Music and podcasts have been doing a lot to help get us through lock down and have helped us think about a more positive future. One podcast that expertly brings this together is Dissect. Dissect is a serialised music podcast that examines a single album per season, one album per episode. You can expect lyrical analysis, a break down of the album’s production, expert opinion and social commentary. We’ve been listening to the season about The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, but with seasons on Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly”, Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” amongst the back catalogue, there’s a lot to get stuck into. Listen here.

As part of Bomb Magazine’s Theory + Practice Series, American essayist and academic Saidiya Hartman has revisited W.E.B. Du Bois’ short story from 1920 “The Comet”.  In “The Comet”, Du Bois imagines a world after the pandemic of 1918, when only two people in New York have survived, a black man and a white woman. Hartman explores the themes, context and lessons from the story, here.

Earlier this week, hip-hop artist, author and educator, Akala hosted an Instagram live about police and protests. In it, he answered questions from the audience and shared insights and knowledge from his books, research and own experience. Our review? Coherent, nuanced, necessary. The full Live is now available on his Instagram page, here.

Are you cooking the same few dishes on rotation? Us too. The charity Migrateful usually run in-person cookery classes led by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who are struggling to integrate and access employment. Right now, they’re running classes online. You can add Ethiopian, Trinidadian, Ukrainian or Lebanese to your cooking repertoire and help support people to learn English and build confidence. Loads more info and how to sign-up, here.

Check out some of the superstar DJs who’ve played at the House in days gone by over on our Spotify Channel. With mixes from Craig Charles, Gilles Peterson, Toddla T and Norman Jay, they’re the perfect soundtrack to a sunny Bank Holiday. Listen here.

What’s keeping you entertained in lock down? Let us know: [email protected] 

Long-standing member and friend of the House Sam Conniff is writing about ways to find optimism.

House-regulars, One Track Minds, are streaming their live storytelling events exploring the transformative power of music and you can catch previous shows on their YouTube channel.

Our in-House wordsmith and Employment Academy graduate John Smallshaw, penned an ode to Soho and its resilience this week, listen to John perform the poem here.

And finally, if this newsletter is about all the reading you can handle right now, but you’re desperate to get your head into a book, Penguin have some pointers.

Releasing her debut album Samantha says “This record was written and recorded during and after some serious hardships in my life.

Somewhat Anomalous presents a night of jazz, disco and funk at the House of St Barnabas.

Rides Again is a personal journey into the world of soul-inspired country music, performed in the intimate Chapel at the House Of St Barnabas.

HoSB favorites Phonica Records are back at 1 Greek Street.

Join us in celebrating the end of dry January in style as  our very own HoSB bartenders will be swapping their shakers for vinyl.