23/3/2018 Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors + The Main Grains @ Surya

This is a really good bill at a surprisingly small venue - I guess it's the best (available on a suitable date) London venue they could find while booking this 'Young, Dumb, and full of Rum' tour. Not surprisingly, it's sold out in advance. I arrive to find this intimate downstairs venue already packed out. so as Main Grains frontman Danny McCormack is having to play the gig sitting down until he adjusts to his 'new' leg it's not worth bothering trying to get any pictures as I can hardly see him! The band turn out a good set of solid tuneful punk 'n roll though - not a million miles away from Danny's old band The Yo-Yo's. This band are good fun, and new single 'The Rain Is Over Now' is a definite progression form their earlier heavily Ramones/Yo-Yo's sounding materiel.

I've only seen Ryan Hamilton and the Traitors once before (supporting Ginger Wildheart) but was sufficiently entertained to want to see them again. Country rock isn't really my thing, but Ryan and Co. put a decidedly different twist on it and it's more 'rock' than 'country'. Ryan himself is a very open and engaging frontman who tells some interesting and funny stories about his earlier career between songs - he was signed to a major record company deal with a band while still quite young and naive - and got screwed over big time by the music business. He doesn't seem bitter about it though, and seems to regard it all as a time of valuable lessons learned. And he has some great stories - his Tom Petty one is particularly touching.

The set is more 'rock' than 'country', and with Rob Lane on bass it was always going to ROCK! The lead guitarist was pretty good too! There is more talking between songs than at a normal rock show, but it's cool on this occasion as Ryan has a very relaxed onstage persona that draws you in. He is also very funny - particularly when he takes some audience members to task for talking during his performance instead of paying attention to the show! It's a top evening's entertainment!

PS: This venue has since closed.

PPS: Ryan Hamilton and The Traitors are playing at Camden Rocks festival

 this year along with the Main Grains - I highly recommend you go!

It's been a long day so I don't hang about after the show as I've already had trouble with the trains getting to the gig. As I walk back from the station I notice what appears to be a lot of smoke rising into the air. As I get closer I see flames and a lot of flashing blue lights - the (now disused) pub round the corner is going up in flames! I count at least five fire engines in attendance.

This is a very sad sight to see as the estate now has no pub and it was a well known local landmark as well as a local amenity while it was still open. I can't help feeling this fire is very 'convenient' for the owners/developers. Not a very nice end to a good night out.