Exhibition Review: Portrait Of A Top Boy @ Somerset House

Portrait Of A Top Boy at Somerset House Embankment Galleries // Words and Photos: Saam Das

What a pleasant surprise it was to stumble upon the free pop-up of Portrait Of A Top Boy at Somerset House recently, while wandering around for London's Open House Festival. 'Top Boy' enters its final stretch this month, with the concluding season of the inner city crime drama now on Netflix, and this exhibition has been curated by Ronan Mckenzie to both promote the show as well as a series of emerging black artists.

Year In Review: FADED GLAMOUR Top TV Shows Of 2019

Words: Saam Das

Another year, another list of our favourite TV shows. 2019 was dominated by HBO, but not always for good reason as 'Game Of Thrones' came to a divisive end. However, 'Peep Show' co-creator Jesse Armstrong's second season of 'Succession', the small screen adaptation of 'Watchmen', and the dramatic retelling of 'Chernobyl' were all tremendously well received. Unfortunately, they escaped our viewing this year, and before we get into our top ten TV shows of 2019, we've got a couple of honourable mentions.

Report: BBC Music Introducing Live 2018 Highlights

Words: Saam Das

BBC Music Introducing Live returns to Tobacco Dock in East London this week with its host of insider events led by artists and music industry professionals providing a behind-the-scenes look at making it in the music world. We popped along last year and have just found our notes from our experience of Introducing Live 2018.

Recap: Smashing Pumpkins Frontman Billy Corgan's Evokes 'GLOW' With New Pro Wrestling TV Show 'NWA: Powerrr'

Words: Saam Das

On October 1st 2017, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan purchased the historic National Wrestling Alliance, founded in 1948. A leftfield move to some, it actually followed his involvement in another high profile American professional wrestling organisation, TNA. Two years on from the start of the Corgan era, 'NWA: Powerrr' (yes, three 'r's) premiered across the world for free on Facebook and YouTube. Here's a recap of the opening episode.

Year In Review: Ten Of The Best Things On Telly In 2019 Thus Far

Words: Saam Das

With half of the year well and truly outthaway, to semi-quote Australian noughties indie giants The Vines, we've decided to throw the spotlight on some of the best shows on TV in 2019 thus far. Some caveats to begin with, we haven't seen the monstrously acclaimed 'Chernobyl' nor caught up with the final season of 'Game Of Thrones' but nonetheless, we do have ten bits of programming for you to catch up on.

Report: We Saw Paul Thomas Anderson And Thom Yorke's New Short Film 'Anima' In IMAX

Words: Saam Das

We're in the queue for 'Anima', the new one-reeler from acclaimed writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson, at Cineworld Leicester Square in central London. 'Anima' is the new short film (historically contained on one reel of film hence the 'one-reeler' moniker) in support of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke's latest solo record of the same name.

Review: Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 6 'The Iron Throne'

'Game Of Thrones' S08E06 'The Iron Throne' (Airdate: May 2019) // Words: Diana Von R

The internet has broken out with arguments over the 'The Iron Throne', the finale of 'Game Of Thrones', with over a million people signing a petition asking for Season 8 to be shot again. What do I think? Find out in the recap below, but be warned, SPOILERS ARE COMING.

Review: Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5 - 'The Bells'

'Game Of Thrones' S08E05: 'The Bells' (Airdate: May 2019) // Words: Diana Von R

HOLY MOLY! I was physically in shock for a good few minutes after watching the new episode of 'Game Of Thrones', processing what I just watched. I LOVE that none of the fan theories I read were close to what happened in 'The Bells'. So yes, shock is the main word. George RR Martin said there would be three WTF moments in the TV series, and this was a huge one. Here are *spoiler-filled thoughts*, following last week's 'The Last Of The Starks'.

Review: Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4 - 'The Last Of The Starks'

Words: Diana Von R

'The Last Of The Starks' is the most “typical” 'Game Of Thrones' episode we’ve seen this season, with a mixture of scheming, bedding and deaths - I loved it! The first three episodes were very enjoyable but they were rather atypical in that each one had a very different theme so it pooled viewer’s emotions in different baskets. Here’s our bitesize *SPOILER-FILLED* recap on the fourth episode of Season Eight, following last week's 'The Long Night'.

Review: Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 - 'The Long Night'

Words: Diana Von R

'The Long Night', the third episode of Season Eight of 'Game Of Thrones', was highly anticipated, and for good reason. We know via Kit Harrington’s interview on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' that it took 55 nights to film the episode, and we saw the army of the dead approach Winterfell. A battle was imminent, and we all presumed many of our key characters would die as Episode 2, 'A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms', was by and large a “goodbye” episode.

Review: Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 1 - 'Winterfell'

Words: Diana Von R

After a seemingly endless wait, the first episode of Season 8 of 'Game Of Thrones' graced our screens last Monday at 2 am. For me, I was on holiday in Sweden and planned to wake up at 3am to watch it live. Thankfully sense prevailed and I just watched it the moment I woke up at 6am to avoid any spoilers on social media. As expected though, spoilers for 'Winterfell' (S08E01) are ahead.

Ten Choice Picks For Record Store Day 2019

Words: Saam Das

Yes, every day is record store day but today is the official 2019 Record Store Day - the twelfth annual iteration of a day that is a celebration of independent record stores across the world, driven by new and special releases. We've collated a list of ten choice picks from Record Store Day 2019, and in a change to our regular programming, you can view the list in reverse alphabetical order below.

Year In Review: Twelve Of The Best Things We Saw On TV In 2018

Words: Saam Das

It's been another bumper year for television, and we're here to provide you with some of our favourite TV shows of 2018. Of course, it's never possible to catch everything we've wanted to - recent additions to that list include John Malkovich's new iteration of Hercule Poirot, 'The ABC Murders', and Netflix's new choose-your-own-adventure 'Black Mirror' episode from the caustic genius that is Charlie Brooker. Nonetheless, here are our twelve best TV programmes of 2018, in alphabetical order and spoiler-free.

On Camera #35: The Festival / BlacKkKlansman / WOS Wrestling / Doctor Who

Words: Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'The Festival' (2018) + 'BlacKkKlansman' (2018)

TV Review: Will ITV's World Of Sport Wrestling Rekindle Your Love Of British Professional Wrestling?

'WOS Wrestling' Episode 1 (UK airdate: 28 July 2018) // Words: Saam Das

"This is the dawn of a new era" proclaims WOS Executive Stu Bennett, most popularly known for his time in WWE (formerly WWF) as the charismatic Wade Barrett, in the opening sequence of the returning 'WOS Wrestling' on ITV. Following its pilot episode which aired on New Year's Eve in 2016, and the rich history of 'World Of Sport' which showcased British professional wrestling for over thirty years on ITV until 1988, the programme has begun its latest evolution. We take an indepth look at the first episode of the revival, so spoilers ahead.

On Camera #34: X-Men Apocalypse / Green Room / Cunk On Shakespeare / Jumanji

Words: Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'X-Men: Apocalypse' (2016) + 'Green Room' (2015)

Year In Review: Jordan Andrew's Top Twenty TV Shows Of 2015 [Part Two: #10-1]

Words: Jordan Andrew

Yesterday's part one of my top twenty TV shows of 2015 contained the likes of big US superhero offerings 'Arrow' and 'Daredevil', as well as 'No Offence' and 'The Great British Bake Off' from closer to home. Finishing off the list, here are my top ten programmes from the past year.

Year In Review: Jordan Andrew's Top Twenty TV Shows Of 2015 [Part One: #20-11]

Words: Jordan Andrew

2015 what a year it has been from Madonna falling off the stage on The Brits, Caitlyn Jenner stealing the Karadashian crown, the Hatton Garden Heist and ‘emojis’ becoming multi-cultured and no longer being Simpsons characters. Television has also been at its best in 2015, and here's the first part of my top twenty countdown of 2015's best TV shows.

On Camera #31: Sisters / Grandma / Orion / Pixels / TMNT2

Words: Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'Sisters' (2015) + 'Grandma' (2015)

On Camera #30: Mockingjay Part 2 / Gueros / Master Of None / Together

Words: Lauren Johnson-Ginn & Saam Das

In Cinemas: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2' (2015) + 'Güeros' (2015)