A13 Green

For the third summer in a row the underpass of the A13 flyover in Canning Town came alive with music, dancing and laughter! From the beginning of August until mid September, there were live events every Friday night each with a completely unique line-up. We enjoyed games, workshops, live music, dance classes, performances underneath London’s finest flyover.?All the events were free to join and started at 6pm and can be found under the A13 Flyover opposite Canning Town Station, E16 1EQ.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in the 3rd year of this very special project. We hope to be back in 2016 for another summer of art, love and magic in Canning Town! In the meantime, you can relive the magic of the line-up below…

The first event was on Friday 7th August, celebrating our Lucky Numbers: the third year of the A13 Green, Newham’s 50th birthday and the ‘Lucky for Some’ number 13 of our favourite flyover! The line-up included

  • The Gents – ‘Cockney Sing-a-Longs for the 21st Century!’ – join these flamboyant chaps for a proper knees up round the piano
  • Pinball Geoff, the legendary fairground showman and pinball obsessive, will be bringing a selection of his favourite vintage machines. Rock and Roll!
  • Dr Silky Frimpong, psychiatric witch doctor, will be telling therapeutic fortunes. Dr Frimpong has travelled from the mountain forests of Mitcham to pull lucky fortunes from the astral planes of Canning Town.
  • DJ Sonic playing all the Canning Town favourites – get ready for the Electric Slide!
  • ‘Lucky for Some’ Charm and Badge Making – make your own lucky charm and pick your lucky number.
  • Celebration Cake – specially commissioned from Serenity Cakes on Barking Rd. First come, first served!
  • Funky Doodles Facepainting
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more!
  • PLUS! Last year, Regeneration Manager at Newham Council, this year our Bar Tender! Mr James Collier behind the A13 Green Bar!

The Gents copyright Roxane Grant

 

The second event was on Friday 11th August, with the theme of DREAM IT. BE IT. Aim high, think big, make it happen!

  • Live music from Ladies of the Midnight Blue
  • Paint to the beat – be Picaso, be Turner, slap some paint around, do not fear the blank canvas. Release your inner artist!
  • Zumba with Care Complete Constantine
  • The Sing-a-Sock Kiosk – everybody wants to be a sock n roll star so here’s your chance.
  • Sock Puppet Workshop – make your own sock star. Destiny is in your hands. Sock it to em.
  • Tunes from DJ Stingray
  • Cupcakes from Your Treats Bakery
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more
  • PLUS the A13 Green Bar from Mr James Collier!

Gina Southgate, artist (2)

 

The third event was on Friday 21st August, and our theme was Life’s a Beach. So we rolled up our trousers, knotted your handkerchiefs and enjoyed…

  • The Bikini Beach Band! Harnessing the big twang of Duane Eddy and The Ventures, the dress sense of Manilow and the deadpan heroics of Rock Gods, instrumental guitar music has never been so entertaining. Slip on your beachwear and sip something tropical while the Bikini Beach Band transport you to sunnier climes.
  • Pinball Geoff’s Vintage Machines will be back in their quasi-spiritual home for all to play. Are you a pinball wizard?
  • Glow in the Dark Sea Life workshop
  • Tunes from DJ Sonic
  • Tasty treats from Davina’s Call Me Back Kitchen and?Your Treats Bakery
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more
  • PLUS the A13 Green Bar from Mr James Collier!

shunt6 (1)

 

For week four, we’ll be celebrated local legend, Betty May, and all the Tiger Women of Canning Town!?

  • Celine Hispiche giving us a taste of Betty May’s colourful life from her musical play Betty May, a work that has been taken from the original book Tiger Woman, My Story written by Betty May and published in 1929.
  • Howard and Clack, blues/folk musicians, whose latest album Time Gentlemen is populated by a host of characters whose hopes, dreams and loves are played out on the rain-swept streets, the tenement blocks and the bar rooms of London.
  • Ukulele playing troubadour Claire Nicolson
  • Playful Dragons Tai Chi & Qi Gong workshop for kids
  • Ears and Tails making workshop with Flam Ingo!
  • Animal facepainting with Funky Doodles!
  • Badge-making with Tiger Women!
  • Tunes from DJ Sonic
  • Davina’s Call Me Back Kitchen
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more
  • PLUS the A13 Green Bar from Mr James Collier!

Betty May.jpg

For our fifth event on Friday 4th September it was?All Change! A change is as good as a rest, as they say, and the line-up this week included…

  • Samedeus’ cabaret show taking us from Baroque to Broadway, Mozart to Minelli
  • The Smoking Apples are an award winning theatre company based in London. Having just returned from Edinburgh with a 5 star show, they’ll be bringing you “technically accomplished Puppetry” (Total Theatre). Come and meet various puppets as they create extreme fun, games and general chaos giving you a chance to interact and have a go with the characters.
  • The Sonic Shaman, a wandering mystic minstrel, will be bringing sounds, charms and totems from distant places, performing ritual transformations under the A13.
  • Local dance crew Dynamic Eclipse Arts
  • Mask making with Flam Ingo and Lo&Lo
  • Tunes from DJ Sonic
  • Davina’s Call Me Back Kitchen
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more
  • PLUS the A13 Green Bar from Mr James Collier!

Hands-2

For our sixth and final event on 11th September it was be Later than you Think, so enjoy yourself while you’re still in the pink. This was a multicoloured celebration of life’s rich tapestry.

  • The Old Dirty Brasstards – London’s finest drum and brass band back by popular demand!
  • Magic with Jenny Mayers! Jenny Mayers is the first female of Caribbean heritage to be in The Magic Circle. She is looking forward to meeting you and sharing her love for magic through coins, ropes, rings and cards.
  • The Reggae Choir! An exciting amateur non-audition contemporary choir open to all regardless of skill level or experience. Based in Stratford, East London, Reggae Choir formed in September 2012 and have since performed at many events and festivals such as The UKs largest Reggae and Dub Festival, The One Love Festival, Royal Festival Hall, Fairfield Concert Hall, Hackney Empire, Royal Academy of Arts to name but a few. www.reggaechoir.com
  • Tyre Creatures to slither and slide on!
  • The Electric Slide with the brilliant Jessica Care Complete Constantine
  • Let’s Twist with Lydie
  • The Joy Infection Station
  • Photobooth! Dress up, get your wig on and get on board and get flashed at in the Camper Van photo booth. Brought to you by local company, Mestre Entertainment. Take home a print, yes a printed memento of a good night out with The Brick Box.
  • Davina’s Call Me Back Kitchen
  • The Bandstand – this year’s stage is a cheeky pop-up version of our old cast iron friend. Still 100% twinkly, still 100% solar powered.
  • Games on the Green including ping pong, hula hoops, Jenga and more
  • PLUS the A13 Green Bar from Mr James Collier!

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