The I.C.A. - classic or dud

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Just read a book review which describes the novel in question (Politics by Adam Thirlwell) as displaying "the worldview of the prat at the ICA bar". The ICA is a complete classic and I've seen so many good things there (and some bad) but I totally understand the concept of the "prat at the ICA bar" as a stand-in for "cool" vacuousness.

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Both. Use it for what you can get then SCRAM. Where was the review, sounds very acute to me.

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

It was in the Times Literary Supplement.

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I rather like it, but I see what they mean. I once saw a t-shirt which must have been made by a sports clothing company called ICA. It said ICA Cheerleader on the front, I was really tempted, but held back because of thoughts about said twat at bar.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Twat or otherwise, you're lucky if you can get anywhere NEAR the bar at the ICA. Dud.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

It takes perseverance.

― Kate 22 (kate), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

What ho, juggalos! Well met! I am pleased beyond description to have found this informal meeting of the Insane Clown Association. I invite all homosexuals up in this bitch to fellate me.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

It took me a few moments to cotton on there, I thought Tracer had finally lost it due to sleep deprivation, but actually, ha ha.

― Kate 22 (kate), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

WTF?

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, the reviews of Thirlwell's book on Amazon are pretty classic. I'm starting to feel sorry for the prat at the ICA bar.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0224071041/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/202-7749106-4604663

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Obv I'm not at all bitter that someone a year older from me from the same university has published a book and been put on the Granta circk-jerk list but he does have that terrible problem with short sentences.

And even worse short, one-paragraph sentences.

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Obv I'm not at all bitter that someone a year older from me from the same university has published a book and been put on the Granta circk-jerk list

I am, and the mother fucker's only a few months older than me (checking authors' birthdays - real bitterness). But I don't share a university with him. I have no idea if this makes me more or less bitter.

― Anna (Anna), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:00 (twenty-two years ago)

You're doing v well though Anna, without having to fellate Craig Whattisface, so kudos.

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't make presumptions about Anna's life!

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think there are many great novels out there written by 24 year olds, and this is surely not one of them, so I wouldn't get too green with envy. I've published a book, and if I'd got the sort of reviews this guy has got, I'd be committing hari-kiri right now.

Stick at it, and by the time you're thirty you'll have something worth selling!

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Your body.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Evelyn Waugh was 26 when he published 'Decline and Fall'
Orson Welles was 25 when he shot 'Citizen Kane'
As for Girls Aloud...

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I quite like the ICA and don't feel like it's any more wanky than lots of other bars. I'd rather 'the cultural elite' (enrique TM) hang out somewhere where anyone can go, than some private member's club (yeah, I know it technically probably is, but day membership blah).

My main problem with it is the price of the drinks.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

me and Jonnie hung out a the ICA bar once, it was an education of sorts, our haircuts weren't really challrenging enough though.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

(x-post)

I'll stick with my view that very few good novels are written by 24 year olds. It takes a few years to find your voice. Evelyn Waugh is an exception, but frankly how many writers out there are in Waugh's class, at whatever age? He's one of those exceptions that prove the rule.

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

But Chris, you look just like Matthew Collings - surely you fitted in just fine!?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

awww thanks, except I don't look *that* much like him, erm, blimey

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I don't think many 24 yr olds have had enuf experience of anything to write anything better than a good autobiographical piece. Still, it's important to set yrself goals!!

― Enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Bloody hell, N. is so right!

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Everyone under 24 should just kill themselves.

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

He likes it when I compare him to Matthew Collings. Strangely, he's not so keen when I compare him to Jeremy Spake.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I kill you now

I hate Spake, I like Collings - you work it out

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:29 (twenty-two years ago)

If you write brilliantly when you're young, you're bound to come to a bad end. Just ask Rimbaud or Radiguet.

― Jonathan Z., Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

"Jeremy is as happy on stage in pantomime as he is reporting on the serious issues of child care in Russia"

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

He doesn't look anything like Spake, you nasty man N.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

he looks as if his mouth has been pushed back by a log swinging from a tree, is this how you see me? I weep.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry - it started with us comparing the quizmaster at the Village (home of Walthamstow's cultural elite) to Spake and then someone made the Chris connection.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"Chris is as happy attending pub quizzes as he is hanging out with the ICA's cultural elite."

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The comic exhibition there was a pretty awful dissapointment. Still, if you want to catch Rocco & His Brothers sitting next to a 400 pound man in a sailor's hat, the ICA's yer place.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

quizmaster at the Village (home of Walthamstow's cultural
elite)

Clearly, tis an oxymoron.

The ICA is fairly class, as long as you don't get sucked into the shopping trap.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never felt out of my cool depth at the ICA, I've seen some great cultural whatsits there, I like the fact that it's so central - I just wish it wasn't staffed and run by such a bunch of inept, po-faced trendy pinheads

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 21:47 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not Central. It's really far West. Jeez!

― Kate 22 (kate), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

why is there a bar at the ica?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:09 (twenty-two years ago)

More art "galleries" should have bars. I just wish the one at the National Gallery weren't so bloody expensive, I'd go there more often!

I realise all the stereotypes, etc. But I still enjoy going to the ICA bar. (Apart from the prices.) Many times, even if the show was rubbish, I still enjoyed hanging out. (And usually the show isn't rubbish.)

― Kate 22 (kate), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I suppose this makes me a typical "prat at the ICA bar". Sigh. I wish I were that cool.

No, wait, no, I don't. Asymmetrical mullets are stupid.

― Kate 22 (kate), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:15 (twenty-two years ago)

the ICA is near charing X right?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah it's in the Mall across Trafalgar Sq. In the West End.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Yas, kinda.

I love the ICA bar although have a simmering resentment towards it sinced they halved their cocktail menu and got rid of the lovely barman TM. It's good for a meeting point around there if yer a member but not somewhere I'd stay for a night - unless events, ect ect.

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

wtf, ICA is proper Central, not this City nonsense

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Their "street-food" = dud! ISTR the boigers were nice if you're feeling flush.

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

The small cinema is classic -- seats about 12 people, most of them off-duty film reviewers.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Is there much on there at the mo? The Underground Chamber looks like it might be with a whizz but I might be away when it's on.

Or there's always Derrida.

― Sarah (starry), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

ICA is central london then.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm in semi-hibernation, so I dunno what's on now. The Von Trier thing, 'Five Obstructions', I think Derrida yeah...

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 13:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I used the ICA as a bookshop for the Suede bio and a cafe for lunch. On that level it sufficed.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

i saw magnetophone and mouse on mars there last year. It was great!

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I had a nice lunch there too. There was an interesting photography exhibit. I like the layout.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a certain degree of off-putting wankitude that's pretty typical for London

Maybe I'm just bitter 'cause I didn't get a ticket return for the breeders gig in '95

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

my friends designed that bar but, just llike Enrique, im NOT BITTER.

If you write brilliantly when you're young, you're bound to come to a bad end. Just ask Rimbaud or Radiguet.

John Kennedy Toole also.

Just had a look at their website and it's pretty uneasy on the eye - the type moves up and own so you can't read anything - unless it's just my browser.

― jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

the ICA website blows. too many clicks to get to anything.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 19:42 (twenty-two years ago)

worst sound system in london, went downhill since they lost the 20p table football table, best 6th form drinking haunt ever

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

i agree - all my mate in glasgow used to take the train down after school most weekdays.

― jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess you had to go to school near by

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 10 December 2003 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

oh i like posh blokes, are you gay?

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 11 December 2003 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Oi Jed! He's not. Are your mates who designed the bar 24/7, or FAT? Both have designed the bar in some way recently.

I call the ICA my private drinking club in SW1 but I do agree to some extent it's where the chattering classes train themselves up for active service as bourgeois bohemians. I like it because the bar is open until 1, some of the people there *are* interestingly fashionable people there, and I've done a lot of work for/with them. And I always bump into people I know to boot, when i haven't seen them for ages.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Please don't take this the wrong way, coz you KNOW I love you, Suzy, sweets, but the first time I read this thread, and saw "the view from the ICA bar" I immediately thought of you!

::ducks::

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:21 (twenty-two years ago)

PBLGH. Maybe I'd be that person if I started using it to pick up Japanese art students.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

i have never been to the ICA

― charltonlido (gareth), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Suzy- 24/7.

― jed (jed_e_3), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Nice people; I interviewed them once.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 11 December 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

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