Kid Creole and The Coconuts
'A proper pop star, someone beamed in from somewhere rather more glittery than here' - The Quietus
Before he was the Sultan of Suave, the High Priest of Hip and the Prince of Pizazz, August Darnell was an English teacher in the Bronx. It is possible those two facts are more connected than they appear. He built Kid Creole and the Coconuts in 1980 out of Latin, calypso, disco, jazz and funk, put on a zoot suit modelled on Cab Calloway and proceeded to have three UK Top Ten singles from a single album in 1982: "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" at number four, "Stool Pigeon" at number seven and "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" at number two, kept off the top only by Culture Club. Tropical Gangsters reached number three on the album chart. The 1983 Brit Award for International Artist followed. An English teacher from the Bronx, outselling Duran Duran.
His songs have since been sampled by Ghostface Killah, M.I.A. and Cee Lo Green. He has released seventeen studio albums and over thirty singles. He announced a farewell tour in 2025 and called it The Creolian Bye Bye Birdy. He has been saying he will retire for fifteen years. He said so himself: "15 years ago, I said it was time for me to retire. I lied. It was not." The Boisdale stage is one he knows well, and his view of the room is unambiguous: "I love the joint."
Live, Kid Creole is exactly what the copy promises and the copy has never been modest. The Coconuts, the zoot suit, the rhythm section and the full theatrical spectacle that makes "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy", "Stool Pigeon", "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" and "Pepito" feel as alive now as they did in 1982. Some performers belong in a room like this. He is one of them.
BOISDALE OF CANARY WHARF
Best Spirits List in the World 2022 at The World Of Fine Wine
Top Ten restaurant wine lists in London 2022 at The World Of Fine Wine
Perched elegantly above Cabot Square, Boisdale of Canary Wharf offers a multi-dimensional experience across two floors. With Jools Holland as Patron of Music, it is celebrated for its dedication to live performances, with daily live music creating the perfect ambience in the second-floor restaurant.
The venue features a refined restaurant, four exclusive private dining rooms, the distinguished 1st floor bar, an extensive whisky and wine selection, a sophisticated Cigar Lounge and an inviting Heated Garden Terrace - making it a haven for discerning patrons seeking the finest in dining, music and atmosphere. On weekends, the vibrant first-floor bar and terrace come to life with DJ Nights, adding another dimension to the Boisdale experience.
"London's number one jazz venue" Tatler
"Best Whisky Bar in the World" Whisky Magazine
"A carnivore's dream" Evening Standard
"Aged steaks are deemed incredible" Square Meal
"The world's most individualistic style bar & restaurant" Hot Tickets
Before he was the Sultan of Suave, the High Priest of Hip and the Prince of Pizazz, August Darnell was an English teacher in the Bronx. It is possible those two facts are more connected than they appear. He built Kid Creole and the Coconuts in 1980 out of Latin, calypso, disco, jazz and funk, put on a zoot suit modelled on Cab Calloway and proceeded to have three UK Top Ten singles from a single album in 1982: "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" at number four, "Stool Pigeon" at number seven and "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" at number two, kept off the top only by Culture Club. Tropical Gangsters reached number three on the album chart. The 1983 Brit Award for International Artist followed. An English teacher from the Bronx, outselling Duran Duran.
His songs have since been sampled by Ghostface Killah, M.I.A. and Cee Lo Green. He has released seventeen studio albums and over thirty singles. He announced a farewell tour in 2025 and called it The Creolian Bye Bye Birdy. He has been saying he will retire for fifteen years. He said so himself: "15 years ago, I said it was time for me to retire. I lied. It was not." The Boisdale stage is one he knows well, and his view of the room is unambiguous: "I love the joint."
Live, Kid Creole is exactly what the copy promises and the copy has never been modest. The Coconuts, the zoot suit, the rhythm section and the full theatrical spectacle that makes "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy", "Stool Pigeon", "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" and "Pepito" feel as alive now as they did in 1982. Some performers belong in a room like this. He is one of them.
BOISDALE OF CANARY WHARF
Best Spirits List in the World 2022 at The World Of Fine Wine
Top Ten restaurant wine lists in London 2022 at The World Of Fine Wine
Perched elegantly above Cabot Square, Boisdale of Canary Wharf offers a multi-dimensional experience across two floors. With Jools Holland as Patron of Music, it is celebrated for its dedication to live performances, with daily live music creating the perfect ambience in the second-floor restaurant.
The venue features a refined restaurant, four exclusive private dining rooms, the distinguished 1st floor bar, an extensive whisky and wine selection, a sophisticated Cigar Lounge and an inviting Heated Garden Terrace - making it a haven for discerning patrons seeking the finest in dining, music and atmosphere. On weekends, the vibrant first-floor bar and terrace come to life with DJ Nights, adding another dimension to the Boisdale experience.
"London's number one jazz venue" Tatler
"Best Whisky Bar in the World" Whisky Magazine
"A carnivore's dream" Evening Standard
"Aged steaks are deemed incredible" Square Meal
"The world's most individualistic style bar & restaurant" Hot Tickets
Where is it happening?
Boisdale Restaurants (Canary Wharf), Amazon Locker-Rueben, Cabot Square, London, E14 4PX, United Kingdom
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherBoisdale Restaurants
