Barometer: Younger Brother album exclusive

We’re loving Younger Brother here at the Barometer – which is why we’re particularly pleased to be kicking off The Independent’s brand new music blog by exclusively hosting their third album ‘Vaccine’ for a full week before its official release.

By John Hall | Music | Monday, 4 April 2011 at 8:43 am

Must Watch (and listen): A voice for radio

Its been around for a couple of days but this YouTube clip already has more than 2.7 million views. Once Ted Williams starts talking you’ll see why. There are already numerous campaigns to help get Ted off the streets and find him an outlet for his unique talent, with some suggesting CNN have already offered [...]

By John Hall | Notebook | Wednesday, 5 January 2011 at 11:26 am

Free tickets to Old Blue Last birthday celebrations

The Old Blue Last – one of east London’s top pub/music venues – is celebrating its 310th birthday this week and is inviting readers of The Independent along to the celebrations.

By John Hall | Arts, Notebook | Tuesday, 30 November 2010 at 6:17 pm

Culture Club: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

This week’s Culture Club focuses on the seventh instalment of the Harry Potter series; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 22 November 2010 at 12:50 pm

Culture Club: The Kids are All Right

This week’s Culture Club focuses on Lisa Cholodenko’s witty Californian comedy ’The Kids are All Right’.
In The Independent on Sunday, our film critic Jonathan Romney suggested that, contrary to many modern films, ‘The Kids Are All Right’ ventures into a kind of intelligent feel-good humour, with the audience not deriving comedy from the fundamental awfulness of its characters for [...]

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 15 November 2010 at 6:44 pm

Culture Club: Let Me In

This week’s Culture Club focuses on Let Me In – the American remake of acclaimed Swedish vampire movie Let The Right One In.

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 8 November 2010 at 12:45 pm

Culture Club: Bob Dylan, Bootleg 9: The Witmark Demos

This week’s Culture Club will now discuss Bob Dylan, Bootleg 9: The Witmark Demos.

By John Hall | Arts | Tuesday, 26 October 2010 at 10:20 am

Culture Club: Turner Prize 2010

This week’s Culture Club focuses on the ever-controversial Turner Prize. This year’s shortlist may feel like a sensible, grown-up collection of artists over 40 but that hasn’t diminished the debate surrounding it.

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 12:51 pm

Culture Club: Your thoughts on The Social Network

“As a premise, a biopic about the founder of an internet service sounds, at best, like a niche, straight-to-video affair. Perhaps the greater surprise is that, regardless of your investment in the website, this is a genuinely captivating tale.”

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 11:32 am

Culture Club: The Social Network

Branded “a work of fiction” by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, The Social Network was destined to spark debate regardless of its box office success.

In Friday’s Arts & Books review Anthony Quinn found the film to his liking, enjoying the film’s cinematic qualities but suggesting it could have delved further into Facebook’s erosion of personal privacy.

By John Hall | Arts | Monday, 18 October 2010 at 12:34 pm