9/11/2012 Healthy Junkies & Terminal Gods @ The Unicorn

Subject	Healthy Junkies & Terminal Gods @ The Unicorn
DateCreated	11/12/2012 3:22:00 PM
	A nice cheap Friday night out in Camden - yes really! The Unicorn takes being a good value for money venue a stage further by making all it's shows FREE admission as well as keeping the drinks prices down to normal pub prices - although the Newcastle Brown has gone up recently it's still only £3 compared to £4.60 at The Garage. It's almost like this venue actually want's you to go there - some other well known venues could learn from this. And tonight people certainly do want to go there as there is a good crowd in to see the four bands on offer. A few well known musos from the London scene are propping up the bar here these days as well. I miss the first band, but more than one person tells me this was no bad thing. I catch part of Girlfixer's set though. I've heard some good reports but their female fronted hardcore (fortunately not shouty) doesn't blow me away. I find the vocals a bit on the weak side, but the music is tight, intense, and energetic. Next up there is a total change of atmosphere - it gets rather darker and a smoke machine coughs into action. It's Gotherama overkill as Terminal Gods take to the stage.  Their music is dark and moody while being precisely played. Someone mentions Sisters Of Mercy, but this lot don't actually look particularly Goth even if they sound it. They play well and summon up a suitably dark atmosphere - unfortunately much fiddling with camera settings on my part fails to capture the dramatic lighting effects of the smoke and laser show. Terminal Gods are definitely worth checking out if you are into that sort of thing though. Tonight's headliners are Camden and thereabouts regulars Healthy Junkies. You may recognise singer Nina from my previous blog as she also sings with her old band Altercation. This lot definitely have the stronger songs and image. The songs have a punk edge while being catchy and tuneful - check out their debut album 'Sick Note' and you'll see what I mean. Album number two is on the way and we hear some promising songs from it tonight. As well as some good tunes this band have one of the scariest looking bass players in town! Although not a 'pop' act Healthy Junkies have a potentially commercial sound - but they have a darker side too if you delve into the lyrics. This band have spent a while honing their craft of the live circuit - and it shows. It's getting out there and playing plenty of shows that really makes a band a good live act - not hiding away in rehearsal studios. As a result of their hard work on the live circuit this band are now one of the most consistently good live acts in London. A pretty good night out at The Unicorn - this venue has noticably improved over the last year or so and is proving to be a good place for up and coming bands to ply their craft and polish up their act while building a following...