The Spoonfed editorial team select the biggest and best events taking place in London this May.
Art
May is a month of second comings on the London art scene. Leonardo da Vinci is back in town, this time with the focus on his anatomical works at Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The Other Art Fair returns with a new venue and selection panel, and the Photographers' Gallery reopens after a twenty-month, £8.9 million refurbishment. They're showing works by Raqs Media Collective and the brilliant Edward Burtynsky. Elsewhere, the British Library explores the relationship between Britain's landscapes and its literature in Writing Britain, the Barbican hosts a big Bauhaus survey, and the Catlin Art Prize highlights the UK's best young art talent. TJ
Lifestyle
With a bit of luck the rain will have cleared off for another few months in May, so it'll be perfect time for the return of the Rooftop Film Club at the Queen of Hoxton. Immerse yourself in the beautifully distasteful world of John Waters at Bethnal Green Working Men's Club. The annual Clerkenwell Design Week takes place from the 22-24th, offering a wealth of creativity and stuff to make your eyes happy, and finally, Lord's Cricket Ground hosts Midcentury Modern, a vintage furniture and homeware market featuring a range of stylish British, American and European 20th century designs. TA
Clubbing
May Day madness brings a rash of raves to London's many warehouses, kicking off with more big bookings from Return To The Future – who have the gift to Detroit techno Seth Troxler in to wow you. Sunday you've got a very special, naughty soiree with Wolf and Lamb or a smashing eighteen-hour summer bank holiday session from Loco Dice led Desolate and Ralph Lawson's 2020Vision. Later in the month Krush continue their excellent series, this time with Ame and Clockwork and Earnest Endeavours bring the hugely influential hip hop producer Dabrye over from the States for the first time in years. LC
Theatre
A little melancholy perhaps but still hilarious, the month begins with Amy Lame's Unhappy Birthday followed by the dark Brimstone and Treacle starring Rupert Friend. That's before The Beekeeper at Waterloo East, which takes an interesting look at Auschwitz, and Steven Berkoff's Six Characters in Search of a Director. Then there's the long-awaited Chariots of Fire adapted by Mike Bartlett featuring that score. Laura Wade's brilliantly funny Posh finally gets a West End transfer and I can't wait for David Harrower's much talked about A Slow Air at Tricycle Theatre before The Suit opens at the Young Vic. NK
Live Music
Everyone strapped in? Because from here ‘til September, London is going to resemble one long music festival. It all kicks off over May bank holiday with the now traditional Camden Crawl taking over NW1, whilst its bratty, upstart cousin Land of Kings presents two days of arts, electronica and indie pop in the pubs and clubs of Dalston. No worries if you miss that though, because at the end of the month Ally Pally hosts ATP’s second I’ll Be Your Mirror festival with headline slots from Slayer, Mogwai and the Afghan Wigs. Who needs a tent, eh? DH
Comedy
I can't think of a better-sounding gig to kick May off with than Tony Law's Shitbox. Then you're spoilt for choice at the Camden Crawl festival where London's best promoters take over several venues. Podcast hero Richard Herring has some very special shows lined up this month and Dave Fulton and Hannibal Buress, two of the hottest comics in America are in town. There's some belting charity line-ups at War on Want (headlined by the Minch, Channel 4 Comedy Gala and Are You Taking the Peace? The Southbank purple cow has a plethora of funny goodness in its uddery belly, particularly Cardinal Burns, Freeze, Milton Jones, Colin Hoult & Nina Conti. The hugely talented Nathan Dean Williams brings some creepy character comedy to Soho and the Invisible Dot Tour showcases some of the hottest new acts in the country. EM
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