Benin City – All Smoke No Fire

Benin City’s video in support of Passing Clouds, Crucifix Lane, Fabric and all the venues that have been closed in the last five years

Joshua Idehen is a poet, teacher and musician. A British-born Nigerian, Joshua founded one of the most successful poetry events in London, Poejazzi. His poetry has been published alongside Linton Kwesi Johnson and Anthony Joseph and he has performed at festivals and venues across the UK and Europe. Joshua is one half of Benin City, whose first album Fires In The Park was critically acclaimed by DIY, Q Mag and Artsdesk. He is a member of electro/R&B band Hugh, who’ve recently been championed by Huw Stephens, Diplo and Aluna George. Joshua recently collaborated with The Comet Is Coming on their Mercury-nominated debut album Channel The Spirits.

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Passing Clouds was when it hit home for us; that was where we had our first, proper paid gig, to an audience of open-minded people up for new, genre-bending music. We called Passing Clouds our home. I can’t possibly count how many musicians and music lovers I have recommended the space to, how many great nights I had, good friends I made. And now it’s gone. No farewell, not even a final night. The murals on the front grey-painted over like the last ten years never happened. Tom, Shanaz, director Shaun Grant and our friends got together to make this video. It’s our way of saying: Passing Clouds Was Here, Fabric Was Here, Crucifix Lane Was Here, and they meant something to us.

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