Portico Quartet

Cycle East encourages you to explore what’s on in the East End, by bike.

Cycle East provides you with the opportunity to watch new and rarely seen shorts by a selection of East End playwrights including Steven Berkoff and David Eldridge at one of the most sustainable theatres in the world, the Arcola in Dalston, watch Mercury Music Award nominees Portico Quartet perform at Toynbee Studios historic theatre and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of St John-at-Hackney Church with a special vocal performance by Helen Chadwick Group. Each venue has been selected for its atmosphere which provides a space for quality art and relaxation in an interesting setting. Each venue provides a selection of refreshments to help you refuel before continuing on your journey!

There will be three shows at each venue on Sunday 8th March at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm. Each show will last approx 1 hour.

Tickets: £5 advance per performance / £6 on the door
Cycle East Special: £10 for all three performances (1pm Toynbee Studios, 3pm St John at Hackney, 5pm Arcola). Tickets available from www.arcolatheatre.com 020 7503 1646 www.wegottickets.com.

Cycle Routes and cycle leaders will be provided by Hackney Cyclists and Southwark Cyclists. For further information on cycle routes for Cycle East and safe cycling go to www.hackney-cyclists.org.uk/cycleeast.

Portico Quartet are four young musicians based in London and causing quite a stir. Forging contemporary jazz with modern classical tendencies (think Steve Reich and Philip Glass) along with many other genres, they have created an inimitable sound that has been compared to the Penguin Café Orchestra, EST and The Cinematic Orchestra amongst many others. For EAST 09 they’ll be performing music from Mercury nominated debut Knee Deep In The North Sea as well as new tracks from their hotly anticipated second album, to be released later this year.

As traditionally hook based as anything from rock, to hip hop.
The Guardian

Haunting, beautifully austere sound.
Metro
Portico Quartet is presented by Serious as part of EAST 2009.