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IT'S SATURDAY night in Leeds, and Paul, Tommy and Ernie douse themselves in aftershave for their weekly copping-off session at the Grafton nightclub. The cringes come thick and fast as this fly-on-the-wall series follows these habitues of the noisy knocking shop. "It's full of slappers," confides one, and the boys waste no time compiling a wall chart listing them. Ironically Ernie, a virgin, has some catching up to do himself...
`Nightclub: Tales from the Grafton', BBC2, Monday to Thursday, 11.20pm
Hear this
IT'S NOT often that we hackneyed old listeners get the chance to hear music that's truly original, but Cesaria Evora is just that. Evora comes from a tiny Cape Verdean island some 400 miles off the coast of West Africa and made her London debut three years ago. The islands were colonised by the Portuguese - hence the fact her music combines elements of the fado with the passion of the blues. Described as morna, the music is slow and tragic and speaks of longing and loss. The lady is so popular with the cognoscenti that her Barbican concert is already sold out, but there's another chance to catch her at the Anvil in Basingstoke on Saturday 22 May.
Tickets pounds 10 (tel: 01256 844 244).
Drive this
IT MAY BE 40 years old but the Mini can still create mayhem. An estimated 5,000 of the diminutive cars are making their way down the A23 to Brighton today in the annual London to Brighton Mini Rally, the largest annual one-car event in the world and quite possibly the largest Mini car jam too. The convoy leaves Crystal Palace at 10am so, if you're reading this in bed in the late morning and you don't want to miss out, get up and catch the train to Brighton beach where there'll be all things Mini to play with - and a massive screen playing a special version of the computer game Grand Theft Auto set in the underworld of Sixties London. Groovy seems to be the keyword.
Try this
IN THE age of celebrity fitness videos that make celebrities richer and New Age exercise fads that cost an arm and a leg, it's a pleasure to find a group whose philosophy is based on not making a profit. Kyudo, a Japanese form of archery, is the art of finding the relationship between bow, body and spirit. A cousin of t'ai chi and yoga, kyudo is massive in its homeland, practised by 150,000 Japanese and part of the school curriculum. It is suitable for all ages and combines meditation and movement into a workout for both soul and body. Very new millennium. Best of all, instruction is free - all you pay is a small subscription.
The London Kyudo Society
(tel: 0181 998 9438).
Do this
BROOMHILL MEETS the Bloomsbury set with North Devon's first ever literary festival and it's going to be a pretty hip affair. Set in the garden and rooms of the Broomhill Art Hotel, the weekend includes readings, bands, DJs and absinthe-drinking. There is also the world's first modern art Krazy Golf course, designed by Sarah Lucas and Damien Hirst (although he parties in London, Hirst lives locally, so won't have to struggle home). For the less fortunate, there are tents in a field. Ah, Glastonbury of old...
21-23 May. Tickets from pounds 10; pounds 32 for the weekend (tel: 01271 379 359: credit card bookings tel: 01271 375000).
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