15/3/2008 - Part 1. Men & Gods @ the Hope & Anchor

Subject	15th March - Part 1: Men & Gods @ the Hope & Anchor
PostedDate	3/15/2008
	Second night of a very busy weekend. There were three gigs I wanted to attend last night, but I only got to one - and it wasn’t that great.  I did meet my friends from Germany there, so at least that aspect of the night was good.  There are three more gigs tonight, and this time I intend going to all of them! I’ve manged two in one night a few times, but not attempted three so far. Checking the stage times of the bands I want to see at the three different venues shows it should be possible - especially as two of the venues are only 5 minutes walk apart. So this was the plan: 8.00.  Men & Gods @ The Hope & Anchor. 9.00.  Dead Monroe @ The Spice Of Life. 10.00 Toxic Slut @ The 12 Bar Club. Simple huh? Just like me... So I find myself at the Hope & Anchor in Islington where Men & Gods are supposed to go on at 8.00. As there are the first band on I reason that they should be on time as nothing should have gone wrong that early in the evening. They eventually take to the stage 37 minutes late - not a good start!  However, I reason that there is a good chance all the other bands I want to see at other venues will be at least as late going on... Men & Gods turn in a good performance in the intimate confines of the downstairs room in the Hope & Anchor. It’s pretty full, but I get the feeling that most of the people present are here to see one of the other bands. Men & Gods play well and get a good reception from the crowd, but in spite of the full room, it doesn't quite seem to be their night. It’s good to see this band playing to a full room, but I feel the band can’t really give their best in this very cramped venue. Their performance deserves a better venue than this. The show was originally supposed to take place at the larger Dublin Castle, but the promoters cocked-up and double booked so Men & Gods got shunted off to this tiny basement instead.  I can’t help feeling this show would have gone better if it took place at the originally booked venue.  While Men & Gods are playing I am wondering if I should sneak out and try to catch my next gig over in the west end, but I hang on until the end of their set - hoping that things will have been equally delayed at the next venue...