Bold Moves, Secret Finds, Epic Nights

Quote of the Week - “Be original. Don’t be scared of being bold” - Ed Sheeran

Good Afternoon. London. This week in The London Palette, the pulse quickens in the spaces you least expect. From the thrum of startup ambition at Olympia’s tech showcase, to secret snacks stashed behind locked doors on a Gourmaze hunt, everywhere you turn there’s a bold new current running beneath the surface. Maybe you’re catching legendary film scores live as cinema and symphony collide. Excitement continues to build as you spot punk’s past reframed at the Barbican. Or, you drift towards Richmond’s street festival where artists trade paint for possibility. Wherever you land, this edition is your map to the freshest discoveries and boldest moves lighting up the week ahead.

Snatched highlights from this edition:

1. Retirement Goes Upmarket in the Suburbs

2. Feast on Gourmaze’s Tastiest Treasure Hunt

3. Tech Hits the Big Stage at TECHSPO London

4. Live Music - Fabiola Méndez, Leroy Burgess & lots more!

Let’s dive in.

—Bybreen Samuels

COUNCIL CANVAS

Richmond Reboots Community with Epic Street Festival

Not many London festivals can claim to turn the entire town centre into a living, breathing stage. On Saturday, September 13, Richmond is rolling out a street-long invitation for residents to rediscover their neighbourhood, each other, and what community celebration can mean in 2025.

In a climate where high streets nationwide struggle to stay relevant, Richmond's new free festival is focused on reigniting local spirit and championing public space. Both are seen as a force for rejuvenation and inclusion. From George Street to Whittaker Avenue, the borough is betting on the transformative power of the arts, youth, and homegrown creativity to breathe new energy into local life and business.

What’s on the menu? Think vibrant live performances, dance workshops in the open air, roaming theatre troupes. Alongside, art you can make with your own hands, street food galore, communal dining, and a youth-led procession to kick things off. As dusk falls, the tone shifts to DJ sets and showcases of local musical talent. This is civic partnership in practice. Orange Theatre, Dance, Basement Door, and the Richmond Music Trust are just a few collaborators weaving a richer, more inclusive borough identity.

Richmond’s festival is a blueprint for how local government and grassroots groups can co-create events that spark connections, boost business, and showcase an area’s hidden gems. You’ll find riverside boatyards to storied theatres and indie shops. As Councillor Katie Mansfield notes, this isn’t just about watching from the sidelines. You can step up, share a meal, make art, and maybe even perform for the first time.

The challenge and opportunity for Richmond is clear. Will this festival become a fixture, an anchor for a new kind of togetherness? On September 13, the only thing missing from the bill is you. If you want to see how a community can reinvent itself, start on George Street. And don’t be surprised if you leave with a slice of the borough’s future.

Find out more here - https://www.visitrichmond.co.uk

CITY PALETTE

Screens and Symphonies — Films in Concert Take Over

Picture yourself sitting beneath the Royal Albert Hall’s domed ceiling. But instead of a hushed auditorium, the room blares with the opening bars of John Williams or Howard Shore, played live as the film unfurls on the big screen. Welcome to the city’s most ambitious cultural fusion, Films in Concert. A place where the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra transforms cinematic milestones into unforgettable live experiences.

What’s the big deal about pairing symphony and screen? Quite a lot because our streets are overflowing with West End shows, fringe theatre and indie cinema pop-ups. However, this series manages to make even the most familiar blockbusters feel new again. Imagine the DeLorean racing through time in Back to the Future. Dragons swooping overhead in How to Train Your Dragon. Or, Middle Earth’s most epic battles, all soundtracked, moment by moment, by a powerful orchestra. The 2025 lineup reads like an all star film reel. There’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Home Alone, and an immersive Lord of the Rings weekender, all scored live.

The Films in Concert experience arrives at a critical juncture because entertainment like streaming offers convenience but little connection. Whereas, Films in Concert pulls together audiences from across all ages and by doing so, it turns movie watching into a communal spectacle.

Tickets start from £30, and there are options for VIPs to improve their experience. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s presence beneath the screen doesn’t just complement the visuals. It brings the blockbuster tales into real time in a surround sound way. Thereby, creatively blurring the line between concert hall and cinema.

The film score format is poised to cement itself as a new standard for cultural events in the capital. As the appetite for immersive, multi-sensory experiences grows, the Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert shows that sometimes, seeing and hearing, really is believing. So this season, skip the regular Netflix routine and step into a space where your love of film and music come together. One tantalising chord at a time.

Book tickets here - https://www.royalalberthall.com

Blondie 1978 — Punk Fame in Focus at the Barbican

You might have wandered London’s music haunts before, but something extraordinary is happening at the Barbican Music Library. They’ve created a time capsule you can walk right into. Opening August 14, Blondie in Camera 1978 offers a backstage pass to the band’s wild, whiplash rise from underground New York punks to global icons. All captured through the lens of legendary photographer Martyn Goddard. He’s presented 50 striking moments from a single, defining year, immortalised just as Debbie Harry and her crew exploded into the mainstream.

As a culture lover with a long memory you’ll remember that 1978 wasn’t just another year for Blondie. This was the era of Parallel Lines, the album that brought us Heart of Glass, and flipped the script on what pop music and a frontwoman could look and sound like. Martyn’s images beyond nostalgia and to onstage, backstage and into the pulse of a band on the brink, showing the grit behind Blondie’s glamour. Alongside the photos, you’ll find rare memorabilia, posters, vintage cameras and artefacts from the personal archive of Alan Edwards, the PR who helped Blondie rewrite pop’s rulebook.

Blondie’s rocket to fame was raw, unpredictable because of its collision of DIY punk attitude and disco shimmer that outraged the purists and seduced the world. Martyn shares, “When I boarded the plane in May 1978 to photograph Debbie Harry, I couldn’t have imagined my images would still be in demand 45 years later,” His reflection, underline just how pivotal those days were for him, the band and music history as a whole.

This exhibition lands just as Blondie releases a brand new album and the city’s own cultural offer feels bigger and bolder than ever. For London, Blondie in Camera 1978 is more than a greatest hits reel. Think of it as a celebration of reinvention, resilience, and the enduring power of music photography to capture lightning in a bottle. If you want to relive the moment punk finally went platinum, or see what real rock grit looks like up close, get yourself to the Barbican Music Library. Once there, plug into the moment when Blondie went from cult heroes to household names.

Book tickets here - https://www.barbican.org.uk

UNDISCOVERED GEMS

Sleuth and Snack — London’s Gourmaze Adventure

London’s next great meal might be hiding just around the corner. But to find it, you just have to crack the code. Welcome to Gourmaze, London’s food-fuelled adventure that swaps maps for riddles and familiar tourist trails for a secret menu of hidden gems. This is no ordinary food tour, instead it’s a real-world treasure hunt. And, the only way forward is through your appetite and your puzzle-solving skills.

Here’s the intrigue. Gourmaze drops you and your team of up to six friends, at a mystery starting point. You’re given a WhatsApp messenger filled with cryptic clues that lead you on a route through some of the capital’s most underrated eateries. As you solve each riddle and reach the next landmark, doors open to a curated lineup of delicious treats. Anything from Neapolitan pizzas or zesty Asian snacks to show-stopping desserts, with tasty pit stops arranged for you to relax, refuel, and swap stories about the clues you’ve cracked. Every adventure is carefully themed, think Sweet Escape, Talisman Treats, or Time Traveller’s Space Bytes, so each one offers a new flavour of discovery. Plus, the secret locations are updated regularly to keep repeat players on their toes.

Gourmaze stands out because in a city brimming with walking tours and food markets, it’s this playful marriage of escape room, immersive story, and culinary curation. The riddles are challenging but never frustrating. They turn sightseeing into a game, enticing you off the main grid where even locals find themselves gawping at the history, street art, or quirky independence of their surroundings. Food is included in the price, and with no need to rush, you create the pace. You’ll spend two to four hours in joyful wandering and tasting. The secrecy around which restaurants you’ll visit means even seasoned Londoners get a genuine surprise, and each dish feels like you’ve earned a prize.

The draw isn’t just the journey or the eating, but the chance to see a different, more playful side to London. Gourmaze is fast becoming the city’s most delicious day out for locals and visitors who are hungry for an experience that’s as much about curiosity and connection as it is about great food. With new mazes and partnerships always in the pipeline, it’s designed for both newbies and loyal repeat hunters. And yes, you can turn it competitive, with leaderboards for those seeking glory as well as gastronomy.

So, if you’re craving adventure with a side of flavour, Gourmaze is the hidden gem to add to your London bucket list. Dress for walking, bring your best puzzle brain, and prepare to eat your way through parts of the city and its cuisine, you never knew existed. Spots are limited and secrecy is part of the magic, so book ahead, keep your wits and your appetite about you. Let London’s culinary secrets reveal themselves one clue, one bite, one brilliant maze at a time.

Find out more here - https://www.gourmazehunt.com

LONDON BUZZ

Rethinking Retirement — Suburbs Lead the Way

What if the most exciting future in London culture isn’t with the hip twenty-somethings but with the retirees changing the rhythm of the suburbs? Forget the image of slippers and silence. Retirement on the edge of the capital is having a true moment, with leafy enclaves from Ruislip to Amersham topping the national leaderboards for quality of life, community, and pure city meets country charm. So what draws new retirees beyond the chaos of the capital’s core? It’s not just a slower pace. It’s the sweet spot where community spirit, green space, and amenities deliver the best of both worlds.

The latest national studies find northwest London’s Ruislip, Northwood, and Pinner sitting pretty among Britain’s best retirement spots. This is thanks to abundant parks, friendly neighbourhoods, and easy access to everything from pharmacies to theatres. But, in a twist, it’s just outside London where the gold medal is found. Chesham and Amersham, based at the tip of the Metropolitan line, was crowned the UK’s number one place to retire in 2025. Scoring highly for health, social connections, and proximity to nature. As one reviewer puts it, it’s “a well-rounded environment for later life.” They are places where wild woodland strolls are just one tube ride from Soho’s bright lights.

More than just postcode prestige or manicured lawns, retirees are shaping the suburban scene. Contributions include boosting local markets, filling arts audiences, starting book clubs and hackathons in community halls. While central London dazzles, it’s in these thriving edges that “third act” Londoners get agency. Variety looks like enjoying riverside drinks and rooftop cinema, all while keeping the grandkids close enough to spoil. Even on house prices, traditionally London’s Achilles’ heel, the suburbs offer more wiggle room.

Retirement in the capital looks a lot like reinvention. It’s not just about quiet contentment but active, creative living. It’s urban enough for last-minute theatre, green enough for dawn rambles and social enough for a bustling Saturday market. If you’re thinking about your next move, the suburbs aren’t just a retirement plan. They’re the city’s next cultural chapter in the making, and the buzz is only growing louder.

Find out more here -  https://group.legalandgeneral.com

LONDON SOUNDSCAPE

Boisdale of Canary Wharf - August 16

Let your heartbeat sync with the legends, Osibisa as they turn every corner of Boisdale into a swirling celebration of Afro-rock and highlife. As a discerning music lover, you’ll be swept along by rhythms that pulse with joy, layered horns, and irresistible grooves. Together, they helped launch the world music movement. This is your chance to commune with musical history, moving your body and spirit to Osibisa’s unstoppable energy. In this intimate venue you’ll feel like every note is played just for you.

Book tickets here - https://boisdaletickets.co.uk

Café Oto - August 15

What would it be like to hear jazz history bent through a prism of radical interpretation? At Café Oto, the Strangeness of Jazz series collides the boundary-pushing insights of Edward George with the legacies of Quincy Jones and Otomo Yoshihide. And special guest Mariam Rezaei, completes the set. As someone with ears primed for surprise, you’re invited into a sonic adventure. It’s one which blends archival digressions, clever remixes, and improvisations that connect continents and decades. Enjoy this treasured soundscape.

Book tickets here - https://www.cafeoto.co.uk

Jamboree - August 16

When you wander down to Jamboree and you’ll stumble into the warm embrace of the João Menezes Band, where each chord seems to glisten with the sun-soaked spirit of Brazil. As a concert lover, you’re perfectly positioned to catch the intricacies of João’s expert guitar work. They combine bossa nova stylings effortlessly folded into samba rhythms, all pulsing with sophisticated jazz improvisation. The night will be painted with lush harmonies, radiant energy, and infectious grooves. You won’t be able to resist the dancefloor invitation as the band turns world-class musicianship into a heartfelt celebration.

Book tickets here - https://www.jamboreevenue.co.uk

Morocco Bound - August 8

Buried in the brickwork of Morocco Bound, the scent of books and bare bulbs, Rosie Miles invites you into her unique world of alternative folk storytelling. She will entice you with poetic lyrics and melodies that soar and wrap you in disarming honesty and charismatic warmth. Music reviewers dub her as a gifted songwriter. You can expect more than just acoustic lullabies because Rosie conjures a light-hearted, captivating atmosphere that’s both anthemic and intimate. This rare blend turns every quiet corner of this bookshop into a softly lit stage just for you.

Book tickets here - https://www.moroccobound.co.uk

NT’s Loft - August 13

As dusk spills through the rafters at NT’s Loft, you slip upstairs and catch the first glimmers of Patterns Weekly Live Jazz. A session where London’s top musicians gather to push boundaries in real time. Picture yourself mingling with devotees of soul, broken-beat, jazz, and hip hop, as improvisation weaves unexpected rhythms across the room. This is a sit-back affair including a vibrant exchange, devoid of egos and new sounds conjured in the moment. Here, every Wednesday feels like a jam session shared with friends and future stars alike.

Book tickets here - https://www.ntloft.co.uk

Pizza Express Live Holborn and Soho - August 8, 15 and 16

The scent of oven-baked pizza mingles with the intoxicating promise of Latin jazz as you walk into PizzaExpress Live Holborn, on August 8. Get ready for a night fueled by The London Latin Collective and Hetty Loxton’s remarkable vocals. Prepare to be surrounded by a whirlwind of salsa, timba, and contemporary rhythms. Each groove sharpened by the dynamic musicianship of the ensemble. It’s a feast for both your ears and your soul. Tap your feet to the familiar chart-toppers and daring new arrangements. Both are delivered with infectious, joyful energy designed to get every heart in the room beating a little faster.

Slide into a booth at Soho’s Pizza Express Jazz Club, where the familiar sound of clinking glasses is about to dissolve into a reimagined sonic odyssey. When Pink Floyd ReWorked takes the stage, you’ll be riveted by how they breathe new life into classics from The Dark Side of the Moon and beyond. Witness psychedelic icons filtered through evocative jazz inflections, delicate improvisation, and immersive ambiance. This is Pink Floyd’s legacy spun out in thrilling, unexpected technicolor right before your eyes.

Book tickets here - https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club - August 17

Fabiola Méndez promises to deliver a night that echoes with the sounds of Puerto Rico, jazz and something very personal. This trailblazing cuatrista and Emmy-nominated composer, takes you on a journey through the folk traditions of her heritage, spun with vibrant jazz and Afro-Caribbean influences. In the intimate embrace of Soho’s legendary venue, Fabiola’s soulful, innovative cuatro playing transforms the stage into a cultural crossroads. A place where new stories blend with ancestral rhythms and every phrase feels like a celebration in motion.

Book tickets here -  https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk

Royal Albert Hall - August 12

If you’ve ever wondered how a single instrument can span continents and emotions, Anoushka Shankar’s Chapters at the Royal Albert Hall will lift that curiosity into a kaleidoscope of sound. Being a true devotee of musical journeys, you’ll find yourself entranced by her sitar’s storytelling. The stories come to life as Anoushka takes pieces from all three Chapter albums and delivers them through world class orchestral arrangements. Sharing the spotlight with Robert Ames and the London Contemporary Orchestra, Anoushka crafts an evening of introspective beauty and global rhythms. Each note weaving tales that travel from spiritual meditation to cinematic grandeur.

Book tickets here - https://www.royalalberthall.com

St. Martin’s in the Field - August 8

There’s a special thrill in sitting beneath the soaring ceilings of a church as candlelight flickers off the ancient stone and the Trafalgar Sinfonia launches into a cascade of film magic. If you’re a music enthusiast with a cinematic streak, you’ll revel in orchestral interpretations of scores from Game of Thrones to Psycho, The Godfather to Mamma Mia. Each melody conjures vivid reels of beloved movies. Under the leadership of Ivor Setterfield and the dexterous Richard Milone, you’ll find yourself immersed in a lively, celebratory soundscape where every note feels instantly iconic.

Book tickets here - https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org

The Jazz Cafe - August 15

Some shows aren’t just gigs. They’re electric reunions for devotees of funk and boogie. Step inside The Jazz Cafe as Leroy Burgess, a pioneer of soul and disco, reunites with his high-voltage ensemble Saving Coco for an unforgettable night of deep grooves and shimmering melodies. Revel in his rich vocals and basslines that recall New York’s finest dancefloors. It’s not just about nostalgia as Leroy and his band light up the room with contagious energy, tight rhythms, and a dazzling legacy that still commands every beat and every foot on the floor.

Book tickets here - https://thejazzcafelondon.com

BUSINESS SCENE

Next Big Thing? Find It at TECHSPO

Walk into Olympia on August 28 and 29 and you’ll feel the electric mix of anticipation and ambition humming in the air. TECHSPO London throws open its doors to trailblazers and tech titans alike. This trade show is a living laboratory where the boundaries of business, creativity, and technology get redrawn in real time. And, where the only thing more contagious than the excitement is the urge to build what’s next.

Over two crowded days, hundreds of exhibitors showcase everything from bleeding-edge AI and eye-popping Augmented Reality demonstrations to marketing tools so sharp they almost predict your needs. Startups hustle for investor attention, established giants roll out next generation upgrades, and every aisle buzzes with live product launches, rapid-fire talks, and interactive sessions. You’ll find a hands-on workshop for nearly every flavour of digital disruption. Each promising not just trend-spotting, but real skills, smart partnerships, and business growth you can take to the bank.

This matters now because in the post-pandemic era, London’s business ecosystem craves connection and inspiration as much as it does capital. TECHSPO’s marketplace for new tech is also a magnet for diverse thinkers and doers. It offers everyone from founders to freelancers a front row seat to industry shifting innovation. The show’s focus on practical, actionable insights means you leave with more than a bag of swag. You actually walk away with fresh strategies, connections, and the confidence to ride tomorrow’s digital wave.

Looking ahead, TECHSPO’s impact will ripple beyond Olympia’s glass ceilings. As London reasserts itself as a global tech hub, you can expect the ideas, alliances, and ambitions seeded here to power headlines and bottom lines, for months to come. If you want to know where the smart money, talent, and technology are converging, follow the buzz at TECHSPO. And you just might spot the next unicorn before the rest of the world does.

Book tickets here - https://digimarconuk.co.uk 

LINGUISTIC TAPESTRY - WORDS OF THE WEEK 

English Word:
Soutane
Pronunciation: /suːˈtæn/ (“soo-TAN”)
Definition:  A long, close-fitting robe with sleeves and buttons down the front, traditionally worn by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church and certain other Christian denominations.
Cultural Note: Borrowed from French in the early 19th century, “soutane” stems from the Italian sottana and ultimately the Latin subtana (“under garment”). The garment has deep roots in Christian tradition, signifying humility, clerical identity, and hierarchy within the church.

Moroccan Word:
Nsib (نصيب)
Pronunciation: /neh-SEEB/
Definition:  A person’s destined share, lot, or fate, especially regarding encounters, opportunities, or relationships that feel as if they were "meant to be."
Cultural Note: Rooted deeply in Moroccan culture and common speech, nsib reflects the country's blend of Islamic, Arab, and Amazigh (Berber) worldviews, where fate and serendipity are accepted as major forces in daily life.

Thank You!

Thanks so much for reading this edition of The London Palette! If you found something useful or interesting, I’d love to hear from you. Just reply to this email.

Plus, share this newsletter with friends and ask them to subscribe here: https://thelondonpalette.beehiiv.com/subscribe.