Shacklewell Arms, Dalston, Wednesday 18 January 2012

Elbow commissioned to write BBC Olympic theme tune as plans for Proms, Shakespeare season and Radio 1 event revealed

St John at Hackney, London

Hackney Empire, London

Hard work and big tunes are all the Hackney producer cares about, but what if sleeping in the studio leads to a hobo beard?

Hackney Empire, 10 -11 September 2011

The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch, London

Guerilla gigs and unplugged sessions in secret venues have mixed an edgy mystique with raw talent

Collide singer talks epic spook-pop, riots and dodging Whitney style ballads with Sylvia Patterson

Uber-cool DJs, top bands and ‘secret’ performances have transformed an old-style music pub. The Citizen meets those behind the change