I’m not being funny but… it feels like summer in London is finally in full swing. Obviously the weather’s still all over the place but that infectious buzz we know and love is well and truly here.
I’ve previously spoken about how I don’t like the disruption the city faces from big events such as British Summer Time in Hyde Park or a number of other central London festivals. They put a strain on our transport system and cause a lot of congestion which makes it hard for people — regular Londoners — to get around.
Well, on Saturday I had the pleasure of going to see Kylie Minogue in Hyde Park. I’ve got to say it certainly feels like they’ve improved the set-up for these events. Getting around town was relatively easy, not to mention the show. My God! It was the ultimate queer night out. It felt like every gay under the sun was there.
I took Stavvy, my partner, for a date night and Kylie blew our socks off. I mean, she always does, but her energy was simply incredible. She mastered that stage, mastered that performance, proving yet again why she’s one of the greatest live performers out there. There’s nothing quite like watching Kylie perform in front of 60,000 people outdoors in the middle of a London summer. Watching her go between her classics and songs from her latest album was perfection.
This was the last BST weekend of the summer so Hyde Park will swiftly be repurposed again so we can enjoy it all its glory for the rest of the season. I have the privilege of travelling a lot for work but there is nothing quite like a London summer.
Every year I put on a mini-festival and it has turned into a fully fledged dance party: see you there!
Now that the sun’s come out (sort of), let’s hit London hard. The parks are back in great shape, there’s brilliant events happening everywhere.
Battersea Power Station had a great Wimbledon set-up and now they’re turning their attention to the Olympics. Is there anything more British than watching or playing team sports together in the sunshine?
There are some great outdoor cinemas at the Bussey Building in Peckham or along Regent’s Canal. Or just jump on a Thames Clipper and explore the city. I am London born and raised, and just looking up and seeing that skyline still gets me every time.
The list of things to do right now is endless and a lot of them won’t break the bank. Councils are even stepping it up, pushing some great local festivals and funfairs. Who’d have thought I’d be giving a compliment to councils! As someone who all of a sudden is in the position of what feels like godfather to a dozen kids in my local Pimlico area, I am grateful we’re not short on activities to get up to.
What am I getting up to in London this summer? Every year I put on a mini festival at Studio 338 as part of my Full Fat series. It’s one of my favourite days of the year — 2,000 people all coming together to dance in an incredible venue. This year’s show is on July 28 and it’s set to be yet another roadblock.
For the first time ever I’ll be DJing both in the garden and on the terrace, and if you’ve never experienced one of our Full Fat events before I strongly suggest you check it out.
We started this brand three years ago, a development of a show I did post-lockdown. We weren’t sure what the industry would be like after Covid and so thought to bring an exciting new concept to people combining house music with daytime dancing and brunch. That quickly grew into what we have today — moving away from the whole brunch thing and into a fully fledged dance party.
Over this time, Full Fat has seen well over 20,000 people attend our parties and provided some amazing memories for all comers.
I can’t express enough how proud I am that we created such a safe space for everyone — women, queer people, everyone with a cross-generational no-judgment ethos — in an event that just brings all these people together on the dancefloor.
I’m so happy we get to bring this back, not just with this special event but with our seventh season of weekly events starting in September.
Yeah, this is a plug, but you should know by now that I wouldn’t be talking about something unless I thought it was worth it. Go check it out and come and see what me and my team have put together. It’s really my only show in London for the rest of the season, so I can’t wait to pull out all the stops.
See you next Wednesday.
Track Of The Week: Feel The Beat — Joshua James
