Jul 13
“A sense of the past, at any given point of time, is quite as much a matter of history as what happened in it.” -Raphael Samuel
Sense Retention
As this historic and influential city readies itself to host the Olympic Games, The London Chronicles by Francesca Panetta takes you on an audio journey through the life of the city to find its many voices and sounds. Chapter four, which Winch and myself feature in, reflects the theme of memory.
London Calling was presented and produced by Francesca Panetta. Sound design was by Nick Ryan, script advice from Tom Chivers and field recordings from London Sound Survey. Producers for the BBC were Pandita Lorenz, Paul Coletti and Pearse Lynch. The editor was Fiona Crack. Pour a scotch, take the plunge.
Jan 29
Posted by Bradley L. Garrett on Sunday Jan 29, 2012 Under Academia, Breaking and Entering, Celebration, Cultural Geography, Ethnography, Film, Freedom, Geography, Infiltration, Infrastructure, Recreational Trespass, Road Trips, Rooftops, Skyscapers, Urban Exploration, USA
The second episode of Crack the Surface, a documentary series about the global urban exploration community.
In association with
Silent UK
Sub Urban
Feb 02
As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world, a certain sense of beautiful mystery seems to gather and grow.
-A.C. Benson
Otter at Silent UK put together this really lovely video of our recent trip to Paris. Enjoy!
Jan 15
Posted by Bradley L. Garrett on Saturday Jan 15, 2011 Under Cultural Geography, Film, Freedom, Geography, Infrastructure, Psychogeography, Situationism, Spatial Politics, Surrealism, Urban Exploration
Sewers enjoy a special place in the pantheon of urban mythology.
-Matthew Gandy
Photo by Otter at Silent UK
The first big event of 2011 already went down. Literally. This year’s International Drain Meet (IDM) was hosted by London, organized by Otter at Silent UK. It was the largest meeting of the international draining community in London’s history with over 50 people from 6 countries in a large overflow chamber under Knightsbridge. We had drainers from the UK, Sweden, Italy, France, USA and Australia, including the UE Kingz, Brescia Underground and the Cave Clan. We also had a heavy contingent of the massively fun Manchester drainer contingent.
We also seem to have finally melded the two top London crews at this meet through Siologen’s powers of healing oration (see below). By the end of the night, Jon Doe, the King of UK draining, conjured himself out of thin air in the middle of the party to the delight of everyone in attendance. It was, by all accounts, one of the best gatherings in London urban explorer history. A full write up can be found on Winch’s blog.
Otter was kind enough to ask me to film the event since he was busy organizing all night. Here is my contribution – it is best viewed on full screen with the volume turned up loud enough to assault your neighbours.
As always, explore everything.
Oct 10
Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die.
-Mel Brooks
Peel
At the wheel
Recently, our buddy Paul Dobraszczyk, author of the book Into the Belly of the Beast: Exploring London’s Victorian Sewers was interviewed by Resonance FM for their series Tunnel Vision where the producers took people on an legally-questionable journey into a London sewer for an interview. I met Paul soon after at the subterranean London Illumini exhibit in Shoreditch. Just about the same time, Silent Motion was making a fuss about how we neglect South London on our explorations.
When Paul told me about his experience in the Effra River, given it runs only a mile from my house, we thought we may as well have a look. So last night, Silent Motion, Statler and I went down with a backpack sound system, a video camera and an abundance of energy to explore my own backyard. What we found amazed and surprised us.
It’s good to know this little wonder is just a short walk from my house. It was a night well spent exploring another of London’s hidden rivers.
Zarathustra
RSS
Twitter
Scribd