Sadie's Year

A look at back at some 2004 London highlights.

In a few days time the champagne will flow as we toast in the New Year, and it's traditional at this time to look back and take stock of the past 12 months. And what a year it has been for London.

I've selected 10 memories from 2004 that will linger well beyond the new year.

1. Battleship Potemkin in Trafalgar Square
The Pet Shop Boys soundtracked this silent classic for an astonished crowd who braved the autumn weather for one of the most extraordinary multimedia shows ever staged.

2. Red Hot Chilli Peppers in Hyde Park
James Brown warmed up a gigantic crowd for the Chillis at their rocking best. A mind blowing start to the summer.

3. Euro 2004 - Greece defeat Portugal
There has never been a better evening on the streets of North London, as the unfancied Greeks showed the world the value of team spirit.

4. Straw Peter
My personal favourite from an exceptional year, this feast of Tiger Lillies music and macabre puppetry was brilliant, and absolutely terrifying.

5. The Black Rider
This hallucinogenic fable born out of the beat movement was a spectacular success on its all-too-short London run.

6. The Producers
As the nights lengthened the West End was cheered up by the arrival of Mel Brooks' hilarious musical, one of the funniest shows in years.

7. Tom Aikens
Tom opened a 'molecular' restaurant which astonished the already spoiled diners of London. Honourable mentions from another bumper year for foodies must go to Le Cercle, L'Etranger, City Cafe and the all-new Camerino.

8. Horror Flicks
It was a wonderful year for horror fans who screamed through Jack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead and giggled at Simon Pegg's Shaun of the Dead. There was also a grisly feast of vintage horror at the National Film Theatre around Halloween.

9. Frieze Art Fair
Easily the most successful outdoor art fair in Europe this year, the Frieze won itself thousands of fans at the tail end of a beautiful summer.

10. Black British Style
The Victoria and Albert triumphed again with this gorgeous, vibrant show which launched as part of Black History Month but is still drawing big crowds to check out the first and last words in Black couture.

London's White Elephant finally put to good use

The Millennium Dome, which has long been the butt of Londoner’s jokes, is to be used as a shelter for the homeless over Christmas this year. It will help 1000 people find somewhere to eat and sleep over the Christmas period and also offer educational classes at the same time. According to a spokesperson from Crisis, they are being inundated with requests for shelter.

Blast off into 2006

The New Year’s Eve fireworks display will cost one million pounds. Organisers hope that they can use the event to promote London’s 2012 Olympic bid. The London Eye will be lit up from 6.30 and there will be fireworks at midnight. The show has been choreographed by Jack Morton Worldwide and will go on for ten minutes. 150, 000 people are expected to gather on the South Bank to watch.

No Arty Party as Government turns Scrooge

London’s artistic elite were disappointed this month when the government cut funding to the arts by 30 million pounds. This is the first funding setback to hit the arts since Labour took office in 1997. John Tusa, MD of The Barbican, said it was a return to "the bad old days". Funding will be frozen at the 2005 level of £413 million until at least 2008.

Previouse article

 

Next article