Yolanda Brown is already [deep breath]… an award-winning saxophonist, composer, TV broadcaster, children’s author, OBE, Guinness World Record holder, Chair of the British Phonographic Industry - and now she can add restaurateur and venue-owner to her bulging CV.

Brown’s much anticipated new dining and live music venture, Soul Mama, finally fully opens in Stratford this Friday 5th September, bringing a fusion menu of African, Caribbean and South American flavours together with star-studded international line-up of musicians, singers and bands right to our doorstep.

Soul Mama takes on the ground floor of the Hilton’s The Gantry Hotel, bringing more life to the shiny towers around East Village, with jazz and soul legends including Snake Davis, Omar, Terri Walker, Mica Paris, the London Community Gospel Choir and Yolanda herself all playing gigs in the coming few weeks.

It’s encouraging to see a new live music space open in the face of the doom and gloom of post-Covid closures, and this one should be a sure-fire winner off the bat, as it scored that aforementioned World Record for crowdfunding just shy of a quarter of a million quid when it went live on Kickstarter.

More local music and nightlife highlights for the week below…

📦 This Saturday, September 7th, look out for a large pop-up ‘box’ on Stratford Walk, where you can catch two free performances in the afternoon. Out of the Box is an interactive dance show from the group The100Hands, and is taking place as part of the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival as it spills up into the Olympic Park with Dancing City 2024.

🛼 Other local highlights of Saturday’s festival include gravity-defying trampoline dance Touch at Stratford Cross, contemporary African dance show Imole on the Waterfront and Montreal-based roller skate dance and live cello extravaganza Wheels & Cello at Mashgate South, which can also be seen tomorrow and Friday at Stratford Cross.

👩🏻‍🎨 Female street art crew WOM Collective will be pursuing their manifesto of empowering women and communities with the WOM-MAN Paint Jam ‘24, which sees artists of different genders join together in pairs to create a collaboration mural outside The Lighthouse & Gardens this Saturday 7th September.

🏗️ The much-visited narratives of change in East London, in particular Hackney Wick, are those of redevelopment; who is involved in creating the new image of the area, and who is left behind. Wicked Changes IV, the next edition in Felstead Arts exhibition series exploring how East London artists respond to current social and urban challenges. See the exhibition at The Trampery now. Runs until November 30th.

🚴🏻‍♀️ Local youth fashion education charity Caramel Rock are cycling in the London to Brighton Ride on September 15th in aid of disadvantaged young people. If you’d like to support their excellent work then sponsor the ride here.

🕺🏻Filling the gap between a bar and a rave, local LGBTQ+ community continue to expand with Queer Edge Late at Mainyard venue No.90 this Friday 6th September. This longer running party (until 3am) now alternates on the first Friday of the month with the original bash over at Two More Years. It’s proper welcoming, with a pay-what-you-can entry policy and a dedicated ‘sunflower’ area for those who are nervous, coming alone or who wish to be gradually integrated into the community. Oh, and there’ll be top DJs and great music, too.

🎙️ Check out fast rising London-based neo-soul band Xambi on Friday (6th) as the latest hot talent to perform live at Nico’s Bar at Hackney Bridge, with free entry all night alongside cocktails and Madri larger.

🎚️ South Asian dance music culture will have been celebrated all day on Saturday 7th across six stages at down in the docks at The Cause…but the party doesn’t stop there, as the official Dialed In 2024 After Party kicks off at Colour Factory from 10pm. Expect unannounced international and UK headliners through until 5am.

📲 Do you work at night in London? You could earn up to £100 simply by taking part in a research workshop run by University College London’s UCL Urban Lab. Take the Voices of Nightworkers survey 

👩🏻‍💻 Book now for Creative Coding Crafts Space, an afternoon workshop for anyone interested in picking up or using coding skills to produce interactive or generative artwork in the browser. No previous experience necessary, just being curious about creative expression through code. It will be meeting for the first time on Saturday 28th September at The Cave in the basement of Algha Works.

☕ The next regular Parents and Carer’s Coffee Morning returns to Trowbridge Gardens this coming Monday, 9th September, 10am-midday.

🎬 If you’re a Hackney resident (aged 18 or over) with a passion for a career in the movie or TV industry, then Hackney Council is offering an exciting FREE training in partnership with Screen Hackney. led by industry experts. The two-day Set Ready programme will train you in the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to work as a Location Marshal on large-scale film or TV productions. Upon completion, you'll be eligible for a paid placement on a major film or TV production. The course takes place 22nd & 23rd October - apply before Tuesday 1st October. 

🌱 SEEDED is a five-month part time residency for East London-based creative practitioners and thinkers to explore ideas relating to their socially-engaged practice. UCL East and other East Bank partners work closely with the selected individuals, who also get £6k funding to support the residency. The focus themes this year will be social justice, inclusion and accessibility in the arts, the built and the natural environment, or community engagement. Deadline for applications is Tuesday 17th September.

🪴The Olympic Park’s SHIFT innovation catalyst is currently seeking London-based SMEs working on solutions to the sustainability challenges facing our food systems to join the next Future Industries Demonstrator challenge. If you are successful, you’ll have the chance to rapidly scale your innovation, with the opportunity of receiving up to £25,000 plus access to local co-working spaces and tailored support. Applications close on September 8th.

🤖 The Digital Body Festival will celebrate the intersection of the moving human body and the latest technology this November in Hackney Wick, with tickets going on sale later this month. Living with my Digital Twin is an open call for dance artists under the age of 25 to create a short motion-capture film under the guidance and mentorship of Alexander Whitley Dance Company. The festival is also inviting artists and academics to join the growing line-up of speakers and panelists.

🫂 Footwork Trust’s People and Place programme is looking for community innovators keen to make positive change happen in their neighbourhood. They cover 100% of costs and offer unrestricted £5k grants for each project, too. If you’d like to feel part of something bigger and better, you need to get your application in for the 2025 programme by Monday 9th September.

🎨 The Loop, the new circular economy space in Hackney Wick hosted by Arbeit and the Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust, has its official opening on Thursday 19th September, 5pm to 9pm, as part of the London Open House Festival. The event includes open studios, workshops and artists installations, and invites locally-based artists, designers and makers - ideally those who work with recycled materials or on the theme of circularity - to apply for limited spaces now. This exhibition is free to participate in, and financial contributions towards costs of transportation and installation are available. For full details and to apply, please email [email protected]. If you would like to attend this free event, sign up for free here.

🚺 Public art organisation Up Projects are seeking girls, women and gender diverse people based in - or regularly travelling to - the Marshgate Lane area who are interested in playing a unique and exciting role in an innovative new public art project exploring wayfinding and safety in the area. This is a paid opportunity to become a Community Collaborator, where selected participants will directly inform and shape a series of new public art commissions by working with an artist over the course of 10 workshops taking place between October and December 2024. Apply by Wednesday 11th September.

❤️‍🩹 Legal & General and UCL’s Institute of Health Equity have launched a £3m Health Equity Fund to support place-based projects addressing social issues around health. Charities, social enterprises, NHS Trusts or primary care organisations, university or academic organisations and community groups can all apply for grant funding to support initiatives or early-stage projects, up to £75k per project. Register your interest now.

🫂 Have your say in the future of Wick Award at a special meeting on Tuesday 24th September from 6.30pm-8pm at Gascoyne 2 Community Hall, where you’ll learn more about their latest plans and connect with other locals and groups looking to address the community’s most pressing needs.