Charli Fudge: Weekend update!

There are very few things you can rely on in this life. Every year will go faster than the one before it, that matching sock will eventually go missing, the weirdo on the bus will definitely sit next to you and Charli Fudge will always be here to talk you through your locked in weekend.

But I let you down last week, my venerable, virtual votaries. Sacked you off for the horror story in three words that is *Financial Year End* (if you know you know) and for that I’m sorry. But to make it up to you, there’s a bumper weekend in store with more comedy, live music and culture than you can shake a pivot table at. Believe me when I say there is something for absolutely everyone this week, from swing versions of Green Day to anime theme tunes to a literal ventriloquist. And some normal, good stuff too. So plug in and chill out to the best of this weekend’s live streams and then some.

‍

Friday 19th March

Faye Webster - Raised in Atlanta and caught somewhere between indie folk and RnB pop, Faye Webster is celebrating the release of her third album at the tender age of 21. Storytelling and dry humour weaved throughout melodic popscapes set her apart from the rest. Catch her here from early Friday morning https://plus.bandsintown.com/fayewebster/

Future Studio Sessions – The saviours of lockdown themselves, the Lock In gang, have decided to take events at home to the next level. Never content to be standing still, the boys are planning on making live stream waves this weekend with a home grown homage to sound and vision. Expect a fully curated, expansive house set accompanied by a visual spectacle, created and honed collaboratively by the brainboxes behind Laboratoire (Malcolm Lingard) and Strike 1 (Grant Hamilton). The next step in streaming, this one is going to be a fully immersive experience with epic green screen visuals that will transport you out of your living room and straight into an art house rave. Don’t miss this bar-raiser. Completely free 8-10pm at The Lock In | Barrow-in-Furness

‍SXSW – The festival itself can’t go ahead, but the organisers are planning to stream some short films, keynote speeches and live panels as well as a virtual walk around the site from March 16-March 19. Could be the closest some of us get to the iconic Texas festival so perhaps festival cancellations aren’t all bad? I’m kidding obviously. They’re fucking shit. SXSW Conference & Festivals | March 16–20, 2021

Russell Kane – One of the Russells (not the one with the boss eye) is doing a show. One ticket will get you entry to 6 shows across the next few weeks featuring the likes of Nina Conti (so is ventriloquism like, popular now?) and Jonathan Pie. Tickets available here, I’ll let you check the price out for yourself Laughnow Comedy Club: 6 Show Bundle Tickets | 19th March - 23rd April (ents24.com)

William Doyle – Mercury prize nominated ambient, electropop star William Doyle launches his latest album Great Spans of Muddy Time this week with a gig streamed from London’s Crouch End Studios. Expect more melancholy synthpop and glitch brooding instrumentals. For a fiver. GREAT SPANS OF MUDDY TIME - ALBUM LAUNCH (7PM GMT) Tickets | £5 | 19 Mar @ UK - 7pm GMT | DICE

Brats – Japanese sisters sing Rawk (sic) music live. The Ambtious Girls Rock tour is headed up by 4 Asian girls bands from Korea, Thailand and Japan. I don’t ever use the work kickass. But this is probably going to be that. Check it out in the wee hours on Facebook Ambitious GiRLS Rock 2 (facebook.com)

Postmodern Jukebox – Your mum has probably liked one of their videos on Facebook and hey, mums are great. So are swing versions of the Grease megamix. Imagine Fat Sam’s Grand Slam except Bugsy Malone is being played by Justin Bieber in the early hours of Friday morning for $20 Sessions (sessionslive.com)

Natalie Duncan - Eccentric jazz and soul singer Natalie Duncan teeters between comparisons to Benjamin Clementine, Alicia Keys and Nina Simone. She's playing a gig this Friday with Ajay Henry, purveyor of classic r'n'b with a modern twist. Check it out for a fiver https://metronome.uk.com/events/natalieduncan/

‍‍

Saturday 20th March

Oates Song Fest – Making your dreams come true, John Oates puts on a show to raise funds for Feeding America. He’ll be joined by Dave Grohl, Bob Weir and of course his old friend Daryl (Hall, duh). I’ve been trying to think of a tenuous joke which links “Maneating” with the actual eating of food by hungry American families but I’ve decided that’s probably insensitive so just go and watch the show and donate please and thanks. Oates Song Fest 7908 · John Oates

Todd Rundgren – Master of all trades Todd Rundgren sets out to create a unique livestream experience built around his album Nearly Human. It makes sense for this innovator and iconic collaborator to turn lockdown in a new multimedia opportunity. Check it out in the early hours of Saturday for $35 Todd Rundgren - Nearly Human Live Stream Online, 20th Mar 2021 | Ents24

The Beat Goes Live – 30 electronic artists (think Seth Troxxler, Luciano and Dave Lambert) team up with 13 iconic venues and industry mainstays (Cavo Paradiso, Nordstern, Versuz) to bring you two days of Ibiza straight to your front room. Check it out on Paarti Paarti

Sunday 21st March

Charli XCX – Don’t let anyone tell you I’m too pretentious to cover the mainstream guys. Avant-garde pop star Charli XCX will be performing and answering questions this Sunday live from Syracuse University in New York. I have a question for her. Why is your name so good? University Union Presents: STEMS Featuring Charli XCX - 'Cuse Activities (campuslabs.com)

Fabric Presents: London Unlocked – In support of Save Our Venues, Fabric presents drum and bass heavyweights Fabio back to back with Grooverider. We’ve only just got this one back, if we didn’t lose it to overdosing kids we better not lose it to corona so log on and donate fabriclondon - YouTube

Tim Key – best known as Alan Partridge’s sidekick, Tim Key invites you into his flat for some shits and giggles over his new book. It costs £8 and will go live at 7pm TIM KEY: HE USED THOUGHT AS A WIFE (THE RECITAL). Tickets | £8 | 21 Mar @ Streaming via YouTube, London | DICE

The Picture of Dorian Grey – Last but not least, in my endless commitment to get you absolute apes to consume some real culture, I’m including my favourite book-cum-play which has been dragged kicking and screaming into the Instagram age and presented for you so don’t even have to drag your carcass to an actual theatre. Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry are in it so it will definitely be posh, and only £12! The Picture of Dorian Gray

‍

‍