Waltham Forest were up first, with a programme of events throughout 2019, and this month the baton passes to northwest London. Brent kicked things off last night in Wembley with a 40-minute outdoor show called Rise which showcased the breadth of the heritage of the UK's most diverse borough. It could have been cringeworthy, but was instead extremely slick and very well done, so almost worth freezing to death for.
A £1m-ish Mayoral budget spread over twelve months doesn't allow you to work miracles. A limited number of major events, several smaller local interventions and an underlying buzz of community engagement is the best a host borough can achieve. The summer is the best time for outdoor stuff, obviously, but both Waltham Forest and Brent chose to kick off their special year with an after-dark January spectacular to bring everyone together.
Brent's chosen location was Wembley Park, specifically the southern end of Wembley Way using the stadium as a backdrop. It's all perfectly pedestrianised, a host of refreshment outlets are available and the new Civic Centre is just around the corner. The stage was a wall of scaffolding covered with black sheeting, with an elevated platform in front for a spot of mass choreography. If only the platform had a been a little higher I might have seen a bit more of the display, rather than a row of hoods and woolly hats.
The advertised start time was 7pm, so that's when the thousands-strong crowd assembled. The actual start time turned out to be 7.30pm, perhaps intentionally or perhaps because putting on a technically complex display with a broad cast of community characters was always going to be challenging. You could sense the relief when the big screen finally illuminated, ending a half-hour endurance challenge in near-zero temperatures.
The introductory sequence rapped poetry over diverse close-up faces, reinforcing Brent's notion they they are the Borough of Cultures, and trod the right line between hip and politically correct. John Betjeman was next singing the praises of Metro-land from his classic documentary, this the sole nod to early 20th century history. I noted that the producers hadn't selected the clip filmed immediately alongside where we were standing, perhaps ashamed that the last remnants of the British Empire Exhibition have been demolished of late and replaced by student accommodation and a Boxpark.
What followed was a sequence of vignettes each referencing one aspect of the borough's heritage and diversity, generally accompanied by music and/or dance. We enjoyed the birth of UK reggae, the flag-waving harmony of Neasden's temple, the written words of Zadie Smith, a threefold ballet focusing on immigration, a full-on celebration of the Grunwick dispute and a sporty tribute to the arch rising behind. When a Brent narrator's voice announced "we are football", it was hard to disagree.
The cunning part of the presentation was that a variety of 'rooms' had been hidden behind the screen and occasionally illuminated to reveal a dancing occupant. It all went down well with the young audience, like the teenage lads beside me who lapped up the rapping commentary and filmed repeated snippets for sharing on their phones. There were particularly broad grins when Brent-born MC General Levy bounded on stage and delivered a ripping performance of Incredible ("Wicked, wicked, Junglist massive") as the night's finale. He walked off praising 'Wembley' as the 2020 Borough of Culture, but it's an easy mistake to make.
The night ended with an 'Afterparty' at Boxpark, but only for those willing to endure the queue for the bag check which merely prolonged the time stood around in the cold. I gave DJ Flex, a tray of noodles and the overcrowded communal tables a miss. But it was a great start to Brent's year, indeed I suspect Rise may prove to be the artistic highpoint. If you'd like to watch the entire performance at home in the warm, without the obstructive row of hoods and woolly hats, Brent have made it all available on Facebook.
Here are the highlights of the remainder of Brent 2020's programme of events, should you wish to attend. More events may appear later. I'd say July is winning.
» 15/16 May:The Museum of all Brent Life (an artistic collaboration, launched simultaneously at all ten Brent libraries)
» 11 July:The Kilburn High (a mile-long stretch of the Kilburn High Road will be closed to traffic for a music-based street party)
» 1/2 August:The Blueprint All Dayer (a gathering of local spoken word artists, comedians and MCs at Boxpark)
» 5 September:Arena Takeover (a massive curated showcase of youth-oriented London sounds at Wembley Arena)
» 3/4 October:Harlesden Bass Weekender (reggae celebration, including a big stage in the high street)
Next year's London Borough of Culture will be named soon. It'll be one from Croydon, Greenwich, Hounslow, Lewisham, Haringey, Hammersmith & Fulham or Sutton, because they passed the shortlisting process in December. Another of the seven will get to be London Borough of Culture 2023. It seems we're getting 2022 off. And even if it isn't your borough that wins, I recommend gatecrashing the titleholder anyway.
