20/1/2009 Dirty Harry @ Notting Hill Arts Club

Subject	Dirty Harry @ Notting Hill Arts Club
PostedDate	1/20/2009
	I'm off to Notting Hill instead of Camden for a change.  It's a horrible wet and windy Wednesday night and I'm going to Alan McGee's Death Disco club at the Notting Hill Arts Club. I arrive to find the place is pretty full. Due to having to be somewhere else earlier in the evening I don't arrive until one minute before Dirty Harry are due on stage and I don't even have time to get a drink first as the band are obviously about to start.  A quick look at the bar doesn't reveal anything I actually want to drink anyway.  It's the same lineup of the band I saw at the Proud Galleries a couple of months ago - I think this is the best band Harry has had yet. Towers Of London fans will spot a couple of familiar faces.  I thought the Proud Galleries show was good, but this one is definitely better.  I think this is partly due to the more intimate atmosphere in this small club venue. It certainly helps that the band are playing to a full room, even if many of the people here don't know who they are watching. There are obviously quite a few people here to see Dirty Harry though, and also one or two here because of the (ex) Towers Of London connection. Harry herself gives a polished and professional performance as usual, although I think she's more in a 'rock & roll' mode tonight and is out to have a good time. The seven song set consists largely of new songs - there is nothing from Harry's first 'The Trouble With...' album at all. There are some catchy songs and the band play well - this is more of a dirty 'in your face' rock 'n' roll show compared to the recent Proud Galleries affair which was more like a showcase gig. The sound is surprisingly good considering the confines of this small basement room - better than it often is at the Barfly or Underworld with their much bigger PA's.  This is certainly a more enjoyable show, with the band really going for it and playing more like a proper band instead of hired guns. It's also a better show because the set is longer than last time at 25 minutes. Who knows - maybe we'll get a whole half hour at the forthcoming Barfly gig? I head for the bar after Dirty Harry's set to see if I can actually spot anything worth drinking. I don't see much in the way of beer - it all looks like poncey fashionable drinks for posers.  However, I see a sign on the wall advertising 'Hot spiced cider' which looks quite interesting so I decide to give that a try. It's actually rather nice!  As regular readers will know, I tend to judge venues largely on how good (or otherwise) the bar is. Unfortunately, Notting Hill Arts Club doesn't score at all well in this department.  Another minus point is the toilets (if you can find them) which are hidden behind doors with no signs on, and the gents also has one of the dreaded toilet attendants lurking inside - and you know how much I hate those creepy fuckers! However, the one drink I have time for was actually quite reasonably priced, and Death Disco club nights like tonight are now free admission so you can't say you are being ripped off. I make a right twat of myself later when I'm talking to Harry - I manage to somehow knock the drink out of her hand. Her wine glass smashes as it hits the deck and I feel a total idiot.  I wasn't even drunk.  She was very nice about it, but I decide it's best to leave before I do any more damage or make myself look even more stupid...