By Charlie Hislop. The first sign that something is about to happen is the drone of the helicopters. Four fly over towards the mountain and then circle down the slope behind the trees. A car appears up the hill and around the bend towards us, its loudspeaker yelling “Huit...
City march for Palestine
by Charlie Hislop. 20th January saw the third big monthly Peace Protest for Palestine in Southampton take place, with a march by some 300 people through the city centre, followed by speeches in the Guildhall Square. This was organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the Muslim Council of...
“Alas poor culture, I knew him well”
Art, Local News, Music, Poetry
Reported by Charlie Hislop It is the last Friday in November, and off to the side of Guildhall Square, hidden away from the city’s Christmas attractions a small group of people are meeting in the cold evening. Sandwiched between the Arts Council funded MAST theatre, and the Arts Council...
Southampton Collective: A local gem
by Charlie Hislop “There are so many small community gems in Southampton that we should be proud of.” Those are the words of someone at the Southampton Collective’s first ‘Annual Do’ at Mettricks, in Portswood, on Monday evening. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one of the thirty or...
City vigil for Gaza
by Charlie Hislop More than 250 local people attended a Vigil for Gaza in Southampton on Tuesday night, on the day that the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres called for a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’ (October 25). More than 5000 Palestinian civilians, including more than 2000 children have been killed...
Save the Platform Tavern
By Charlie Hislop Fundraisers are being organised across Southampton in the next two months by musicians, and others, to help the Platform Tavern get back up and running after a night-time fire in the bar. A number of local bands have already signed up… Chicago 9, the Platform Posse,...
Opinion: Southampton Forward – really ?
by Charlie Hislop A few weeks ago the Southampton Culture Trust announced it is now to be known as Southampton Forward. The Facebook post said it was exciting news. I was excited for news too, I had been waiting months to find out what was happening. I was looking...
Opinion: Gaza – the Freedom Flotilla visits Southampton
By Charlie Hislop. Fishing is essential to the livelihoods of the people of Gaza, but for the, fishermen going out in their boats has been likened to entering a ‘military zone’. The Israeli-imposed limit as to how far the fishermen can go out varies – frequently set at six...
Book review: Violeta by Isabel Allende
by Charlie Hislop. A new Isabel Allende novel is always something to look forward to, and Violeta is no exception. It is the life story of a 100 year old woman in Chile. Set against a century of the country’s turbulent history, carefully described, its impacts are woven directly...
Dan Mar-Molinero: Hometown Jazzer
By Charlie Hislop. Dan Mar-Molinero – for many years at the core of Southampton’s music scene and music education has finally released an album of his own music. ‘Taproot’ came out on Bandcamp today (March 3). It’s a big band, lockdown-created, Ivor Novello award-nominated jazz project. It’s Dan’s work...