South Bank Centre Opening Weekend

The weekend brought the best out of London village, with kids and adults alike indulging in 3 blissful days of culture, music and arts. The re-opening of Royal Festival Hall was the most ambitious event to grace the capital since the Sultan's Elephant. All shows were free, with some of the world's finest musicians, choirs, orchestras, dancers, poets and visual artists in the world showcasing their ample skills.

Highlights included Led Bib (modern jazz), Bellowhead (knees up folk), Billy Bragg singing Elvis/Bob Marley and Jeppe Hein's mischievous 'Appearing Rooms' water installation. Master Flamenco guitarist Paco Pena blessed the stunning new Auditorium with a jaw-dropping performance to match the incredible acoustic-focussed design. All capped off by 'Singing River', in which 2 huge choirs blessed the building from the Thames, over the South Bank.