About the book: Musicians have often wanted to change the world. From underground innovators to pop icons, many have believed in the political power of music. Rulers recognise it too. Music has been used to challenge the political and social order—and to prop up the status quo.

Sound System is the story of one musician's journey to discover what makes music so powerful. Dave Randall uses his insider's knowledge of the industry to shed light on the secrets of celebrity, commodification and culture.

This is a book of raves, riots and revolution. From Glastonbury Festival to Palestine, The X Factor to Trinidadian Carnival, Randall finds political inspiration across the musical spectrum and poses the question: how can we make music serve the interests of the many, rather than the few?

This new edition is updated throughout, including an exploration of the relationship between music and protest against the invasion of Gaza. Randall also dives into new creator trends and considers the potential impact of AI on both artists and industry.

About the author: Dave is a musician who has toured the world playing guitar with Faithless, Dido, Sinead O'Connor and many others. He also teaches courses on guitar and the creative industries at BIMM University Bristol.

Join artists Catherine and Richard and guests for the launch of their new show in our gallery space.

Following the sellout success of last summer’s THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH and then BEOWULF here in February, EPIC STORYTELLING IS BACK – and now we turn our attention to Norse Mythology. Snorri's Prose Edda is a treasury of some of the greatest tales ever told! Over three nights this August join Odin, Thor, Loki and others in the golden halls of Asgard with storytellers Laura Sampson and Laurence Ashcroft, to a live soundtrack by Sam Enthoven.  

Following the sellout success of last summer’s THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH and then BEOWULF here in February, EPIC STORYTELLING IS BACK – and now we turn our attention to Norse Mythology. Snorri's Prose Edda is a treasury of some of the greatest tales ever told! Over three nights this August join Odin, Thor, Loki and others in the golden halls of Asgard with storytellers Laura Sampson and Laurence Ashcroft, to a live soundtrack by Sam Enthoven.  

Following the sellout success of last summer’s THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH and then BEOWULF here in February, EPIC STORYTELLING IS BACK – and now we turn our attention to Norse Mythology. Snorri's Prose Edda is a treasury of some of the greatest tales ever told! Over three nights this August join Odin, Thor, Loki and others in the golden halls of Asgard with storytellers Laura Sampson and Laurence Ashcroft, to a live soundtrack by Sam Enthoven.  

We are hosting a Comedy Club, on the 1st Friday of the month. The Comedy Club 

show-cases some of the most exciting rising stars of London’s vibrant, contemporary circuit. Come & check out some of London’s emerging comedy talent, and experienced comics trying out new material!

Acts to be announced.

With compere: Mike Lash

Mike is a comedian and compere known for his work in the UK comedy circuit. He has built a reputation as a warm and engaging host, known for his quick wit.

This month in our gallery: graphic works by Mark Stafford and David Hine.

An exhibition of discomforting original graphic works by the artist and writer team responsible for books The Bad Bad Place, Lip Hook, and The Man Who Laughs. UNEASY is a celebration of the labour intensive business of ink on paper and graphite on board. A reminder of the messy process of summoning these things into the world.

Mark Stafford will be exhibiting a selection of art seen and unseen from works in progress and work in print. David Hine will be showing, for the first time, his tortuously rendered reactions to the incoming storm of the artificially intelligent created in blood, sweat, caffeine and carbon.

UNEASY is all about the difficult and deranged and darky amusing. The uneconomic process of the overly rendered. The torture of innocent art materials. Why on earth are we doing this to ourselves? It's not easy... 

Free.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED TO 10TH OCTOBER 

About the book: In August 1303, the people of the southern French town of Carcassonne rose up in revolt. Their rebellion against King and Inquisition saw the prison stormed, many of the town elite driven out and their houses sacked, and the inquisitors humiliated. For eighteen months, Carcassonne was a town where the French royal writ did not run.

Reconstructed from the contemporary accounts, the revolt emerges as an important incident in medieval class struggle. It was also the apogee of the fight by the people of Languedoc against the northern French invaders of the Albigensian crusade and the persecutions they brought with them.

Combining political analysis with original research, this book reveals the hidden story of a significant medieval rebellion and its importance for our understanding of oppression and resistance today.

About the author: Elaine Graham-Leigh is an activist and writer of history, politics and fiction. She is the author of The Southern French Nobility and the Albigensian Crusade, (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2005), A Diet of Austerity: Class, Food and Climate Change, (London: Zero Books, 2015), Marx and the Climate Crisis, (London: Counterfire, 2020), The Caduca, (Canterbury: The Conrad Press, 2021) and Revolution in Carcassonne: The Story of a Fourteenth-Century Rebellion, (London: Whalebone Press, 2025). She is a founding member of Counterfire.