This Sunday, rap fans will pay their respect to late hip-hop producer J-Dilla at Cargo in Shoreditch. DJs including Shortee Blitz, Marc Mac and DJ Spin Doctor will be bumping favourites from Dilla's back catalogue in an event held to honour his life and legacy. Born James Yancey, and also known as Jay Dee, Dilla was the "producer's producer": feted by the likes of Kanye and Pharrell, he was one of the most influential......

Is it just us or was January rubbish? Nice then that February, with its special extra day this year, commences with Brazilian Carnival, yummy pancakes and Chinese New Year... it's like a whole new start for 2008 and lots of it totally FREE! Monday: Get some Monday Love at the Inspiral Lounge, Camden Lock as UK Indymedia host their radical film, talk, and music night. Free entry for all those who still believe in......

We've not done very well on the virtuous January front and seem to have spent all our money and most of our nights out on the lash with a flagrant disregard for propriety and our bank account. We don't mind though because, as usual, there are some excellent free things to do in town this week. Monday: British Asian gangsta folk ska punk is where it's at with the intriguing sounding Barbar Luck at......

Three weeks into the New Year, probably one week until payday and telly's rubbish (except for new CSI), the weather's grey and the detox is wearing thin. Don't give in to those January blues! Here's what can get you out of the house for not a lot of wonga this week. Monday: This is the most depressing day of the year. We've said it before but we're going to say it again because we......

The Christmas turkey is cold and in sandwiches. A few of us have struggled back to work, carrying surplus chocolate to the office in a desperate attempt to stop our expanding waistlines. Which must mean it's about time to start panicking about what to do on New Year's Eve. Aside from rammed pubs, pricey nightclubs and awkward parties in someone's frontroom, the main focus for London will be squarely on the London Eye. Since......

Of course, the best way to do London on the Cheap this week is to visit friends and rellies and plough through their festive supplies of food and drink, play silly games, watch a bit of frothy telly (see Londonist Stays In for top tips) and fall asleep mildly pissed. When you get cabin fever however, here's a few ideas for low level expenditure entertainment that doesn't involve church or carol singing. Christmas Eve:......

Last full week before Christmas, we expect your bank account's feeling the strain. All that Christmas shopping and partying taking its toll? If you want to make the most of being out and about before Christmas cabin fever and complete exhaustion set in then we're here to help. Monday: Keep the braincells going through silly season. Go to the free lecture at Gresham College about why our society rewards celebrities, fads and fashions and......

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits......

Londonist loves Horse Meat Disco at South Central in Vauxhall. But it's on a Sunday night. So what do you do if you need a bit of disco on a Saturday, well Disco Bloodbath has arrived and it's Hackney based antics are making us pretty excited. Dan Beaumont, Damon Martin and Ben Pistor are the boys behind it When and why did you set your night up? Damon:Our night began in April of this......

Rapha makes clothing for serious cyclists - the couriers, the racers, the hardcore fundraisers pedalling over the Andes. They are also organising one of the most unusual events we've had the privilege of hearing about: this Saturday is the second Rapha Roller Race Culture Clash which is "a four-way clash between teams of bicycle couriers, cycle journalists, media folk and a ‘dark horse’ Dutch team made up of unnamed riders." And before you try......

We nearly always mention the monthly Late at Tate Friday nights because each month the events, ideas and people involved are more weird and wonderful than the last. It's all about winning this month in Late at Tate Britain: Jackpot. Winning and prize-giving is consuming the various Tate Galleries as the annual Turner Prize exhibition of shortlisted artists is relocated to Tate Liverpool. In Tate Britain, there's the Turner Prize: A Retrospective exhibition instead......

Meet Language. Based in East London (but not defined by it!), they've chosen their myspace category to be "melodramatic popular song", are obsessed with falafel, like dressing in black, have a song called "Theme for a Porno", record on Hornsey Road and were screwed out of a producer by Kate Nash. They're not bitter mind. We were going to tell you our favourite song but having just listened to them all again on myspace......

Fancy something completely different for the weekend? Next weekend that is? Howzabout a preening and prancing, full-blooded Persian pop concert? We thought that might grab your attention, for one reason or another. Most Londoners tend to forget that for every ex-pat community living in London, there is a similarly ex-pat music scene catering for them. Well, this is what a lot of Iranians do for entertainment… And because Iranians are a funny bunch, after six......

Attention, sufferers of controller-thumb and Wii-wrist: the London Games Festival is here to make your condition even worse. From the 22nd of October to the 2nd of November organisers will be laying on talks, music and exhibitions celebrating the culture of gaming. Many of the events are geared towards those in the industry, but there’s also plenty to please the civilian gamer, especially in the festival fringe. And we can’t help but approve of......

Sampled the delights of Oxjam yet? If not, why not? The festival's reached the halfway point, and Oxfam's million-pound fundraising goal won't get any nearer with you sitting around on your hands watching Emmerdale when you could be bopping in your Birkenstocks and raising money while you're at it! Highlights for this week: - HatJam - Unsigned acts including The Colours and aDore will be joined by DJs at Shoreditch's Bar Music Hall, for......

A night of clubbing is as much about the music you want to hear as it is the experience you hope to get out of it. Whilst there are endless opportunities to don your best threads and brave the night buses to see and be seen, we prefer to come as we are, get sweaty and get down. With their irresistible selection of post-punk and electro classics and obscurities, Our Disco ticks all our......

After numerous appearances on the Continent, as well as performances at such legendary festivals as MUTEK and Detroit's Electronic Music Festival, we were beginning to think perhaps we smelled bad. Why else wouldn't Gui Boratto come to visit our lovely island? Thankfully we no longer need to be concerned about our possibly poor hygiene, for the kind souls at Allez-Allez have once again teamed with the Kompakt label, this time to bring the Brazilian......

We've never made it down but the tales we've been told of Saturday night party Together at Turnmills make us curse everytime we realise it clashes with something we've already done. So while some of the Londonist music team are djing a clubnight on a boat down Temple way with a request list that includes Dane Bowers & Victoria Beckham's "Out of Your Mind", the slightly better DJ David Guetta will be pumping the......

With grey skies, low temperatures and ever-present rain comprising the key features of our lovely non-summer, it may seem unwise to choose to see a film anywhere lacking the protection of a roof and four walls. You certainly could choose to stay inside the confines your local multiplex, but then you'd miss out on the return of Film4's fabulous Summer Screen tradition at Somerset House. For ten nights from 2 August until 11 August,......

If you're not too busy reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows or attending fabulous Londonist quizzes this week, here are are a few things to keep you occupied on a quiet night in. On TV, Londonist likes: Monday, 23 July The Tower (BBC1, 22:35-11:25) It's episode 5 of this 8 part series, and it's all about the romance on the estate. Kelley and Wayne tie the knot with a large part of the......

We'll let you into a secret: Londonist is a bit skint. And we all know that the wonderful events in the city can add up to quite a hefty sum. It means that we can't go and see the Dali and Film exhibition at the Tate Modern, or go and see Amy Winehouse on Friday. Booooo. Hisssss. What are we to do? Well here's a few things we found that you can do over......

From The Garage to new(ish) venue Bardens Boudoir, the Daughters of Kaos have been causing mayhem with their polysexual Club Motherfucker for the last 4 years. Mixing performances from cool up and coming artists with different guest DJs every week, you can expect sleazy electro, indie beats and well just whatever anyone feels like playing. The next (and last till September)Club Mofo is this Saturday 14th July, so if you like the sound of......

Typically 80s nights can be either a bit naff or full of students singing along to songs they're not old enough to know, but we're happy to come across one that sounds like actual, amazing fun. Prom Night is in town at the Buffalo Bar this Saturday, and as it's the last one in a while, we thought it only fitting to catch up with the boys and girls for their last dance. When......

Europe's biggest gay and lesbian festival, Pride London, is back this Saturday. Expect a hefty downpour, if the current forecast is accurate. There's heaps on this year, though, if you make it out to support your brothers and sisters. It all kicks off when the ever-eclectic Parade heads through the centre of town from 1pm, along a route taking in the West End's Oxford and Regent Streets before heading over to Tafalgar Square and......

There's been whispers round Hoxton parts recently of a new night that's not like the rest. Forgot the usual posters and socialites Ghost School has taken over the Macbeth once an month declaring "We love arty rockers with electric guitars, twee freaks with knitted agendas, gay geeks with scuffed shoes, and party poppers who love their liquor. " Sound good? We caught up with the DJs behind the club ahead of this Thursday's party!......

Londonist's favourite electro-punk outfit Robots in Disguise are headlining Club Eat Your Make Up this Thursday, a new club night which promises sleazy indie and electro-trash in abundance. If the name Robots in Disguise is new to you, then you may recognise them from their numerous cameo appearances in The Mighty Boosh, as The Electro Girls, and The Goth Girls. In fact, Noel Fielding himself is an occasional live-only band member. We've had a......

This past weekend’s third annual London Luau, held at venues across London, commenced Friday evening with the opening of the Tiki Art Show at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. The exhibition featured tropical kitsch themed artwork by several artists from around the world, including well known American lowbrow sensation Shag and more local artists such as Oxfordshire’s Tiki Racer and London-based architect Michael Murphy. During the afternoons of Saturday and Sunday, the......

The first proper weekend of the festival season is upon us, with many people jetting off to Download or Isle of Wight. However, for those of you stuck in the city this weekend, there are still lots of musical events you can feast your ears on for now. First up, George Michael plays Wembley on Saturday and Sunday. The camp Greek star is set to be the first artist to play Wembley, and doesn’t......

Not only does the fantastic French dance music and fashion label Kitsuné have a foxy new compilation hitting the shops next week, but they're crossing the channel just to celebrate its release with you. From 8 p.m. this evening, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen will play host to a record release party for the aptly-named "Kitsuné Maison Compilation 4". With exclusive tracks from Dragonette, Feist and Hadouken, this disc's dirty disco will certainly soundtrack......

Aloooha London! This weekend will see the third annual London Luau, three days of 'bands, DJs, drinking, eating and dancing' with a 'tropical Tiki theme.' This year's Luau commences on Friday with an art show opening at Brick Lane's Old Truman Brewery followed by drinks at Mayfair's celeb hot spot, Mahiki. The party continues on Saturday with a market place, live carving, dance lessons, films and more with the main night meet-up at Trader......