24/4/2017 Johnny Thunders Tribute Night @ Mau Mau Bar

I find myself out on a Monday night for the second week in a row, but there is a good reason. I'm at Mau Mau Bar for a Johnny Thunders tribute night. The venue is small, but rather cool. It's free to get in and although there is no real ale you can get a bottle of beer for £2.50 or a large can of cider for a a little more. The crowd are as cool as the venue and it's surprisingly busy for a Monday. At least half of those present appear to be musicians. and quite a few of them end up getting up to play on the venue's small stage. Among those present is Peter Perrett from the Only Ones - who was keen to get up to sing 'Chinese Rocks', but apparently a drummer who knew the song well enough couldn't be found in the room.

There is a sort of 'house band' playing when I arrive. They don't seem to have any connection to the late Johnny Thunders but they are rather good and I warm to them to the extent of being interested in seeing them again some time - if only I could remember their name....

Among those taking to the stage is the familiar figure of Dave Renegade - looking not unlike his cousin 'Alabana Country Joe' who I saw only last week. Dave plays a short solo acoustic set including the Thunders classic 'You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory'.

Another familiar figure to hit the stage is Nigel formerly of the Gasoline Queens but now the Kult 45's - he makes a glorious racket with his new Gretch semi.

Yet another very familiar figure takes to the stage in the form of former Cock Sparrer and current Bermondsey Joyriders guitarist Gary Lammin - a big fan of the New York Dolls and Heartbreakers frontman tonight pay's tribute to - in fact his band have recorded a song on one of their albums called 'Johnny Thunders Was A Human Being'.

The evening draws to a close a bit earlier than I expected - probably due to it being a Monday night. It's been a good night though, and although this has been my first visit to Mau Mau Bar I'm sure it won't be the last.