy vs randomoidz - adverse camber]

bashout allstars
[resident badmen]

upstairs: staggering bass abuse

rogue state ft. mc deadman
[r8 recordings - bristol debut]

lief ryan
[growth recordings - bristol debut]

noyeahno
[rag’n’bone]

big d’s dancehall clearout

diode
[aka el kano vs magimix - adverse camber]

davey t
[dissident]

back room: the bashout lectures

dan gusset and friends

dubboy vs beavis inna rootstyle

& more tbc...

sat 20 june 2009
black swan, bristol
10 til 5,
£8 b4 11, £9 after...
tickets: £6 [plus booking fee]




The Bash Out Lectures with Dan Gusset and Friends

Dan Pope (aka Gusset) will be presenting an A/V performance of data bent versions of his urban exploring photos alongside a live drone/glitch soundtrack in room three of Bash Out at the Black Swan, Bristol on Sat 20th June (10pm – 6am).

Data bent images are intentionally corrupted digital images where the files have bits altered, cut around, have channels moved or filtered, and are otherwise bastardised to cause all forms of distortions and bizarre effects. Often the results are disappointing fields of black or images that refuse to open at all but persistence and luck can lead to intriguing results.

Like it's close relative circuit bending, where any electronic sound making device, usually a cheap children's toy, is dismantled and its circuitry randomly rewired, it's something that anyone can try. It may just be noise with occasional recognisable hints of what it once was, but there is a beauty to be found in there either by close study or by allowing it to wash over you.

Among the friends Dan has filled the rest of the line-up with will be a Dub Boy & Beavis - Inna Rootstyle, films from public space hijacker and Occasional Cinema organiser Badoni, and beatless soundscapes from Freq.

Labels: BashOut, Bristol, Databent, Electronica, Film, Flyer, Gigs, Gusset, Photography, Urban Exploring

:: Dan 3.6.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Larger image

Last week someone stuck in front of me an article about a proposed eco-village in Hanham, on the outskirts of Bristol. Interesting as it was, all I could focus on was the graphic designer's hidden joke. Note the child on the tricycle approaching the cross roads from the right. Notice the slightly faster moving but further off runner heading towards the same junction. Then notice the clearly distracted cyclist, his head on sidewise, some distance away but bearing down at great speed from the left. This scene is about to get very messy.

This prompted me to look up what's currently going on with the Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Factory redevelopment not so far away. (See some of Lisa Furness's photos of the closed down building here.) It seems the inspiration for the new development has been taken from a Brothers Grim story illustrated by MC Escher about a hunted shed. Not one I'm familiar with I'll admit.

Labels: architecture, Bristol, Comedy, Environment, graphics

:: Dan 30.4.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

There is a Second Look group photography exhibition, on the theme of Looking Up, at Photographique on Baldwin St from Thursday evening. I should have a couple of shots in there. Please come along and have a look.

Fri March 13th - Fri March 20th
Mon - Fri 12-6pm; Sat 12-5pm
Preview Thurts 12th, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Labels: Bristol, Flickr, Photography

:: Dan 10.3.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

I posted about the free-for-all at the Bookbarn a couple of weeks ago. The opening of the doors at the Bristol book warehouse made national news.

The capitalist past of me was offended that all of those books, some of which were mine that I had taken there for them to sell on my behalf, were just being given away. I felt better about this once I'd visited and made up for my losses.

The anarchist past of me loved the idea of the free distribution of knowledge.

The liberal part of me loved the fact that all sections of society were represented, from charities, to students, to squatters with dogs, to opportunistic wheeler dealers, to pensioners with walking sticks, all picking through the mess.

The English part of me loved how polite everyone was. There was no barging, no shouting, no fighting over anything. Just a melancholic air of acceptance of the literary post-apocalyptic feeling that pervaded.

If ever anyone wanted to stage an intellectual coup d’état in the UK all they would need to do would be to spray all the books in a warehouse like this with legionnaires, open the doors to the public and leak the story to the press. You would wipe out every free thinker in the area. I'm sure there's a book in that.*

* Idea published under a non-profit creative commons licence, thank you very much.

Labels: Books, Bristol, Flickr, Literature, News, Photography

:: Dan 10.3.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Free books at the Book Barn
Hands off! Some of those are mine. I took boxes full of books in there for them to sell over the years, some not long before it closed. I'm quite annoyed about this. =[

Books' free-for-all in warehouse

People have been invited to help themselves to the books

People in Bristol have been invited to help themselves to free books at a warehouse which were left behind when the owners left the site.

Bookbarn's lease on the premises in Arnos Vale recently expired and when the firm moved out it left behind thousands of books.

Managers of the Paintworks site have invited people to help themselves.

This Bookbarn is in no way connected to the company BookBarn International at Hallatrow in North Somerset.

In no way connected? Except that they were sister stores running on the same account so money you earned in one store could be spent in the other. So I feel like they've given away some of my books. So I went down there on Friday and took goods of equivalent value. Felt better after that.

I also bumped into some squatters I know in there, busty loading book cases into a van. Apparently their fifth day on the job! And I got a gig out of it. I'll be playing another Occasional Cinema film night in Stokes Croft on April Fools Day.

Guardian
Daily Mail *spit*

Labels: Bristol, Gigs, Literature

:: Dan 26.2.09 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Wed 17th December, Stokes Croft, Bristol



This will be my first proper photo exhibition (ie more than one shot! I've got 56 in there I think) so I'm really excited about this. I'll also be DJing my favourite ominous film scores as well as some of Gusset's lesser heard soundtrack work after Manufactured Landscapes to close the night. Can't wait!

Labels: Bristol, Electronic Music, Gigs, Photography, Urban Decay, Urban Exploring

:: Dan 9.12.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

BS7 Brap Brap Originally uploaded by gusset.

Horfield Garage BS7 Originally uploaded by gusset.

These two shots were taken just around the corner from my house this morning. They've been there a year but I was motivated to capture them when I read on the following on Bldg Blog last month:

"Researchers at the University of Glasgow, sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, have spent the past two years asking young residents of Bradford, Peterborough, London, Glasgow, Sunderland, and Bristol to draw maps of their own individual urban experience in order to explore micro-territoriality as both a cause and a symptom of social exclusion. You can read the full PDF of their report here." [6MB PDF]

"Their research uncovered Bristol’s “postcode wars,” where gangs spray-paint their postcode in rival areas as a form of aggression". (Although these examples were actually in BS7 so don't really count. You'll notice a BS2 sneaks into one of them.)

I've seen things like this around plenty before but had no idea they were a local phenomenon. I'm going to see how many postcode zones I can collect. I've started a Postcode Wars Flickr group so others can contribute too.

Labels: Bristol, graffiti, Maps

:: Dan 22.11.08 [Arc] [2 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Nazi
Originally uploaded by gusset.


Artists models pose in the window of a Bristol stationers.
'Neo-Nazi invasion' terrifies villagers
Gloucestershire Uni Investigates 'Nazi' Students

Labels: Art, Bristol, Flickr, News, Photography, Politics

:: Dan 1.11.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Friend & Co
Originally uploaded by gusset.

Trying to show just how small Friend & Co is. Love the street scene painting on the hoarding.

Geoff Barrow says:
"last week a me and a friend opened a little gallery in bristol its fuking tiny and the work is pretty cool it incudes work by marc bessant who does our artwork including 3rd it also has work by some fuking good local guys and faris from the band the horrors which looks like a mousaphant.
friend-and-co.blogspot.com/
and the shop is here
friendandco.bigcartel.com/
cheers for now
Geoff {P}"

Labels: Art, Bristol

:: Dan 20.10.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Colston 33 - Behind the Smile
Originally uploaded by gusset.


The Bristol: A Second Look competition is now open to the public vote. Check out all of the entries on the myspace link, above, or in the current issue on Venue magazine (pp80-81). Then vote for your favourite either by emailing bristolasecondlook@hotmail.co.uk or by dropping into Cyan Arts, 78 Covered Market, St Nick's Market, Bristol, before Sept 14th.

Obviously you can choose to vote for which ever one you think is best. If you pick one other than mine I'm not going to sneak into your house when you are asleep and poison your pets.

Or am I?

Labels: Bristol, Photography

:: Dan 4.9.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

"Tollgate House is a now derelict 19 story building in the centre of Bristol"
A little out of date. It's been demolished and replaced now, but these photos are great. Shame they are so small.



I think the green carpet could catch on you know.

Labels: Bristol, Photography, Urban Decay, Urban Exploring

:: Dan 4.9.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Colston 33 i
Originally uploaded by gusset.

My trusted old copy of Paint Shop Pro 6 failed me when it came to DPI adjustment earlier. After checking this (All About Digital Photos - Changing the DPI of a Digital Photo) I downloaded irfanview and got the job done easily.

So now my entry for Bristol: A Second Look is in, not that I expect to get anywhere with it. It's just an image I like. My thinking behind it was this:

"The pictures have to represent a hidden or unnoticed aspect of Bristol.
Show us what you think the soul of this city is.
We want to see Bristol as known to the people who live here."

Where it was taken: It fits into the 'places which people might not normally be able to see category' as it is inside the clock tower on the roof of Colston 33, on Colston Avenue. The shot is sat on the drive arm for the clock, looking out through the clock face, across the centre to Eagle House (on the right) and the rear of the court house (on the left). You can also see the top of Carwardine's on St. Stephens St at the bottom of the frame.

What inspired you: Several things. The first was my love of getting into parts of buildings people don't normally see, which fortunately I get to do from time to time with my job. On this occasion I wasn't there for work related reasons except that my office is in the building and after some persuasion I talked the security guard into letting me onto the roof. I have always been fascinated by clockwork mechanisms so getting inside of the clock tower was a great scoop. The view out is not spectacular by any means, but as the clock has been sat there ticking away since 1928 I can't help but wonder what changes that face has seen with it's view across the city centre, especially through the Second World War, sat atop a building originally named Northcliffe House after Alfred Harmsworth (Lord Northcliffe), a man known for his warmongering through his newspaper empire. "Soon after the outbreak of the First World War the editor of The Star newspaper claimed that: "Next to the Kaiser, Lord Northcliffe has done more than any living man to bring about the war."" [Source]

In shops where clocks are on sale, the time on the clock face is almost always set to either ten to two or ten past ten, to give the impression of the clock face smiling. Although accidental, I like that fact that this has been captured at about a quarter to two, giving the impression of a slightly wonky, one-sided, knowing grin.

Edit: Update

Labels: Bristol, Flickr, Photography

:: Dan 8.8.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

weston 3
Originally uploaded by gusset.

I happened to be working in Weston yesterday so had a look at the pier. These were taken around 10am and the blaze was under control by then.

I was listening to GWR **shudder** as I was driving towards Weston. (My excuse for listening to it was that the hire car was already tuned to it and the Weston story hooked me in as I was heading there.) The reports were ridiculous. They compared the loss of the structure to the Twin Towers and compared the outpouring of grief to when Diana died! Twats. Then some troll phoned in to try and give them a dose of perspective and told them it was a good thing it was gone as it needed modernising. Then the death threats for this guy started. It was hilarious. Exactly what shitty local radio is for.

I am sad to see this go, mainly because I fear some hideous new monstrosity may take its place. What I like about Weston is the air of grotty melancholy that surrounds all Victorian seaside towns. It's just not the English seaside without it.

Labels: Bristol, Flickr, News

:: Dan 29.7.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Wildcats & Lashings
Originally uploaded by gusset.

Labels: Bristol, Flickr

:: Dan 22.7.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Visitors only
Originally uploaded by knautia.

I love this.
[via bristolgraffiti.blogspot]

Labels: Bristol, Flickr, graffiti, Photography

:: Dan 20.7.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Filmed in Ashton Court, Bristol. Ah, I remember those tracks!
By Tom Mansfield

Jesus, how to give away too much personal information on the net! He really needs to edit that. Emailed.

Labels: Bike, Bristol, Film, ID, Video

:: Dan 4.7.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

oops 5
Originally uploaded by gusset.

Bristol city centre's temporary new fountain after an accident involving a council worker this morning. He made a couple of attempts to turn it off, throwing his key down in disgust each time he failed, and spent a lot of time on the phone before back-up arrived. Meanwhile, an office full of environmental engineers watch on in horror.

Labels: Bristol, Environment, Flickr

:: Dan 25.6.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

"Photography competition & exhibition in St Nic’s market.

Bristol snappers challenge us all to take a second look at our city.

An exciting new exhibition, in which members of the public can participate, is running in Bristol this summer.

The exhibition itself is being organised by Second Look, a local photographers’ collective, and will be hosted by Cyan Arts – a new local art gallery in St Nicholas Market. The Bristol snappers will be showing their ‘Second Looks’ at our fair city throughout August and will be inviting the public to send in their own photos for possible inclusion in the show.

‘The pictures we will be showing reflect each photographer’s personal views of the city. We want to use this event to encourage people to look around at their environment and think about their own views of it. Each week in August we will choose our favourites of the images sent in to join our own on the wall.’ (Lisa Furness, Chair/coordinator)

The Second Look photographers will be looking for pictures that show unnoticed aspects of Bristol, what we might otherwise pass by, the small things we might take for granted, details with hidden interest or beauty, places which people might not normally be able to see.

The competition will be running from July 21st to August 23rd, enter by bringing your prints down to Cyan Arts, 78 Covered Market, St Nicholas Market, Bristol, BS1, or emailing them to bristolasecondlook@hotmail.co.uk.

Full competition details will be available in the gallery or on the Second Look website: www.myspace.com/bristolasecondlook"

Labels: Bristol, Photography

:: Dan 17.6.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

New Steal From Work show. A group urban art show celebrating International Workers Day.

1st May – 11th May, 2008
Opening night - Thursday 1st May 7pm-10pm
Then open everyday 12pm-7pm (closed on Tue 6th)
The Old Motorcycle Workshop
15-19 Stokes Croft (opposite Pieminster), Bristol, UK

After the huge success of December’s ‘12 Days of Xmas' we bring you our next major group exhibition.

Lost behind the jangling of Morris Dancing and Maypoles, May 1st has long stood as the date to remember the common struggles and achievements of workers around the globe. ‘Not A Penny Off The Pay, Not A Second On The Day’ will be a celebration of the working classes, featuring a truly international line up of acclaimed urban artists

...and...



1st - 11th May 2008
Various venues, Bristol, UK

It's a lovely coincidence that the Not A Penny show coincides with this event, as it’s just round the corner so you can easily go to both!

Programme

Labels: Art, Bristol, graffiti, Politics

:: Dan 1.5.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

The Arts Council are investing public money in a ridiculous online vote to find that people think that London is Britain's most musical city. Obviously they will go through a pointless public voting system before declaring the winner to be the place where the largest population lives as everyone just votes for their home town, but its all gone fun along the way isn't it?

"Ten cities from across the country have been short-listed at www.mostmusicalcity.co.uk by the Arts Council's 'Take it away' scheme. Celebrity ambassadors for each city, including Sting, Jamelia, Richard Hawley and Engelbert Humperdinck, lead the debate for the Most Musical City until voting closes on 30 May 2008.

"The ten cities competing to win are: Birmingham; Brighton; Bristol; Colchester; Leicester; Liverpool; London; Manchester; Newcastle; and Sheffield. (The arts council are happy to comment on the reasons why a particular city has not been shortlisted)."

The celebrity ambassador for Bristol is DJ Krust. I presume the list of people they asked looked like this:


celeb ambassador
Originally uploaded by gusset.


Somehow I couldn't help myself from getting involved in the "debate." I wrote the following on the site:

This article seems to be a fairly typical under-researched effort at dropping in the names of all of the Bristol artists who have become known across the UK, but says little of how imaginative and vibrant up-and-coming artists from the city still are. I was pleased to see references in the comments to Big Joan, Kid Carpet, Gravenhurst, Angel Tech, Rose Kemp, The Heads, Joe Volk etc. I’d add Geisha to the list too. I was also pleased someone mentioned the criminally under-rated “King of Totterdown” (to quote PJ Harvey), John Parish.

From a personal perspective, when Breakcore hit its stride a few years ago it was Bristol that was the mecca for the whole of the UK, thanks in a large part to the legendary Toxic Dancehall parties and labels like Death$ucker Records, Cleancut and 1manarmy, who continue to push the boundaries of electronica whilst maintaining a crowd friendly danceability.

Now Dub-Step is in the same position, with some of the genre's most exciting names (eg Pinch, Appleblim, Shackleton, Atki2 etc) quietly beavering away, producing solid release after solid release and cross pollinating with the other scenes that all sit together so happily here.

As an example of the open mindedness that can be found, at the most recent Goatlab party (I have to hold my hand up here and say I promote it) General Disarray has just finished a hard as nails breakcore set and Syntheme was next up with her acid techno twiddlings. Before she started she felt the need to point out she’d be playing something different. A heckler from the crowd shouted back, "It's OK, we like everything!", which was followed by a small cheer from the rest of the crowd and another loan shout of "..except house!" and a laugh from everyone else.

We may have lost our ‘community festival’ last year (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashton_Court_festival) but look at the support that has risen up to make sure something replaces it (http://www.thebristolfestival.org/), with local musicians, promoters and venues all pulling together to put on fund raisers.

Independent music is alive and well in Bristol and award or not we're quite happy about it here.

Labels: Bristol, Flickr, Humour, Music

:: Dan 30.4.08 [Arc] [2 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

wildwalk 02
Originally uploaded by gusset.


There is a passage in John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids where he decribes how quickly London was taken over by plant life once the human population had moved out. It seemed a little over the top to me when I first read it. Until I saw this. The closed down Wildwalk building in the centre of Bristol is still full of thriving plant life despite not being cared for. And in places it has broken through the façade to the outside, so it can hang it's branches in the sun and rain again. The building is being eaten alive from the inside. Unfortunaely it looks like it's going to be reopened (as an aquarium) so we're not going to be able to chart nature's conquest over it as I would like to see. Maybe in a few years we'll see it being torn apart from the inside by a giant squid. I look foward to that.

Labels: Bristol, Ecology, Environment, Urban Decay

:: Dan 15.4.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Cafe Culture – UK Style 2
Originally uploaded by gusset.

This shot typifies the UKs attempts at implementing European café culture into our drinking laws. Outside the Bay Horse, Bristol, on a Friday lunchtime, the seating is filled with builders in hi-vis jackets, hard-hats on the floor behind them, drinking Stella. How cosmopolitan. ;-]

Overheard conversation as I was taking the photo:
Two teenage girls pass pushing pushchairs. In a broad Bristolian accent one says, "...and 'e beat the shit out of 'im with a hammer..."
That's all of the conversation that was heard I'm afraid. I can't report on whether this was a reference to real life or a retelling of fiction or whether it was seen as a good thing or a bad thing. I'll let you make the rest up for yourself.

Labels: Bristol, Flickr

:: Dan 7.4.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Clockwork - Stokes Croft
Originally uploaded by Kristie....

Bristol's most fabulously orange venue is to close in May. =[

Labels: Bristol, Clubs, Flickr, News

:: Dan 5.2.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

12 Days of Xmas - Coppers
Originally uploaded by gusset.


My photos from the 12 Days of Christmas group show at The Old Bridewell Police Station in Bristol are online (at last) now.

Labels: Art, Bristol, Flickr, graffiti

:: Dan 24.12.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

LIGHT UP BRISTOL - 17th / 21st December

Next week, College Green will undergo a magical transformation into five nights of Winter Wonderland. Using 6 of the world's most powerful projectors to dress up the whole of the Council House with light, this very unique "visual feast" will feature a selection of short video animations by some of Bristol's leading creative talent.

Antivj is very proud and excited to have been asked to be part of this and Crustea [Antivj / Cuisine] will be the only one to do a live performance every night, at 9.40pm.

LIGHT UP BRISTOL
College Green, Bristol city center
Monday 17th to Friday 21st December
Every night 6.30 to 10pm. Free!

More info:
www.blog.antivj.com
www.lightupbristol.co.uk

Labels: Animation, Bristol, graffiti, Visuals, VJ

:: Dan 14.12.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Totterdown Art Trail 2007
17th & 18th November, various venues and people's houses.
I'll be there, and I'll also be sampling the Trail Ale.
Last year

Labels: Art, Bristol

:: Dan 6.11.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Bristol is in the early stages of establishing itself as the largest 'Sustainable Community in the land' and this 'Transition' label refers to the changes away from unsustainable practices into something more sound. Transition City Bristol is based on community action and follows a similar initiative that originated in Kinsale (Ireland), and has also taken off in Plymouth, Falmouth, Lewes and other places.

From the site:
A discussion on Radio 4's You and Yours about the scheme.
And what's with the nut obsession in Hallen?

Labels: Bristol, Environment

:: Dan 18.6.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

New Sickboy website

Labels: Art, Bristol, graffiti

:: Dan 12.6.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Random Function, the collective that puts on the brilliant free (as in entry) experimental electronica night at the Watershed every month, is applying for an Arts Council grant to buy their own PA (to save on hire costs). If they get it they also plan to make it free to hire to other people supporting experimental electronic music in the south west. If you think this is a good idea you can sign this partition that they will be using to support their application.

Labels: Bristol, Electronica, PA, RandomFunction

:: Dan 26.4.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

I dropped by the Burlesque Gorefest exhibition at Centrespace in Bristol yesterday. It's there until Thursday.



There wasn't as much stuff there as I hoped but it was all very good. I was glad to see some of Vicky Scott's work, been a fan for a while (since the Nude magazine article). And well done to local boy Chris Instinct, whose manipulated photography was possibly the stuff there.

Labels: Art, Bristol

:: Dan 17.4.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...

Does a week go by without a Banksy story in the news?

£100,000 Banksy painted over [Images]

"A group of bungling council workers have painted over one of the earliest surviving murals by guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy.

"The 25ft x 4ft design, thought to be worth more than £100,000*, was mistaken as vandalism by workmen who slapped thick black paint over it."

* The current record sale price for a Banksy work is £102k. Saying that everything he ever sprayed on the side of a garage is worth the same is pushing it. Good luck to the people wanting to sell one (with free house attached) for £200k.

"The artwork was sprayed onto the side of garages at Albion Road, in Easton, Bristol, about ten years ago.

"Locals are furious that the series of blue shapes, along with Banksy's trademark tag, has been lost forever.

"Bristol City Council [BCC], which has ordered all Banksy work to be preserved, launched a full investigation into the blunder yesterday."

It seems somewhat cynical of BCC to have a no-Banksy-removal policy AND a graffiti removal team. However, in the interest of more balanced journalism than most of the available sources and a less knee-jerk reaction that the forums, closer inspection shows that they actually have a no-mural removal policy, which I guess means the removal team focus on tagging. Obviously they aren't very good at drawing the distinction (even if it wasn't a very good Banksy mural).

That said, they do come down HARD on the tagging. The recent BCC community news letter that got dropped through my door seemed to have more column inches dedicated to graf removal than any other topic, and on every occasional referred to the "increased fear of crime" it causes in neighbourhoods.

It makes me wonder. Some graffiti artists are now recognised parts of the art establishment in their own right. They have worked their way up from simply tagging their names on ugly or abandoned buildings. Their work, even the older less impressive works, are now to be preserved. Yet people doing what they did when they started out are still criminals. How is the next generation to come through with this double standard?

The only way this can work fairly is if works are judged purely on their artist merits, so the less impressive or less interesting works get covered over and the only strong survive. It's what always happened in the street art scene anyway. Should councils be interfering and passing judgement or just letting people get on with it? I'd like to think they'll do the latter but know they never will as they would be giving up the power to censor what people may want to say (and potentially say about them), and they'll never do that.

To stray off the subject completely I'll finish my grumble about the council with a story. As you may know, I work in an environmental consultancy. I sit between the ecologists and the recycling consultants, who are sadly no-where near the bunch of hippies you would like to imagine them to be. One of them attended a launch lunch last week where BCC stood up and waffled for ages about the importance of locally sourcing materials. In the panel discussion afterwards someone asked them where the lunch that had been provided had been sourced / supplied from. No one knew.

All mouth and no trousers.

Labels: Art, banksy, Bristol, graffiti

:: Dan 13.3.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
...