Quizmas

If you’re not familiar with my project Quizcats, Quizcats is a 10 piece band and we put on events that combine live-band karaoke with a pub quiz. The nights are themed (films, musicals, 90s etc) and end up superfun in a silly, easy way: dancing, costumes, prizes for best team name and so on. I spend most of my time working on Quizcats – sorting all aspects of the show and promoting it.

Next Sunday we’re doing a Christmas themed show, Quizmas. I am SO excited!! I didn’t think I could get through this month without telling you about it – it’s been my sole focus for so many weeks and I’ve dedicated myself to the project. This show has a few festive surprises – we have a Christmassy photobooth (I’m secretly jealous I can’t get involved with this!) and the rest of the band (the 9 guys in the pictures) will all be dressed in seasonal attire, complete with me in a ridiculous Santa dress. I can’t wait to see what the audience wear!

We get a lot of comments from the audience on how much fun they have and I think it’s genuinely because (as cheesey as it sounds) we, the band, have so much fun on stage. I put in a lot (a LOT) of unpaid hours to the job, but the minute I get into rehearsals with the guys or up on stage with Chris it’s like I’m having the time of my life. The shows are at the forefront of my mind for such a long time, occupying so much stress and toil, but on the night I just basically go on stage and have a ball.I think the place I’m really happiest is performing in front of an audience and the Quizcats boys are just such an awesome bunch, every show we do feels like we’re just hanging out and having a great time. To have an entire audience join in dancing along and cheering with you is indescribably fun!

I’ll definitely share some pictures of the event itself once it’s happened! If you’re London based and want to come then use the code “TapeParade” for 40% off tickets. And let me know so I can come and say hello! #Quizmas :)

 

LDF Launch Party

London Design Festival was about a month ago but I just finished sorting all these photos from the launch party! C4CC (the space where I work) hosted a series of workshops and talks. WOLF PACK (aka my business) contributed a workshop and I also helped to co-ordinate the events, along with the other C4CC residents.These photos are all from our super-snazzy launch party. There was banoffee pie, free Camden Hells (my all-time favourite beer), group singing, super-cheesy dance floor music (courtesy of yours truly), a super-cute dog, merkins and even a short set from me and Danilo. Some of you may remember this frantic post which I published on the day!

I haven’t discussed C4CC in much detail before but both of my major enterprises are based there (WOLF PACK and the brand new Quizcats) are both based at C4CC, aka the Centre For Creative Collaboration. It’s an incredible place filled with lots of innovative start-ups, small businesses and creative enterprises. It is an amazing place; there’s constantly new people coming in and out and I’ve met so many inspiring and wonderful people since working there.

 

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Some of the residents who featured at the party (and are pictured) include:

AOI Sheep – who created the sound-reactive projections that displayed whilst Danilo and I performed (video here).
London Loo Tours – who entertained us with a toilet-themed quiz.
Guerilla Science – displaying a variety of merkins, latex nipples and bum hole paint.
Grow Up – Sophia from Grow Up helped to oversee and organise the LDF events.
Youth Media Agency – helped us with the amazing promo.
Madeline Trigg – organised the whole thing!
ELX Art – curated the downstairs exhibition (the incredible black and white pieces).
Cinter – incredible design time, helped install the exhibition and created the hanging logos and boards.

 

I’m wearing an American Apparel skirt, DIY studded tights (now dead – note the massive ladder), Irregular Choice cat shoes and my favourite Ginny shirt from my beloved Family Affairs.

 

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All I Want For Christmas

As mentioned before, I am usually a bit of a Scrooge this time of year but for 2013 I’ve decided to throw myself into Christmas. Unfortunately my kidney infection has meant I missed out on most of my planned Christmas parties/days out, but I was able to attend my singing teachers Christmas showcase on Sunday. My singing teacher always organises these events beautifully and the concert took place at The Battersea Barge which had been beautifully decked out for Christmas. The ceilings and beams were literally festooned with fir garlands and fairy lights.

I sang two songs; All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey and the duet Baby, It’s Cold Outside with my good friend Justin. Justin was fantastic but I was really underprepared; due to my kidney infection I’d barely sung a note for the last week and my top register felt very thin and weak. Normally I would cancel but I was so eager to get back to feeling normal, and given that it was a fun event with mostly friends in the audience I thought I’d attempt anyway. You can listen here – all feedback appreciated!

I first fell in love with this headdress in Sheena Hollands amazing shop whilst on tour in Derby. I made friends with Sheena whilst I was there and she later messaged me about her shop moving due to a very unsupportive council and telling me she was selling off many items. I leapt at the chance to finally own this beautiful piece. Coupled with my travelling cloak we decided I looked like an elf queen. I’m also wearing my lace “cardigan” which is the oldest vintage piece I own – it’s actually a Victorian boys blouse but I wear it backwards as this little top thing. Big thank you Justin for being an amazing duet partner and taking all these photos!Cloak – charity shop, £10. Headdress – vintage, via Sheena Holland, £25. Dress – charity shop (Topshop label), £9. Lace boys shirt – charity shop, £22. Facebook/Twitter/Bloglovin/LookBook/Pinterest :)

Lost At Sea

Just call me Sailor Laila! There are over 240 museums in London and yet I can’t remember the last time I went to a museum for the first time. Last Thursday I performed at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich which I’d somehow never visited, despite living down the road in New Cross for about 3 years. On Thursday the museum hosted it’s first late-night event, Lost At Sea. The night was completely free and featured a huge variety of activities designed to appeal to both keen sailors and landlubbers (guilty) alike. There were sailor tattoos, impromptu sea shanties, rum-tasting, a pub quiz, a nautical photo booth, live music ranging from ceilidhs to choirs, a miniature literary festival, a table working out your sailor name (Lobster Snaggletooth reporting for duty) and a late opening of their new exhibition, Turner and the Sea.

I was there to play Floodtide by John Eacott, a sonic representation of the live tide reading of the Thames. The piece changes mood quite drastically depending on the tide reading, so playing the piece during high tide will sound completely different to playing the piece during a ferocious sea storm. WOLF PACK (the music ensemble I run) performed the piece for our TIDE themed concert back in April, and it was great to have the chance to play such an engaging and unique work again with a diverse group of musicians.

Fellow wolf Laura and I had a great time running around the museum afterwards, Laura wearing nautical colours and me in my boat-print dress; just call me Sailor Laila! I was riveted by the displays which included the jacket worn by Admiral Nelson (complete with the hole from the bullet that killed him), a gigantic boat engine and a huge world map printed on the floor (I’m sat next to Mauritius, the tiny, tiny island that is my homeland). It was a really fun night, thanks to John and Natasha for inviting us to play and let’s hope there’s another edition soon!

Shoes – New Look, £6 (sale). Coat – Urban Outfitters, £60 (on sale + 20% off!). Dress – ModCloth, gift (similar one here). WOLF PACK hair clip – custom made!

(bottom photo credit: Natasha Bird)