Bit of a short notice gig this one, interesting to see the band at this newly trendy Camden venue - also interesting to see how the reformed band are getting on at their second gig since their recent problems in Japan... The place is pretty full when I arrive - I'm not sure how many people here know who Towers Of London actually are, but there are still some familiar faces, and plenty of other people who have obviously come to see the band - and they are well up for it too! It's a weird venue for live rock bands - by day the place is an art gallery and pictures cover the wall. The bar and very large chill-out area are seperate from the smaller room the bands play in, and I'm not very impressed by the selection of beers available at the bar - or the prices.
Surprisingly, the band only take to the 'stage' a few minutes late. I say 'stage', but there isn't one really - just a barrier and a drum riser. There is a good crowd watching when the band go on, and they are ready to ROCK!
The band procede to give them exactly what they want, and explode into one of their best live performances of the last year.
Singer Donny stage dives and crowd surfs mid song while still singing. Members of the audience also crowd surf. The moshpit is pretty intense! The band are back on top form after their recent troubles and fans comment that this is the best they've been for a year or so. Things appear to be sorted out between band members and ructions of Japan are now behind them.
Donny dives into the crowd again and the place is going crazy - this is the most 'punk rock' gig I've been to for a long time. For ten minutes. Then the venue man running things stops the show!
He's shitting himself about the possibility of damage being done to the venue. 
Actually, nothing has occured that doesn't go on at a normal rock show in London any night of the week. No damage has been done, and nobody has been hurt - but he gets cold feet and decides to stop the show. 
The band don't want to stop, and the highly enthusiastic crowd certainly don't either! Straight away they start booing and jeering - there is now a far greater chance of things turning nasty than there was when the band were playing - these people have paid to see a Towers Of London show, and they damn well want to see a Towers Of London show! 
The venue guy is having none of it and he gets the PA turned off. However, he has forgotten that the backline is still live - and the drums can also carry on without the PA. The band aren't finished yet whatever this jobsworth thinks - they very appropriately launch into 'Fuck It Up' and without any prompting the crowd join in with the vocals - something else the venue guy is powerless to stop. 
The band finish the song and walk off in disgust.Don't the people who book this venue have any idea what the bands are like when they book them? Don't they ever go to gigs and check them out? If they can't handle a full on rock 'n' roll show at this place, then why the fuck did the idiots book Towers Of London? The band already have a notorious reputation - surely the organisers must know this? I am told by another Towers fan that he went to see Dustin's Bar Mitzva at this same venue the other day, and exactly the same thing happened - the show was stopped after a few minutes. This is possibly the most incompetantly run venue I have ever been too.
I decide not to waste any more money at this venue's bar and leave almost as soon as the band have finished - feeling cheated (by the venue not the band) and vowing never to go to another show there.
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