Things To Do In London Today: 1 February 2013


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TICKET ALERT: If you want to see Bon Jovi play Hyde Park this summer, get on the phones first thing this morning. 9am

GIVE BLOOD: A trio of places to donate blood today: St Paul's Church Hall in Stokey, The Hop Exchange in Southwark Street, and Salvation Army HQ in the City. Free, just turn up, times vary

SHARD: The View From The Shard finally opens today. Tickets are sold out today and tomorrow, but you can bagsie a slot for Sunday onwards. £25, prebook, all day

LOST ART: The De Morgan Foundation in Wandsworth has a new exhibition recalling the works of art by Evelyn De Morgan lost in a fire in 1991. £4, just turn up, 1-5pm

STREET SAMBA: London School of Samba heats up the streets of Covent Garden with a pre-Carnival parade through the Piazza to Brazilian bar, Guanabara on Parker Street. Free, just turn up, 7-7.20pm (then party night at the club for £10)

QUEER FILM: A weekend of Classic, Camp and Cult: Queer Film starts at the V&A with a special screening of one of the first gay-themed films ever to get a widespread release in North America. Watch Outrageous in  the Sackler Centre. Part of LGBT History Month. Book tickets online £4, prebook or turnup, 7pm.

A GOOD DEATH: Is it possible to die well? A bunch of historians get together for the weirdest public symposium you might ever attend. What Makes A Good Death runs at Wellcome Collection and continues tomorrow. £30, prebook, 7pm

RUM: Soho’s Floridita opens the ‘Rum Shack’ pop-up, hidden away beneath the staircase of its Wardour Street venue. Meanwhile, another rum bar called Portside Parlour opens, in the basement bar beneath Off Broadway on Broadway Market.

FILM: A university medical department isn’t your typical location for a film screening, but tonight you can catch the premiere of Do You Really Want To Know? at UCL’s Department of Neurology in Queen Square. The film tackles issues behind tests for the neurodegenerative Huntington’s Disease. £10 (suggested donation), prebook or turnup, 7pm

GOMPERTZ: BBC arts critic Will Gompertz hosts the first in a series of the Gompertz Fringe at the ICA tonight. Acts in this multi-format variety show include Mat Collishaw and Simon Munnery. £10, prebook, 7.30pm

SHORT FILM: Vibe Gallery in Bermondsey puts on its monthly indie film night, with six short films from up-and-coming film-makers, plus Q&A. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

TALENT SHOW: Hackney's answer to Britain's Got Talent, Alter Ego is looking for talented young performers from the NE borough. The finals take place tonight at Hackney Empire, featuring rap, singing, dance and comedy. £2, prebook, 7.30pm

MORE SAMBA: Over at Rich Mix there’s a night of Bahia beats, mixing samba with urban London sounds and a little bit of reggae for funky samba and Brazilian roots music to get you feeling hedonistic. £7/£5, just turn up, 8pm

MUSEUM LATES: Unwind after work with a spot of culture at the British Museum, Natural History Museum, V&A, National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery. Free, check websites for closing times and events.

ROLLER SKATE: The Friday Night skate starts at Wellington Arch. Anyone who feels competent on skates is welcome to join. Free, just turn up, 8pm.

GIG: Catch Dexters launching their catchy first single Recover — a little bit punk a little bit Strokes — at the Sebright Arms, where they're supported by Bibelots and Black Cherry. £6, prebook, 8pm

POETRY: Kat Francois hosts a night of Slam Poetry at the Poetry Cafe. £5, just turn up, 8pm

Random London Fact of the Day
Three local institutions revel in the abbreviation LSE: The London School of Economics, the London School of English and the London Stock Exchange. We're toying with starting a Londonist Social Enterprise to provide Life-Skills Education to Licensed Structural Engineers with Low Self-Esteem , just to lend some extras.

Good Cause of the Day
Send tips to matt@londonist.com

Save the rhino, and impress your Valentine's date. The Valentine's Animal Love Party takes place at Islington Metal Works on 15 February. You have to come along dressed as an animal or buy a costume at the door. No people who look like human beings will be allowed in. 10% of ticket sales and 10% of bar takings will go to Save the Rhino. Earlybird tickets now on sale for £16.50. Organised by the Last Tuesday Society.

London Weather
Our gittish skies plan a watery assault for both the morning and evening commute, while the hours in which most of us are safely indoors will be dry and even sunny. As a German Gyles Brandreth might say, "Himmelherrgotsakramentnochamol!" BBC Weather presents the forecast with fewer dubious Bavarian compound words.