The Blues Kitchen in Camden

I have always wanted to visit the Blues Kitchen in Camden, so when the time came to organise my 23^rd birthday drinks I decided this would be the venue for the celebration. I’ve had enough of trendy Shoreditch and Clapham and thought it was time to promote the nightlife of North London. Before our designated table was ready we met up at the fun and quirky Proud Galleries just down the road, at the end of a fairylit path. Proud was packed full of arty enthusiasts dancing the night away, I love the vibe in there and am looking forward to returning to hopefully see a band in action, and try out the cute stables-cum-private seating area.

The Blues Kitchen is known best as a vibrant music venue, but also has great food and a wonderful selection of whiskies and bourbons. I am yet to try the dinner menu but have heard the burgers and salads are fresh and yummy. In the flurry of the evening I forgot to try one of their famous cocktails, which are apparently ‘the very best out there’.

Weekly events such as ‘Roll & Tumble’ and ‘The Sunday Blues Jam’ entertain the crowds playing upbeat classics. The band usually starts around 10.30 and this is when it gets super busy. Thank God we managed to skip the queue of shivering girls and went straight in. Inside it was packed, we were literally barely able to move. The service was quite disappointing, and our reserved area was occupied by an oblivious group of rowdy punters leaving us all rather stranded in the busy bar crowd. Eventually we were seated and the party could commence.

The theme was lashes and tashes, a bit of an experiment; much to my surprise most of my friends rose to the challenge, donning beautiful long lashes or dashing moustaches – one dedicated friend even grew his very own tash for the occasion! Everyone looked fabulous. I wore my very special top and bottom lashes, glittering and sparkly all night, though you can’t really see the true glory of them in the photos above.

After much chatting and sipping of drinks, we struggled out onto the dance floor at the back of the venue to boogie to the band. Great music, and an amazing atmosphere, it was clear that everyone was having a ball. It was soon time to go, heels came off (I amazingly wore them for the whole night!) and we jumped in a taxi home. Brilliant venue, wonderful outfits, and the best friends a girl could wish for.

John Lennon at PROUD Galleries

This week Proud Gallery Central introduces another moving photography exhibition – Imagine: John Lennon.

I went along a few nights ago for a sweet little gathering at the King’s Road venue. The champagne was flowing and arty guests wandered round smiling knowingly when they came across an image they recognised. I felt a little underdressed – the Proud girls were all glammed up, and looked suitably stylish in black and white, matching the vintage vibe of the photos.

Many of the photographs pictured John with his wife, the magical Yoko Ono, perched in the background. This remarkable woman, who is an artist, musician, author and peace activist, has a certain aura in these photos and had a profound influence on her late husband. I loved the photos of The Beatles; Lennon often had a blank look, that perhaps shows his thoughtfulness. It was hilarious to see Paul McCartney, always with a cheeky grin on his face.

Proud Central always has a collection of its favourite photographic prints downstairs, so even if Lennon doesn’t interest you, it’s worth dropping by to see some of the other works on display.

30 years after his untimely death these poignant photographs fondly remember the important days of John Lennon’s life and the band that changed pop music forever.

Exhibition runs until 16 January 2011, see more info here.

PROUD GALLERY CENTRAL shows Bob Dylan photographs

This blog post is just as much about the venue as it is about the exhibition. PROUD Galleries in Camden is famous for its clever double act, art gallery by day, fabulous music venue and bar by night. London Lite called it ‘a magnet for all things cool and beautiful’. But who knew that a few miles away, on the stylish Kings Road, sits another PROUD gallery open to the wandering public seven days a week?

The photographs in both venues are wonderful, Camden displays prints that can be bought for as little as £70, so there is something for everyone no matter what the budget. For those collectors who want a more exclusive piece of work PROUD central is the place... the photos are often limited edition and consequently more expensive. Many times I have intended to visit the Camden branch either for food, art or music – all three massively appeal to me, but being a West London girl haven’t yet had the chance. I stumbled across the more central PROUD gallery a few days ago while on my way to a work night out. It was the striking black and white photos of Bob Dylan that caught my eye, and I couldn’t help but go in, just for a peek.

The space is clear and quiet, with a sophisticated feel, and a sweet bookshop in one corner. My favourite legend, Dylan, hangs all over the walls, sometimes alone with his guitar, and in some prints accompanied by various lovers or fellow musicians. All utterly engaging and inspiring to gaze at. Downstairs in the gallery is PROUD’s current exhibition of Keith Richards, featuring work by world class photographers including Ethan Russell, Dominique Tarle and Michael Cooper. I didn’t find these photos as exciting, most likely because they are not as recognisable to me. And yet as a collection they work coherently, complimenting each other and giving the viewer a real insight into the colourful and wacky era they capture. This exhibition will run until 21 November, when a Lennon show will start.

PROUD is one of the most popular privately-owned photographic galleries in the UK, and it is clear to see that they care about photography as much as their fans. I am delighted to have found the King’s Road branch, it is a gallery not to be missed. Oh, and did I mention admission is free?!

Visit the website here.