The Thirst are a quartet band, encompassing a mix of their original rock sound with funk and soul. We caught up with Mensah to find out about their favourite places and the lastest news from the group.

Tell us about the band and how you got started:

“We’re The Thirst…Brixton’s home grown. The Thirst consists of me; Mensah Hart the lead singer and guitarist, Mark on Rhythm Guitar, my brother Kwame on Bass and Marcus on drums.

We’ve known each other since we were kids, but officially started the band about six years ago. We started in my Mum’s flat just making a lot of noise, which after a while turned into music.

You seem to be quite trendy. Where do you like to go shopping?

Seem to? Lol…We shop everywhere. I don’t think any of us have a particular shop – it’s just all about mixing and matching. As long as it feels right, looks right, it’s cool.

Where has been you’re most memorable venues to perform in and why?

We’ve got loads of good memories. One of the most memorable was supporting the Rolling Stones in Croatia. We had this idea to step away from rapping and DJing and start a band, practiced until our fingers bled and then all of a sudden, four guys from Brixton are on stage opening up for the Rolling stones in front of 40,000 people. Crazy…

When you’re not performing, where are your favourite places to go?

If we’re not performing, we’re either in the studio or out having a bit of fun. Bars in Clapham like 64 and Social, or in Brixton at clubs like Plan B or the Jamm.

Do you have any performances lined up? If so, where are they?

Well of course we’ll be at the Qype Business Awards, but after that on April 12^th, we’re at Yo Yo’s at Notting Hill Arts Club.

What can we expect from you at the Qype Business Awards?

Doing what we do best…We’ve just released a new EP called ‘Laugh with the Sinners’, which is out as a free download from our site www.thethirst.co.uk, so we’ll be playing tracks off of that. We’ll also throw some covers in and also some tracks off our first album. A good mix of everything…our performances are always very high energy and we like to get the crowd involved, so be ready to shake a leg or two.

If you would like to see The Thirst performing at the Qype Business Awards, you can get your tickets here.

Son Ofa Tutu is a London based Drag Queen. We caught up with her to find out about her favourite places in the capital.

Tell us about your drag queen persona:

“Miss Tutu” is an Illegal Immigrant from Lagos, Nigeria on the run from The UK Border Agency, Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue, The RSPCA and Kerry Katona. In her shows,  she uses a series of sung and spoken politically-incorrect vignettes to present a hysterical no-holds-barred insight into the trials and tribulations faced by this wanted wanton woman, as she navigates her way through the highly combustible terrain that is British multiculturalism.

You must have lots of vibrant clothes and accessories, where are your favourite shops?

Favourite shops? Ah No Miss Tutu does not buy frocks, wigs and accessories: as a rights-of-passage for young boys of the village of Abule-Egba in Nigeria, the young soon-to-be men spend their evenings designing and sowing outfits for Miss Tutu. The young girls get their heads shaved, so Sono has an endless supply of virgin-weaves; her accessories are all organic!

Occasionally, when Miss Tutu needs something made for a special occasion; she calls on “Monis Fashions” on Deptford High Street, London.

Where are your favourite places on the London drag scene?

Miss Tutu’s loves watching and seeing other drag queens and can be seen, when not working herself, trolling the different venues in London where the art of drag can be seen. To name one or a few places as favourite would be subjugating the great things about those not mentioned and so she will not. London is brimming with the bright and wonderful colours of drag divas so just venture out and find what pleases you.

Well Miss Tutu seems to be a busy lady! Where are the most recent venues that you’ve performed at and do you have any shows coming up?

Well Miss Tutu is a busy lady working up and down the country. She mostly recently worked at London venues such as: New Bloomsbury Set, The Black Cap, Two Brewers and BJ’s White Swan in Limehouse.

She can also be seen in other venues across the country including: REM Bar in Manchester, The Old Vic in Portsmouth, The Village Inn in Birmingham, Wynford Arms in Reading and Eazy Street in Newcastle.

She will be returning to all of these venues and many more venues in the near future and so please keep your eye out on their listings or on Miss Tutu’s Facebook page: Son Ofa Tutu

Much Tutu Love. xxx

To Kill a King is an up-and-coming London-based folk band with some absolutely dreamy guys. We talked with Jon (drummer, second from the right in the image below) about their music, inspiration and favourite spots in London.

The boys of To Kill a King pose casually in an undisclosed location.

How and when did you guys all meet & become a band?

Ralph, Ian and Josh were playing in an up-tempo folk band whilst at Leeds University a couple of years back. They then moved to London but a couple of members left, so Ben and I (Jon) were drafted in to plug in the gaps. The style and instrumentation changed (we got an electric guitar and synth and acquired a slightly darker, bigger sound) and To Kill a King was formed.

Where was your first live gig? Who did you play with and what was the audience like?

Our first gig with this line up was at a tiny festival in Buckinghamshire. We played to about 30 people then proceeded to work our way through the rider with our friends Sophie and Dan (Smith, from Bastille). By the end of the night, we had taken rather forceful control of the bonfire and I woke the next day covered in soot and with slightly melted shoes. I think we did a good job; apparently they had to call the fire brigade because the fire had got out of control and set alight to an adjacent tree.