Fun for someone visiting London right now?
November 8, 2023 2:29 PM Subscribe
My favorite coworker is about to go on a long-delayed bucket list trip to the UK from the US, and I want to give him some kind of cool mission.
Last time he was there was as a young lad many years ago, with his band, and they'd already blown all the petty cash on eyeliner so they didn't get to enjoy it much. This is his reward to himself for taking on some huge shit the past few years, and he deserves a memorable visit.
Interests: music and music history (he's got several album-cover-locations he's going to visit) and music technology (especially synthesizers), the entire GenX British Comedy Catalog (Python, 80s-90s standup, Douglas Adams, Young Ones, all panel shows of the past 20 years, etc).
Maybe middling-adventurous with food. Does not drink. Does drink tea, but microwaves it, so honestly I hope he's allowed in the country. General Anglophile, but more on the punk-to-rainy-walks spectrum than monarchy-to-West-End. NOT actually a vinyl collector, which continually surprises me, but still loves a nice meander around a record store. Loves old movies.
He's going solo, and is entirely content with plans that mostly consist of "walking around looking at things" and "renting a car to go look at things outside London". He's prepared for the weather. Likes a majestic country landscape, which is one of the things he's going to go drive around to find. I know he's willing to do one or two overnight trips out of London, so he'd go quite some way to see something cool.
Can we send him off to see or do some things that he might not have dug up in his research? Is there a Secret Museum of Old Synths somewhere? A historical plaque relating to Iron Maiden in some way? Old sound guy or roadie who likes to talk that runs a cozy pub/bakery/market stall? Locations of famous old studios?
He was also a little dubious when I told him one of my favorite get-to-see-a-city things is walking tours, with my special favorites being either ghosts- or food-related. He thinks they're all going to be boring and hokey. If someone knows of an awesome music/media/literature type walk in or near London OR I guess within a half-day's travel or so, either self-guided, audio, or with a real guide, I'm going to try to get him hooked.
Last time he was there was as a young lad many years ago, with his band, and they'd already blown all the petty cash on eyeliner so they didn't get to enjoy it much. This is his reward to himself for taking on some huge shit the past few years, and he deserves a memorable visit.
Interests: music and music history (he's got several album-cover-locations he's going to visit) and music technology (especially synthesizers), the entire GenX British Comedy Catalog (Python, 80s-90s standup, Douglas Adams, Young Ones, all panel shows of the past 20 years, etc).
Maybe middling-adventurous with food. Does not drink. Does drink tea, but microwaves it, so honestly I hope he's allowed in the country. General Anglophile, but more on the punk-to-rainy-walks spectrum than monarchy-to-West-End. NOT actually a vinyl collector, which continually surprises me, but still loves a nice meander around a record store. Loves old movies.
He's going solo, and is entirely content with plans that mostly consist of "walking around looking at things" and "renting a car to go look at things outside London". He's prepared for the weather. Likes a majestic country landscape, which is one of the things he's going to go drive around to find. I know he's willing to do one or two overnight trips out of London, so he'd go quite some way to see something cool.
Can we send him off to see or do some things that he might not have dug up in his research? Is there a Secret Museum of Old Synths somewhere? A historical plaque relating to Iron Maiden in some way? Old sound guy or roadie who likes to talk that runs a cozy pub/bakery/market stall? Locations of famous old studios?
He was also a little dubious when I told him one of my favorite get-to-see-a-city things is walking tours, with my special favorites being either ghosts- or food-related. He thinks they're all going to be boring and hokey. If someone knows of an awesome music/media/literature type walk in or near London OR I guess within a half-day's travel or so, either self-guided, audio, or with a real guide, I'm going to try to get him hooked.
Sadly, the Ruskin Arms in Manor Park where I used to watch Iron Maiden in the late 1970s closed a few years ago, otherwise I'd have suggested that as a good place to visit. :-(
posted by essexjan at 2:54 PM on November 8, 2023
posted by essexjan at 2:54 PM on November 8, 2023
The Cart and Horses pub in Stratford, East London is known as the "birthplace" of Iron Maiden.
posted by knapah at 2:59 PM on November 8, 2023
posted by knapah at 2:59 PM on November 8, 2023
As you mentioned album covers, make sure he doesn't go to the wrong Abbey Road!
posted by knapah at 3:01 PM on November 8, 2023
posted by knapah at 3:01 PM on November 8, 2023
The city isn't currently issuing mudlarking permits but these group tours by are offered by permission of the port authority.
posted by brachiopod at 3:13 PM on November 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by brachiopod at 3:13 PM on November 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
He sounds like he might be the right kind of nerd to enjoy Novelty Automation!
posted by moonmilk at 3:28 PM on November 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by moonmilk at 3:28 PM on November 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
Perhaps he knows this already, but he can leave a ballpoint pen at Douglas Adams's grave. (Or take one!)
posted by equalpants at 5:41 PM on November 8, 2023
posted by equalpants at 5:41 PM on November 8, 2023
He sounds like he might be the right kind of nerd to enjoy Novelty Automation! I've been there! It was wonderfully weird.
posted by EllaEm at 7:04 PM on November 8, 2023
posted by EllaEm at 7:04 PM on November 8, 2023
My 30-year-old daughter had great fun buying a Paddington Bear toy and then taking photos of the bear at locations shown in Paddington 2.
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 8:41 PM on November 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 8:41 PM on November 8, 2023 [1 favorite]
There are a surprising number of quiet, contemplative, rainy-day-walk opportunities (and it's the perfect season for that mood). Is it to obvious to point out the Marc Bolan shrine in Barnes? I'm struck by how possible it is to have a completely solitary moment at Dusty Springfield's grave marker in Henley-on-Thames. Those are both easily accessible via suburban trains.
There are so, so many more neat little oddities in tube/bus range. I used to live across from the Railway pub in Clapham, which is "the Railway Arms we're missing" in the Squeeze's "Up The Junction." While you're there you can walk "the windy Common" before heading over to Brixton for Electric Avenue and a myriad other music nerd-relevant sites.
The mudlarking suggestion is a great one! And FYI you don't really need a permit if you're just noodling around. There are dozens of stairwells and access points where you can casually poke about in the stones and sand at low tide. You will almist instantly find centuries-old fragments of clay pipes, and the longer you've got to look the greater the likelihood you'll find an old coin or something more interesting. I often take people for pints or Sunday roast at the Town of Ramsgate pub in Wapping, in part because there's a stairwell down to the the river(bank) right next to it. Pint -> mudlark -> pint -> dinner is a good routine for a solo afternoon.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:55 AM on November 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
There are so, so many more neat little oddities in tube/bus range. I used to live across from the Railway pub in Clapham, which is "the Railway Arms we're missing" in the Squeeze's "Up The Junction." While you're there you can walk "the windy Common" before heading over to Brixton for Electric Avenue and a myriad other music nerd-relevant sites.
The mudlarking suggestion is a great one! And FYI you don't really need a permit if you're just noodling around. There are dozens of stairwells and access points where you can casually poke about in the stones and sand at low tide. You will almist instantly find centuries-old fragments of clay pipes, and the longer you've got to look the greater the likelihood you'll find an old coin or something more interesting. I often take people for pints or Sunday roast at the Town of Ramsgate pub in Wapping, in part because there's a stairwell down to the the river(bank) right next to it. Pint -> mudlark -> pint -> dinner is a good routine for a solo afternoon.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:55 AM on November 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
Not a Secret Museum of Old Synths as such, but there is a Musical Museum to be found. It's near Kew Bridge station (about half an hour by train from Waterloo). It's open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and the guided tours include demonstrations of various self-playing instruments. There's a photo exhibition on at the moment: "Spandex, synths and stadium rock: Back to the '80s with Art & Sol".
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:58 AM on November 9, 2023
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:58 AM on November 9, 2023
You mention panel shows - Have I Got News for You is currently filming, tickets are free and allocated at random: Link
posted by Kiwi at 10:22 AM on November 9, 2023
posted by Kiwi at 10:22 AM on November 9, 2023
London Walks are excellent, and they have a number of Music themed walks that look fun but they have all sorts of walking tours.
There is a stairway down to the thames for mudlarking right behind the tate modern. When I was there, a little tour group was there with a guide, but i just eavesdroped a bit and looked around on my own. Very fun. Next time i'm in london I'll definitely looking into guided mudlarking on Airbnb experiences or google.
I really loved walking around St. James Park. They feed the Pelicans there at ~2:30/3pm each day. This is quite near Churchill's War Room that people seem to love
posted by wowenthusiast at 12:47 PM on November 9, 2023
There is a stairway down to the thames for mudlarking right behind the tate modern. When I was there, a little tour group was there with a guide, but i just eavesdroped a bit and looked around on my own. Very fun. Next time i'm in london I'll definitely looking into guided mudlarking on Airbnb experiences or google.
I really loved walking around St. James Park. They feed the Pelicans there at ~2:30/3pm each day. This is quite near Churchill's War Room that people seem to love
posted by wowenthusiast at 12:47 PM on November 9, 2023
Full disclosure, these walks are run by an ex-colleague, but they are awesome: he’s funny and very knowledgeable about the cinema and film history of these areas: https://linktr.ee/nigelsmithwalks
posted by conkystconk at 2:20 AM on November 10, 2023
posted by conkystconk at 2:20 AM on November 10, 2023
For some reason I feel like your friend would enjoy a guided tour of the graffiti/street art in Shoreditch.
Also a day trip to Brighton by train.
posted by like_neon at 5:20 AM on November 10, 2023
Also a day trip to Brighton by train.
posted by like_neon at 5:20 AM on November 10, 2023
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yes!
oh, but it looks like they may have closed for the season. Maybe if he emails and asks really nicely!
posted by Jon Mitchell at 2:38 PM on November 8, 2023