You may have heard of Southbank Centre’s A Room For London – a single hotel room in the shape of a riverboat that has come to rest upon the roof of Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Well, aside from offering a truly unique experience with perhaps one of the best views in London, Artangel has invited some of the world’s leading artists to London for a whole range of performances to be broadcast from the capital’s most intimate temporary venue.

First up this Saturday 28 January is multi-instrumentalist from Chicago – Andrew Bird, your only opportunity to see him live in the UK this spring other than his sold out show at Barbican.

Check the rest of the programme below, with more dates to be announced:

Sounds from a Room: Andrew Bird

28 January / 2­­‑3pm / FREE / The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall (via screen)

Sounds from a Room: Heiner Goebbels

26 February / 6-6.45pm / FREE / Front Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall  (via screen)

Sounds from a Room: Laurie Anderson

25 March / 5-6pm / FREE / Spirit Level Blue Room at  Royal Festival Hall (via screen)

Fiona Banner presents Orson Welles’ screenplay of Heart of Darkness

31 March / 4 – 9pm / FREE / Front Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall

Phillipson, is currently garnering much attention ahead of the release, including The Guardian’s very positive preview. She’s previously collaborated with artists as diverse as Martina Topley-Bird, David Holmes and Marianne Faithful, and Notes On: Death is set to mark her breakthrough.

To be in with a chance to win Notes On: Death on CD, Simply answer this question:

What was the name of Petra Jean Phillipson’s first album, released in 2005?

Send your answers to competitions@southbankcentre.co.uk with the subject line ‘Petra’ by midday on 30 January

You can hear a few tracks from Notes On: Death, and buy tickets for the show here.

Here is a live version of Petra covering Nick Cave’s Into My Arms

We Were Evergreen

We Were Evergreen recently supported Little Dragon at The Great Escape, Soko and The Wombats at Lovebox,  as well as tour supports for Charlie Simpson, Michael Kiwanuka and Ed Sheeran at The Q Awards.

The Parisian trio were born in 2008, after a new year’s resolution that, for once, actually stuck. Brought together by a shared fondness for all kinds of pop music and nursery rhymes, they tell stories of small trees growing too fast, of yodelling yaks and children flying south for the winter: stories of adolescence, of things lost, then found –then lost again.

The Krar Collective

Ethiopian desert band in the same vein as Group Doueh, The Krar Collective bring you dynamic sounds from different parts of Ethiopia and tribal traditions with a contemporary edge.

“I never expected to find this Ethiopian music gem hidden…the right balance between the rawness of their roots and the subtleties of their innovative spirit…I was really impressed.” Andy Morgan, manager of Tinariwen

Maia

Maia, formed in Autumn 2009, is a 4 piece alternative, acoustic band from Huddersfield playing all sorts of disco sci-fi folk pop on ukulele, cajon, trumpet, banjo, mandolin or whatever else is lying around! In 2010 they   supported Anais Mitchell, played their first festival, saw the M1, M2, M3, M4 and M62 what seemed like a million times, released an album in a wooden sleeve and got played on the Radio!

Highpoints this year include playing at the Unthanks end of tour Party in Hebden Bridge and being asked to play at the Cambridge Folk Festival. The Band are currently in the studio recording their second album for release in Autumn 2011.

You can buy tickets for New Year’s Eve Party at Royal Festival Hall by visiting our website.

We caught up with Graeme Leak – one fifth of Spaghetti Western Orchestra – to ask him our quick questions.

Which mobile number do you call the most?
My children’s.

What – or where – is perfection?
Getting the egg, the coffee and the toast plated up at the same time.

Who is your favourite hero from fiction (book/comic/film/opera) – and why?
Lisbeth Sandler [heroine of Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy] – misunderstood genius, appallingly mistreated, stays true to herself.

What’s your favourite ritual?
Setting up my stage gear for a Spaghetti Western Orchestra show.

What do you fear the most?
The exchange rate.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
David Byrne – unique artist, always exploring, a constant inspiration, he leads the way.

What other talent or skill would you like to possess?
Financial and accounting.

Tell us about a special memory you have of Southbank Centre
Playing to sold out Queen Elizabeth Halls in our first ever London shows – unforgettable.

What’s your favourite website?
OneAcross (anagram generator).

If you could programme your ideal Southbank Centre show, which artists (living or dead) would you bring together?
The Spaghetti Western Orchestra with special guest appearance by Clint Eastwood support David Byrne as headline act.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Don’t worry about it – let it go.

What is the most played piece of music on your MP3 player or in your CD collection?
Disc One – French in Three Months.

Catch the Spaghetti Western Orchestra at Queen Elizabeth Hall on 5 – 11 January 2012, part of Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival. Get tickets here.

Dubbed the Queen of the New Wave of storytellers by Ian McMillan, Rachel Rose Reid curates a spokenword takeover of the Poetry Library, swapping study desks and reading lists for comfy cushions and a feast of words.

RRR’s writing is well known for crossing genres, from rock festivals to theatre tours, from Burning Man to the BBC, so we’re delighted that her eclectic taste walks us through a handpicked selection of veterans and fresh faces of spokenword.

Rachel Rose Reid

Here is some more info about the artists performing at Rachel Rose Reid’s Library Takeover:

Anthony Anaxagorou has written and published several poetry books, toured the UK with MOBO award winning artist Akala, and worked closely with The Hip Hop Shakespeare Company

Nia Barge is a performance artist from Washington, D.C., now based in London. Her dynamic theatrical performances, dry wit and captivating storytelling never fail to make a mark.

Dizraeli, the hit of the UK Festival circuit with his band, The Small Gods, will be downstairs later in the evening with the incredible Bellatrix, but joins us in the library first for a little intimate unplugged poetry.

Katrice Horsley will become the UK’s Storytelling Laureate in 2012. She has over 300 worldtales in her repertoire, performing everywhere from folk festival fields to burlesque clubs with equal relish.

Adam Kammerling does rap. Adam does poetry. Often the two forms mesh together to create a monstrous and beautiful hybrid, like a Toxic Crusader.

Femi Martin is a Flash Fiction writer and performer from London. Through stories of 1000 words or less, she explores themes of love, loss, and need, on stages across the UK.

Jacob Sam-la Rose is published by Bloodaxe and Penguin. His poetry is bright, concise and full of fire. Ubiquitous on the scene; his passion for education and performance has taken him to the US, Malaysia, Finland and all over the UK.

Naomi Woddis‘ passionate and insightful work has been published by Flipped Eye, and she’s performed at National Gallery, O2 Wireless Festival and Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Stephanie Dogfoot has been a performance poet ever since she walked into the Vancouver Poetry Slam on a whim and got sucked in. Currently a Londoner, she is the winner of the 2010 Singapore National Slam Championship.

You can buy tickets for New Year’s Eve Party at Royal Festival Hall by visiting our website.

It is free to join the Saison Poetry Library, the loveliest literary hideaway in London.

It’s time to get your fancy-dress-head and start thinking of your costume ideas for this year’s New Year’s Eve Party. Get inspirations  from Marylin Monroe and Poseidon to Aphrodite and Ryan Gosling.

Or Marylin Monroe dressed as Aphrodite…

We can recommend Vintage clothes store Rokit, who are suitably equipped to cater for this year’s theme, they have stores across London and will be on hand for style tips and costume ideas in the lead-up to New Year’s Eve.

Share your ideas and join the conversation on our Facebook Page

Marylin Monroe & Arthur Miller

The Destroyers

Hailing from Birmingham, The Destroyers are a fifteen headed, thirty legged collection of musicians who have been going since 2006 and have got plans to be around for a while longer yet. Conceived after one member stated “thinking about starting up a band to play Eastern European Folk Music”, they are now working on the follow up to their debut album Out of Babel.

Trans Siberian Marching Band

The infectious energy of Trans Siberian Marching Band’s live shows has delighted crowds at Glastonbury Festival and our very own Meltdown Festival. and they were recently approached by hip-hop DJ and master turntablist DJ Yoda to create an experimental, collaborative show, which they’ve performed at The Roundhouse and Bestival.

Natty Bo

In his version of real life, Natty Bo is a DJ, singer, with a love of a ska beat,  singing songs in Spanish, Cuban and Colombian rhythms, all with a mix of American R&B.

You can see The Destroyers, Trans Siberian Marching Band, and Natty Bo at New Year’s Eve Party, you can buy tickets by visiting our website.

In the lead-up to our massive New Year’s Eve Party, we are introducing you to the artists performing across the event.

Folk-godess Eliza Carthy is bringing her new project – Motown Ceilidh – to Royal Festival Hall on New Year’s Eve.

Eliza is renowned within the folk world for her beautiful voice and fiddle playing (although her talent spans across many instruments), and she has performed to thousands of people across the world. She is the daughter of influential British folk musicians Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson.

When I asked Eliza to sum up the Motown Ceilidh, and what the audience should expect, she replied:

“Cosmic soul/funk barn dance.  Come in afro wigs and bell bottoms – and thrill to Michael Jacksons smooth criminal, done as a  ‘swing your partners’ jig.  Disco ‘heywain’  tastic!! Your caller for the evening and Barry Manilow lookalike, Phil Bassindale, will guide you through your funky moves to an 11 piece band made up of a stellar selection of the Folk scenes creamy crop!“

So there you have it!

Check Eliza Carthy’s Motown Ceilidh out for yourself at New Year’s Eve Party, you can buy tickets by visiting our website.

Southbank Centre is once again seeing out the year in style with our legendary New Year’s Eve Party, where we bring you a whole host of live music, DJs, silent discos and general fun times.

Over the next couple of weeks in the lead-up to the party, we’ll be giving you a lowdown on some of the amazing artists who will be performing on the night. First up – our headliners:  British folk rock group Gabby Young & Other Animals.

New Year’s Eve is a fitting way for GY&OA to end their biggest year to date, with numerous festival appearances over the summer including Glastonbury, Bestival and Latitude, and a headline show at London’s KOKO. Aside from music, Gabby Young’s somewhat experimental yet stylishly unique stage attire has thrust her into the conscience of fashionistas across the country, while Gabby herself runs her own well-followed fashion blog.

Gabby is a classically trained opera singer, and she cites a diverse array of influences from 1930s jazz singers such as Louis Prima and Ella Fitzgerald to more contemporary  female singer songwriters such as  Feist, Cat Power, and Imogen Heap, as well as record collection staples – Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. Gabby has also bravely battled and beaten thyroid cancer, an experience which she credits for her positive perspective on life.

Unfamiliar with GY&OA? Check out a selection of Gabby and animals looking and sounding lovely in the videos below.

You can buy tickets for New Year’s Eve Party by visiting our website.

Gabby Young & Other Animals – Ask You A Question

Gabby Young & Other Animals – We’re All In This Together

Having performed tracks from her two most successful LPs, Rickie Lee Jones and Pirates, at Manchester’s Bridgwater Hall in July this year to rave reviews from critics and fans alike, we are naturally quite excited about this weekend’s performance.

The Independent called the show ‘Stunning’, The Telegraph gave it 4 stars, and the Manchester Evening News praised her ‘remarkable voice’.

Royal Festival Hall is her only stop in the UK before she heads to Paris and Bilbao to round off this short European tour.

You can buy tickets for Rickie Lee Jones from our website.

Meanwhile, have you heard Rickie’s biggest hit Chuck E’s In Love?