18/10/2008 Darrel Bath @ the Bull & Gate

Subject	Darrel Bath @ the Bull & Gate
PostedDate	10/18/2008
	Here I am back in Kentish Town for the second night running. I seem to have been at the Bull & Gate quite a bit recently. It's not one of my favourite venues, but they've put quite a few bands I like on this year. At least I can get decent beer and the toilets are OK so it could be worse. It's usually only about a fiver to get in as well, so I'm quite surprised to be stung for £10 on the door!  I've come to see Darrel Bath and it was only £3 to see him at Tommy Flynn's the other day - I don't know who else is playing tonight... It turns out that Darrel is a support act this time, but still gets to play to a decent crowd. He and the band give a good performance, but I think he was better the last couple of times I've seen him at Tommy Flynn's. It's good to see this band on a larger stage, and they look like they are enjoying the extra space. It's certainly an enjoyable set from Darrel and the boys, and most the crowd certainly appreciate it. However, it's over all too soon and it's onto the 'headline' act - the self proclaimed (highly innaccurately) 'Last Rock 'N' Roll Band'. Actually - it's more 'country rock' than 'rock & roll' but only middle aged people who stopped listening to new music twenty years ago would say there are no rock 'n' roll bands left. The thing is, that describes the two men behind this band - and a large proportion of their audience. The two men in question are in fact 'Casino Steel' and 'Honest' John Plain from first generation British punk band The Boys. This turns out to be just a cover band, and not a particularly good one either - certainly not worth £10! I saw a far better cover band for £2 in Whetstone recently. To be fair, their choice of songs is actually quite good overall, with more obscure rock and punk covers - but in spite of that this lot have 'pub band' written all over them - and a very average pub band at that. Steel and Plain do make a bit of an effort to make a 'show' of it, but are constantly upstaged by the showboating lead guitarist - who looks like 'Jeans Jacket' from the Stranglers but plays more like a flash version of Johnny Thunders. I expect this guy would be good fronting a band of his own. Still, this band's ageing crowd (most of whom probably don't get out much these days) seem to enjoy it. Me? I'd have felt I'd got better value for money if I'd only paid a fiver to get in and this lot went on first.

PS: This venue has since closed as a live music venue.