23/4/2011 Flash Mob 'secret' gig @ 'The Gaff'

Subject	Flash Mob 'secret' gig @ 'The Gaff'
DateCreated	4/25/2011 11:37:00 AM
	Something a bit different today. A lot of us still really miss a cool little music venue on Holloway Road that closed down earlier this year.  It was sold out to 'the man' and is now a part of a well known coffee shop chain - I won't give them any more publicity by mentioning the name. Like Holloway Road really needs somewhere to buy overpriced trendy coffee?  Unlike most the local venues The Gaff used to put on the bands we actually wanted to see, had friendly staff who were real rock fans themselves, and had a really good atmosphere. It was usually cheap to get in, and drinks were cheaper than other music venues - particularly if you had a members card. It was close to Holloway Road tube station and well served by various Night Buses if you happened to miss the last train home - which tended to happen regularly to some of us!  We liked it a lot. One night in a pub this much missed venue was being discussed, and a beer fuelled plan was hatched to protest against the closure of our music venues. Unlike most beer fuelled plans hatched in pubs, this one was actually put into action! The result was a sort of guerrilla gig in Holloway Road on a Saturday afternoon organised on Facebook - however that works. A dubious looking bunch of the 'usual suspects' and other interested parties assembled over the road outside well known rock 'n' roll watering hole Big Red (which hadn't opened yet) and after some 'refreshment' from a nearby off licence made their way over to the unsuspecting 'venue' for the Flashmob Gig. The front part of the coffee shop was 'occupied' and Bermondsey Joyriders and ex-Cock Sparrer man Gary Lammin opened the batting with a few solo acoustic rabble rousing numbers. Then he was joined by ex-Duel, Gasoline Queens and Tyla/Dogs guitarist Dave Renegade for an acoustic tribute to the late and much missed Johnny Thunders - who died 20 years ago to the day. Former Renegade singer Flossy assisted with some spirited vocals which really woke people up! Anyone who knew The place as The Gaff or even the Old Kings Head as it was before wouldn't recognise the place now - the only familiar thing I could spot was the piece of brickwork in the top right hand corner of the picture above. I joined Dave Renegade for a quick run through of the Heartbreakers classic 'Chinese Rocks' - which felt quite odd for me personally as it was the third occasion I had performed the song at this venue - previously in very different (and louder) circumstances.  Some other guys then joined in for some punk covers, and then Gary Lammin returned to belt out some well known old standards in his own down to earth style. I was expecting us to get thrown out or have the police called within a few minutes of invading the premises, but amazingly we got away with it for about 45 minutes - creating a bit of a stir amongst passers by and customers of the 'venue' - one of whom liked it enough to ask if we would be back next week!  After 45 minutes or so it was decided to bring the show to an end without pushing our luck. As it turned out it was perfect timing - during the last song some display material was (completely accidentally ) knocked to the floor. This appeared to be the 'last straw' as far as the coffee shop's manager was concerned, although no damage was done and no customers had complained and none of the staff had said a word to us. He asked us to leave - which we were about to do anyway. When Dave Renegade went back in to fetch his guitar (he was last to leave) the manager told him that if we came back next week he would call the police straight away! There are actually no plans to go back - we went there to make a point and express our feelings at losing another precious live music - which we did. Next week we are going to invade the Wetherspoons pub in Charing Cross Road to protest about it no longer being The Marquee Club. Or maybe not. I doubt any of the staff had the faintest idea what their coffee shop was before or what we were protesting about, but we did what we set out to do. Job done. Click here for a Pure Rawk report on the 'secret' Flashmob Gig and some better quality pictures. And for a load more pictures click here