10/1/2007 Towers Of London @ the 100 Club

This was a short notice gig, but due to the recent TV series on the band and frontman Donny's shortlived appearance of Celebrity Big Brother it sold out by the Wednesday night of the gig - in spite of being only announced on the Monday. I arrived to find the place not as full as I'd expect a sold out gig to be - but I suspect that due to the recent TV and press exposure plus all the current media interest in the band far more guestlist places had been allocated than usual - meaning less tickets available for the band's actual fans. And of course, many of the press and industry people on the guestlists never bother to turn up. In spite of all this, there was a healthy and very enthusiastic crowd waiting by the time Towers Of London hit the stage and the 100 Club was quite full by then.

This was the third time I've seen the full reformed band since the unfortunate incidents in Japan (about which the less said the better)  and the subsequent Borderline show with the depleted lineup - also about which the less said the better.  The reformed lineup is firing on all cylinders and this was a full on punk rock show in this highly appropriate venue.

Almost the entire album got played - even 'Good Times', as well as a couple of older songs like 'T.V.' and 'Call Me Dangerous'. The band threw in 'Freebird' as well, although I think the other cover they have been known to play 'Pretty Vacant' is better suiter to them. Although the sound quality left a little to be desired - the band's performance certainly didn't.

Due to the more confined restraints of this smaller than usual venue Donny couldn't clamber about over the PA stacks, etc as usual - so he clambered over the long suffering security staff instead.

These guys really had their work cut out as there is no barrier in front of the stage at this venue and they did a good job in difficult circumstances. Needless to say, there were bodies flying about all over the place from the first song. There wasn't much crowd surfing, although Donny had a go as usual - but the moshpit was fairly hectic.

I was expecting Donny to launch into a rant about Big Brother, but much to my surprise he never said a word about it - amazing as his appearance on the show has been a major talking point virtually everywhere I've been the last week. I expect there were loads of non-disclosure clauses in all the contracts he must have had to sign before appearing in Big Brother so maybe he isn't allowed to say much? Or maybe he's keeping quiet to keep his options open for the possibility of going back in... I noticed a sign at the back of the room saying 'Nowhere' but I didn't realise it's significance until I finally got to see the first episodes of Celebrity Big Brother that I recorded the other day.

My first thought after the show was 'outstanding' but then thinking about it I have certainly been to better Towers shows. Fans I spoke were saying things like "back like their gigs used to be in the early days". It was certainly pretty crazy and a lot of fun!

Apparently, the show got slagged off in The Sun - but what do they know about rock 'n' roll?!!

It was probably as good as the last time the band played at the 100 Club, but not quite so full for the reasons mentioned earlier. Certainly one of the best gigs I've been to in the last few months.