October in London: nine of the best things to do in town this month

If September marks the commencement of London readying itself for beingness aft the lazy summer, past October is wherever the buzz truly gets going.

There’s a batch going connected successful municipality this month, from a long-awaited restaurant opening to the finest successful concerts and comedy, cook residencies, planetary art fairs and much intimate, autarkic offerings too. This is the precise champion of London this October — we’ll spot you retired there.

The International War Museum has conscionable opened its latest exhibition, War and the Mind, which explores the deep-rooted and analyzable intelligence consequences of preparing for, and engaging in, war. From the “othering” effects of propaganda to the trauma and trauma responses of warfare itself, the accumulation is simply a must-see. Supporting this is simply a one-off speech from acclaimed writer Richard Overy, a WWII expert, who’ll adhd further discourse and treatment alongside excerpts from his latest book, Why War?

October 2, IWM London, Lambeth Road, SE1 , iwm.org.uk

Kol is wide regarded arsenic a precise bully restaurant, if eye-wateringly expensive. When it archetypal opened, the paper came successful astatine the £75 mark. Dinner is present much than treble that (you’ve got World’s 50 Best and Michelin to convey for that) and truthful Fonda, cook Santiago Lastra’s caller venture, promises to beryllium a amended worth introduction point. Dishes connected the à la carte commencement from astir £9, ne'er venturing supra £30, making this altogether an easier mode to entree Lastra’s ethos of good Mexican fare with British ingredients.

Rinse has been a fixture of the London nine country for 3 decades, and to people the celebrations, Drumsheds is hosting a blowout with header acts including The Streets and Giggs. The 20,000-plus capableness venue volition beryllium jumping arsenic the erstwhile Ikea (converted past twelvemonth into 1 of London’s astir salient nightlife destinations) hosts artists and DJs who have, implicit the years, been supported and promoted by assorted Rinse nine nights.

London’s flagship good arts festival returns to Regent’s Park this month, promising the precise champion successful planetary creation curation, alongside a better-than-ever section London spotlight. The joyousness of Frieze is the insatiable creator curiosity the just invariably provokes, and with plentifulness of talks and workshops, alongside this expanded platforming of lesser-known artists, it could beryllium the champion twelvemonth for Frieze yet.

Opening successful the edifice abstraction formerly tally by Mark Hix successful Damian Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, Pario is the long-awaited residency from Charles Bryant. His sanction whitethorn beryllium acquainted from his regular pop-ups astatine Cafe Pier successful Chelsea, oregon from 1 of his galore supper clubs, and the paper looks similar a solemnisation of the champion nutrient from the British Isles. Pario, tally by Bryant with chap cook George Browne, is acceptable to service dishes including otoro (bluefin tuna belly) connected an bulb hash; fennel tarte tatin; Devon crab with waffle; and lobster process with tempura claws. It each sounds delicious: don’t miss this one.

Frankie Boyle’s caustic humour is typically riddled with graphic imagery and unapologetic profanity, peculiarly erstwhile skewering the latest failings of those successful powerfulness and the nationalist eye. The extremity of his Leap of Shame circuit whitethorn person near a void for fans, but his caller work-in-progress astatine the Soho Theatre this October — which is acceptable to see extracts from his caller publication — is definite to beryllium a freestyling remedy for anyone who’s missing the Scot’s signature style.

It’s been six years since Laurel released her wide praised debut Dogviolet, but the follow-up grounds Palpitations continues an electrical indie-pop style, fused with themes of the West Coast, wherever the calved Londoner present calls home. The Koko gig, then, whitethorn consciousness similar a homecoming of sorts, but aft a summertime of Brat and Chappel Roan, it’s refreshing to person a synthy, immersive and much laid-back popular dependable successful the mainstream.

October 22, Koko, Camden High Street, NW1, koko.co.uk

Getting a summons for a sold-out amusement is simply a gangly bid (just inquire an Oasis fan), but the Royal Court person a nifty small trick; they clasp backmost a fistful of seats astatine £15, released connected Monday greeting for Monday night. And the existent amusement successful question? That’ll beryllium Giant, the five-star, “spectacularly good” caller amusement starring the inestimable John Lithgow. The Standard’s ain Tim Bano said of the show: “Mark Rosenblatt’s fearless publication is 1 thing, but the play astir the author’s vile antisemitism is made bonzer by the performances”. Clear your diaries and marque immoderate time: it’s fastest fingers archetypal for tickets, which are released play astatine 9am.

To coincide with Frieze London and PAD — the modern furnishings and interior plan festival, besides connected successful Mayfair this period — locations crossed Mount Street are hosting this free-to-visit arts festival, comprising works from a line-up of prestigious artists from disciplines successful fashion, photography, coating and sculpture. Guests visiting tin cod a passport of sorts to cheque disconnected the assorted works connected nationalist show during the week, earlier attending immoderate fig of regular escaped talks and sheet discussions, past finishing the time with a pint astatine the Audley.