Taking your clothes off doesn’t have to be confined to the bedroom, spas and changing rooms. If you’re game, you can get your kit off in the name of art. Israeli artist Oreet Ashery’s latest performance, Party for Freedom, commissioned by Artangel, has quite a bit of nudity going on and you can join in at any time. When Time Out experienced this politically charged 60-minute exploration of free will (should that be free willies?) at Goldsmiths College, we didn’t know what was coming, which is exactly how it should be. What we can say is that you’re guaranteed: lots of naked flesh, to be asked to look after the performers’ clothes, assist in lighting, crowd surfing dinghies, fake fur, punk music, psychedelic visuals and some fairly gratuitous sexual activity. Prudes beware.

For info, see our Party for Freedom listing. 

Editor-at-large Alexi Duggins at your mercy. So you had him investigate commuting like a clown.

A unicycle docking station: why? Most people would ratherpoke a Rottweiler in thetonsils than commute on a bike that offers the extreme skincare afforded  by a pavement facial scrub. So Lord knows how I let you lot convince me to do this. My balance is bad. Real bad. On a scale of stability, I rank slightly below Chris Moyles performing ‘Riverdance’ on wet garden furniture.

So as I step into Russell Square to take my chances with a bingo company’s unicyle scheme, I’m thinking I must be nuts. Fortunately, there’s no commuting involved. The rank of unicycles might be styled up to look like a Boris Bike stand – and like the Barclays scheme, you might get a 30-minute free ride out of it – but it’s just a free lesson in riding a one-wheeled bike. Looks like I’m not crazy after all. Although I am slightly unbalanced.

‘Pedal faster if you start to fall forward!’ urges my instructor, Adam. I fall forward. ‘Keep your eyes on the horizon! If you look down you’ll lose your balance!’ I look down and lose my balance. ‘What if I fall backwards?’ I squeal. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you.’ ‘And sideways?’ ‘Well, you were the one who said no to all the safety gear.’

Adam has me well supported, though. As I pedal around Russell Square’s perimeter pathway, I have my arm around his shoulders (his idea, honest). When I begin to topple like a narcoleptic on a bar stool, he thrusts his torso into me for support. And it’s nigh-on impossible to zag wildly off to the side, because his hand’s underneath the back of my seat. Which is comforting. Although it does make me look a little like a one-wheeled meat puppet.

It’s really fun. And then at the end of our session, Adam slides away from me until he’s only supporting me by his fingers. Then he removes them and… I’m… doing it on my own! It’s amazing! Then I fall off again. Still, in half an hour, it’s possible for even a balance free dolt like me to become relatively proficient. But, well, there’s one slight issue. It’s that… that… Oh, sod it, let’s cut to the chase (not something that’s advisable on a unicycle): it does cause a slight crotch pain.

‘Don’t worry about that,’ says Adam. ‘Sometimes I spend the whole day on the unicycle. You could fry an egg on my nuts afterwards.’ That’s all right, then. A slight crotch discomfort: I’m sure I can get a handle on that. And that’s more than you can say for a unicycle.

How much: Free. Sessions last half an hour. To book tweet @jackpotjoy with hashtag #jackpotjoybikes. Drop-in sessions also available.

Read more of Alexi’s adventures here.

Behind the dark, ominous double-doors of the Adidas Lab in Bloomsbury, technicians are working on something out of this world. ‘One day,’ they promise, ‘your kit could be more intelligent than you.’ It turns out that day could be as close as next year.

As the official supplier of the UEFA Champions League, the final of which kicks off at Wembley Stadium at 7.45pm tonight, it comes as no surprise that Adidas chose the night before to announce the remarkable advances they’ve been making in football gear. Even Zinedine Zidane and Michael Bollack looked a little awestruck on stage as the news was revealed, although that could have been the effect of the incredibly bright lights shining at them. In any case, a ‘smart ball’ that coaches you via an app is something to feel in awe over. A kit containing ‘MiCoach’ technology that monitors your position, biorhythm and activity level, is, quite frankly, amazing. And a boot that weighs less than your iPhone is something to get very, very excited about.

The new Adizero Prime F50 shoe is made from polyurethane bonding – like bone structure – which is visible beneath a near-transparent woven polyester mesh. Although, it looked more like canvas and felt like plastic. The rest of the strip resembles snug-fitting layers of netting and altogether (including the shoes) will weigh 630g. That’s little more than a pint of milk! When Adi Dassler founded Adidas in 1948, players were running around in more than double that weight. Just imagine how fast Lionel Messi would be if he was wearing this next-to-nothing kit? Ok, maybe save that image for later. But you can see that things are really hotting up in the Adidas Lab right now, and although you can’t get your hands on the stuff just yet, they are aiming to have this sportswear in full production by 2015. Danielle Goldstein

OMG guys! Guys! *shriek!* We have the most exciting news! The absolute best, fittest, most talented boy band on the planet are touring again, and we can all go, because you can buy tickets tomorrow (Saturday May 25) right here! Harry will probably wink right at us. Zayn will probably invite us backstage. Louis will definitely make a witty comment about how pretty we are and Liam will obviously sing us a special solo. And Niall will, er, be there! Just in case you don’t know how absolutely brilliant they are, here are five reasons you should definitely buy One Direction tickets…

1. They’d make the best boyfriends
That rumour about what Harry said to Matt Cardle is so not true, he’s obviously the perfect gentleman. They’re all so grown-up, sensible and handsome, we can’t imagine better guys to look after us and hold our labrador puppies for us

2. They inspire the ultimate fan art
Every band worth their pop hits will have fans so devoted they choose to spend their spare time crafting art work in tribute to their favourite band member, whether for a shrine, a personal project, or to be posted to the subject in an envelope sealed with love (lip gloss). 1D’s fans are VERY artistic…

3. They’re bringing chinos back
Well, they’ve basically already conquered the chino world, haven’t they? They’re now the staple legwear of every style-savvy chap in the UK, and if there must be a ubiquitous fashion bottom, we’re glad it’s the chino. Little Mix brought nothing but bad news to tween girl fashion, after all.

4. They have their own dolls
Did Hanson ever have their own dolls? No. Did E17? No! Did Westlife? Oh, er, yeah they did actually. DID THE BEATLES? Hell no. Ergo, 1D > The Beatles. Maths is well easy.

5. Their lyrics are inspirational
‘The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed’, ‘You keep making me weak/Yeah, frozen and can’t breathe’, ‘If I’m louder, would you see me?’, ‘I wanna stay up all night/And find a girl and tell her she’s the one’
Bob Dylan must feel like an effing chump.

That’s it, we’re convinced. Buy One Direction tickets here from 10am TODAY!

Here’s the perfect pre-amble. Funded by Transport for London, Walk London is a new, brightly-coloured network of 30 interactive walking routes around the capital, which you can search by postcode or area, by the types of attractions you want to walk past (rivers, parks, etc) or whether you want to gently wander or test your fitness. This weekend, May 25 and 26, Walk London is offering free guided walks of all of these routes. Read on for four of the best.

Green Chain Route, 80km

A walk through the parks, woodlands and fields that wind along the River Thames from the Thames Barrier to Nunhead Cemetery. You don’t have to (and won’t want to) walk all 80 km (50 miles) in a day, so the map is split into sections online.

Architecture appreciators can admire historic monuments like the eighteenth-century Severndroog Castle and the Art Deco Eltham Palace, or you can choose to relax at Southmere or in the nature reserve at Oxleas Woods. The dinosaur park at Crystal Palace is also as fun as it sounds.

Capital Ring Route, 126km

Don’t be alarmed by the mega-distance: this walk around pretty London suburbia is split into 15 easy sections, each capturing some snappy scenery. Find commons and nature reserves, palaces and cemeteries (notably Abney Park), and get lost (or don’t) in the Great North Wood – which, weirdly, is south of the river. Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common and plenty of the Thames also feature in this lovely country amble through London’s urban metropolis.

Lea Valley Route, 29km

This 18-mile walk along the (confusing spelling alert!) Lee Valley follows the Lee Navigation towpath from Waltham Abbey south to where it meets the Thames at Limehouse Basin.

Stroll past London’s lively canal boat community and get a sense of the city’s post-war industrialisation: Swan’s light bulb, the thermos and the first plastics were invented at Ponders End at the Enfield end of the valley. Lastly, see how the London 2012 Games has restored the river landscape and its wetlands.

LOOP Route, 245km

The daddy of all London walks, the LOOP (London Outer Orbital Path) route stretches around the city limits and has been dubbed “the M25 for walkers”, though it’s nowhere near the roar of the motorway.

The LOOP walk reveals relics of London’s colourful past, from stately residences like Hall Place to monuments like the Wilberforce memorial. You’ll even pass a shot tower once used to make gunpowder. And, says Walk London, ‘you don’t have to be a military buff to enjoy a Thameside “graveyard” for concrete D-Day barges or to explore Kenley Aerodrome, the atmospheric former wartime air base’.

Pop into Kingston-on-Thames for some retail therapy (or perhaps some better walking shoes) and make the most of large green spaces like Busy Royal Park for a spot of lunch.

For more walks like these, info on how to book guided walks on May 25 and 26. and links to the interactive maps, visit Walk London or our listing.

Another bank holiday means a second wave of gorgeous rooftop parties. Tomorrow, Saturday May 25, east London creative hub Netil House is throwing its awesome rooftop space open from 2-10pm. Street food vendors (and pun wizards) Original Fry Up Material, Thank Cluck and Fin and Flounder will supply the nibbles, Urban Nerds’ Rattus and Um Bongo will supply the soundtrack and an in-house Pimms and Mojito bar will add to the fun. £10 for non-members and free for members (£35 per year).

Oh, and did we mention the hot tubs?

Full details available at netilhouse.com.

We had a blast at last night’s official launch of the 2013 East End Film Festival. The fest’s twelfth edition boasts a meaty two-week programme heaving with more features than ever. In between ducking a Kalashnikov brandished by a stuffed chimpanzee (no, really – taxidermy is a specialty of the King’s Head Members’ Club on Kingsland Road, where the launch was held), we noted the following highlights…

The opening film is Mark Donne’s doc ‘The UK Gold’, in which a Hackney vicar investigates banking chicanery to a soundtrack by Thom Yorke and Robert Del Naja, while the closer is ‘Lovelace’, a biopic of the 1970s adult actress. The fest’s biggest ever selection of UK films includes Mike Figgis’s new psychosexual thriller ‘Suspension of Disbelief’ and docs about Pussy Riot and post-punker Bruno Wizard.

Other highlights include Cutting-East, a three-day strand programmed by east Londoners aged 16 to 21; East End Live, an all-day mini-music festival; a special edition of BURN, the platform for moving images by cabaret artists produced by TO cabaret editor Ben Walters; and a day of secret-society-themed screenings at a real Masonic temple. EEFF also gives London audiences their first chance to see Noah Baumbach’s ‘Frances Ha’; ‘Any Day Now’, featuring Alan Cumming as a gay parent; and ‘Generation Um’, starring Keanu Reeves as a pervy voyeur. We can’t wait!

The East End Film Festival runs from June 25 – July 10 at various venues in East London.

You can see the full programme at eastendfilmfestival.com, and keep an eye on our film events page for more info and reviews.

London is a melting pot of culture, taste and creativity and our buskers are no exception. You may be used to seeing the same guitar-strumming singers in the tube or the odd double bass-plucker outside your local bank, but how many of you have seen a spoon-rattling aficionado take to the streets? Well, one documentary film maker – who goes by the name of Pinny Grylls on YouTube – spotted a cutlery virtuoso showcasing his talent at Borough Market six months ago. Pinny uploaded a video of the spoonman playing along to ‘Insomnia’ by Faithless and it has since had close to one million hits. Let’s just take a minute (or two minutes and fifty-one seconds to be exact) to appreciate the fact that London is full of surprises.  Carly-Ann Clements

Wesley McDermott runs Haunted Rooms, the leading source for haunted accommodation, haunted places to visit and ghost hunts across the UK and Ireland. In his never ending quest to find haunted locations nationwide, he’s come across a lot of haunted London places. So of course, we couldn’t resist asking him for his five secret (and often overlooked) haunted London hotspots.

The Charterhouse, Charterhouse Square, Smithfield
‘Surrounded by an ancient wall of weathered stone is Charterhouse, London’s only surviving Tudor town house. The building actually dates back to 1371 when it was used as a monastery for monks of the Carthusian Order, who prayed for the victims of the Black Death in 1348. On the ancient cobblestones of Charterhouse Square, the apparition of a monk has been seen, walking with head bowed down and hood pulled up. The screams from victims of the Black Death have also been heard, on the darkest of nights. Charterhouse itself is home to the ghost of its one time owner, the 4th Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Howard. His ghost has been seen throughout the building, with his severed head tucked tightly under his arm.’

The Grenadier Pub, Belgravia, Westminster
‘Nestled in a secluded side street in Belgravia is The Grenadier, an intimate Old Tavern that was once the officer’s mess for soldiers in the Duke of Wellington Grenadier Guards, hence its name. It is believed “The Iron Duke” himself once enjoyed a tipple here. Visitors and staff alike have witnessed what is believed to be the ghost of a young soldier, who died after being caught cheating in a game of cards. Poltergeist activity is also a common occurrence, with chairs rattling and moving on their own. Objects are also known to move to different areas over night. If you want to stop by for a drink and the possibility of experiencing something paranormal, September seems to be most active time of the year. September is believed to be around the time the young soldier was murdered.’

Sutton House, 2-4 Homerton High Street, Hackney
‘Sutton House is a splendid 16th century red brick building, built by Henry VIII’s courtier, Sir Ralph Sadlier, in 1535. Several ghosts are said to reside in its oak panelled rooms. Phantom dogs are often heard wailing in the dead of night. Dogs who visit the house are often frozen at the bottom of the staircase, intrigued by something stood at the top, invisible to the human eye. The ghost of John Machell the younger’s wife, Frances, is also believed to haunt the house. She is reported to have died giving birth to twins in 1574. Referred to as the White Lady, her misty figure has been seen passing through the old rooms in the house. On one occasion in the 1990′s, an architectural student helping with renovations was staying in the house, in what is now the exhibition room, when he woke up to witness a lady in a blue dress, hovering over his bed. A house steward also witnessed the lady when he was awoken during the dead of night after his bed began to shake violently.’

Adelphi Theatre, 411-412 Strand, Westminster
‘The ghost that haunts the Adelphi Theatre is believed to be that of William Terriss, an actor murdered outside the theatre in 1897. William’s ghost – ‘a handsome old-fashioned figure with a flowing tie and a sombrero hat’ – has been seen on several occasions. His ghost has been known to appear, walking out onto the stage. He has also been known to appear in the dressing rooms. Recently, the comedian Jason Manford, talked about a strange experience whilst in his dressing room at the Adelphi. He was talking with his 3 year old daughter over Skype, when she suddenly asked him: “Daddy, what is that man doing behind you?” Asking her what he looked like, she then said: “He’s a soldier.”  Apparently, William Terriss was supposed to play a part in ‘The Secret Service’, as a lieutenant in the American Army, on the very night he was murdered!’

The Queen’s House, Romney Road, Greenwich
‘Designed by the architect Inigo Jones for the wife of Charles I, Henrietta Maria, the Queen’s House was finished in 1635. It stood as one of the finest most elegant buildings in London, and still does to this day. On a visit from a Canadian couple in 1966, a photograph was taken of the stunning Tulip staircase. When the film was developed on their return to Canada, they witnessed what quite clearly looked like a shrouded figure standing on the staircase. On closer inspection, it revealed what looked like two separate figures, seemingly ascending the staircase. Despite rigorous examinations by various photography experts, no rational explanation has ever been found, other than the figures must have been there on the staircase when the photo was taken.’

For more haunted locations in London, see hauntedrooms.co.uk.