This was another of those nights that I always knew was going to be fun - and it was! The venue is a comparatively new one to London's live scene.
Brooklyn Bowl is getting a reputation for being rather a good place to go and see bands. Although it is situated in the O2 complex at Greenwich it doesn't feel as 'corporate' as most of London's medium to large venues do these days - it seems to have a more friendly and relaxed atmosphere with the security and other staff being friendlier than most other venues. It's not a solely dedicated music venue - it's also a ten pin bowling alley and restaurant. The less said about the fucking outrageous prices for a pint at the bar the better though. However, a little research beforehand revealed a Wetherspoons style (but not an actual Wetherspoon) pub also in the O2 complex called the
Slug & Lettuce serving real ale at a surprisingly reasonable price - London Pride at only £3.65 a pint. So
that's where I spend my my beer money before and after the gig instead of in the venue.
Suitably refreshed I arrive at Brooklyn Bowl with a few minutes to spare - I
particularly don't want to miss the first support band.
Ginger being a canny lad has decided to support
himself at this show - it's not the first time he's pulled off this trick, but it seems popular with the fans so why not? It's not as if he has any shortage of material to play. In fact, this show is part of a whole tour with Ginger playing with two different bands each night. So tonight's opening act is
Hey Hello! - Ginger's
other other band. Or something. The big difference between this band and Ginger's various other bands and projects is that he
doesn't front the band himself.- he takes a step back from the pressure to become *just* the songwriter and (mainly rhythm) guitarist. I think he want's to have fun on stage being being just a guitarist again - and he certainly seems to be enjoying it. Hey! Hello! are a lot of fun.
There have been some changes in the Hey! Hello! camp since they were last seen on stage. The changes have in fact all been singers, with the first two being lost along the way. The band's second singer bailed just before a tour earlier this year - which was somewhat inconvenient to say the least as the band's second album was already in the can. Many auditions took place, and the album is finally being released with a variety of people taking lead vocal duties on different songs. For this tour vocal duties are being taken care of by Cat Southall - is she the band's new singer? Who knows? She does a very good job though - both vocally and with her stage presence. The rest of the band is unchanged and they are rock solid performers - Toshi (ex-AntiProduct) on bass, and the Rev (ex-Towers Of London) on lead guitar are a dynamic duo with much stage experience between them and they certainly do justice to Ginger's songs while drummer Ai keeps a good solid beat at the back and drives things along.
Most of the band's debut album gets an airing, but there isn't time for all of it The band's self-titled album is a pop/punk cracker stuffed with great tunes like the brilliantly catchy 'Swimwear' and dark and twisted lyrics along with some good advice for up and coming new bands in the form of 'How I Survived The Punk Wars' - I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the forthcoming
Hey! Hello! Too! album.
Ginger gets a break for (most of) the following band's set.
Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors are new to most people in the UK, although their bass player isn't. Yes, it's that rock/pop/punk hired gunslinger
Rob Lane again!
Ryan Hamilton was a new name to me until this tour, so I was going in cold as far as his material goes. He is an American country rock singer/songwriter - with the emphasis more on the
rock. Not quite the sort of act I'd normally go and see, but I warmed to his set as time went on. He has a good band, and an engaging personality - his sense of humour and struggle to understand the
British sense of humour he has encountered on tour was quite entertaining.. Ginger reappears at the end of the set to join the band with a run through the REO Speedwagon classic 'Take It On The Run' - he looks like he's having a great time!
The fun ain't over yet for our Northern hero as he is soon back on stage with his own band. The new version of the band he has put together for these shows ending with the
Ramblin' Man Fair is pretty good. Ginger is reunited with his old
Silver Ginger 5 bandmate Conny Bloom - best known for his time in Sweden's
Electric Boys as well as the final version of
Hanoi Rocks. Conny has great onstage charisma and definitely has the whole 'rock star' vibe going on - a great addition to the band. Toshi also joins Ginger on stage for the second time tonight, while the drum stool is occupied by the phenomenal Denzel.- when the band launch into Wildheart's classic 'Suckerpunch' he sounds like he is drumming for the mighty Motörhead!
The setlist is a terrific run through Ginger's career ro date: Some
WiLDHEARTS classics, the fantastic 'Sonic Shake' from SG5 and a load of stuff from Ginger's various solo albums. The inevitable 'Geordie In Wonderland' (seen on Top Of The Pops performed by the Wildhearts back in the day) get's played, along with Ginger's new take on the same subject of someone new to London finding themself as a stranger alone in the city - a cautionary tale called 'If You Find Yourself In London Town. Ginger has just released this as a single and you can see the video
here. See if you can recognise any of the places in the video....
Needless to say, there are loads of sing-a-long favourites and the atmosphere is terrific! This is certainly one of the best gigs I've been to this year - not just because of the great music and the people playing it, nut also because the venue is better than most and it's easy to get a good view. Unlike many of the city's best known venues Brooklyn Bowl is a place I'll be happy to return to in future.
My rubbish pictures were taken on my phone this time - I didn't bother taking my camera as I knew someone with far better photography skills and equipment would be there doing a far better job than I could ever manage - if you want to see the proof go to
Trudi Knight's website for a load of top quality pictures from this gig.
A top night out with Ginger & Co at an excellent venue - now back to the pub for another pint or two before jumping on the tube home.....
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