Camden Rocks Festival 2019 - Day 1

So it's time to head down to Camden for one of the musical highlights of the year - the Camden Rocks Festival. This great yearly event continues to grow and evolve, and this year for the first time it will take place over two days - 20 venues and twice as many bands to see! Obviously it costs nearly twice as much if you want to go both days. I was kind of hoping all the bands I wanted to see would be on the same day, but of course it didn't work out like that: On day 1 there are 16 acts I'm interested in seeing - I'm lucky if I can catch 11 in one day normally as there are always timing clashes and 'dead time' when there are no acts of interest to me and I can take a break and get something to eat and a beer or two.

I manage to get to Camden Town early on the Saturday for a change, and the queue outside the World's End pub for wristband exchange is shorter than usual. It's not long before I find myself in the Electric Ballroom for the first band of the weekend.

This is Collateral. They have been hyped up quite a bit on Planet Rock radio - a station that largely lives in the past and targets the middle aged as it's core demographic. Do you remember people taking the piss out of a certain chain of clothes shops by saying 'C&A - where the 70's are always in fashion!'? Well this is the musical equivalent, but set in the 1980's. Collateral are a good band and they can write decent songs - but they are 30 years too late. This is a new and young band, but their whole image, clothes, hair, their sound, and their lyrics seem very targeted towards a certain age group - who are also Planet Rock's core listeners. It seems odd to apparently target what must be quite a small audience in 2019 - when almost all the age group this band seem to aim at no longer go to gigs, follow the current music scene, or take any interest in music. Especially new music. They are great musicians and performers, but it all seems cynical and very cliched to me - their lyrics in particular seem like a 1970's/80's hard rock/blues band box ticking exercise - everything seems to be about rebelling, partying all nite long, having a shit day job but going wild out on the town every night. They make Poison lyrics sound like Bob Dylan. 'Merry Go Round' is a good enough song with corny lyrics that could have been a hit back in the 80's. The same could be said of 'Lullaby' - another lyrical box ticking exercise. Sorry, but I've heard it all before countless times - over 30 years ago. People of a certain age may lap it up, but even though I might be from that age group too I'm not buying it. From the minute they take to the stage you already know that three songs in they will stop to take their jackets off. And around five songs in there will be the token 'acoustic' ballad - although the frontman is strumming an acoustic guitar right from the first song. I'm glad I checked Collateral out, but now I've ticked that box I don't feel to need to ever see them again. However, if you want to see some really good pictures of them check out Trudi Knight's much better than mine pictures here.

Next on my list is Ginger Wildheart - a regular performer at Camden Rocks festivals over the years. Not surprisingly I find The Underworld packed! As ever, Wildhearts and Ginger solo fans are out in force and the atmosphere in this famous but small Camden venue is electric! Due to the tiny venue being so full I decided not to bother attempting to take any pictures - also knowing that the talented Trudi Knight would be taking pictures in a far more professional manner! You can find some of her pictures from the gig (and other Camden Rocks Festival shows) here. This is going to be a solo acoustic show without a full band. Instead Ginger is flanked by Givvi Flynn (already well known to Ginger solo fans) and Sophia Vassalos both on backing vocals, with 'Stix' Mills (well known to Wolfsbane fans) on drumbox thingy percussion duties. Ginger has decided to keep it spontaneous and not have a setlist. So what songs to play? In an apparent last minute decision Ginger announces that he is going to perform the whole of the recently released Wildhearts album! Acoustically. And without a full band. This surprise decision is very well received by the fans! I can see how it makes sense from his point of view as the new album has only just come out so the songs should still be fresh in his memory, and he has been playing some of them on tour with the Wildhearts as well. It's certainly an interesting challenge playing all these loud, angry, and very 'in-your-face' songs on just an acoustic guitar, but he rises to the occasion very well and it goes down a storm! Even in 'acoustic' format Ginger doesn't hold back - this isn't yer typical laid back acoustic show that other artists trot out these days. We leave the Underworld feeling we have just experienced something unique and special - I think it's highly unlikely the Wildhearts amazing Renaissance Men album will be performed in this manner ever again.

Fortunately the next band I want to see is playing in the venue I am already in. The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing have become Camden Rocks Festival regulars - for good reason. They are a popular band and always seem to be booked into a venue at this festival that is too small for them, so I am glad to already be in the venue as it's been a struggle in the past and I've not always managed it. Needless to say The Underworld remains packed. The Men... are a band like no other. Steampunk bands aren't exactly common anyway, but this lot pretty much make the genre their own with their mix of super heavy death metal riffs, Chas & Dave style tunes and humour, Victorian inspired lyrics, and punk attitude.

They really are highly entertaining, not just because of the music but also because they are very funny - the banter between singer and guitarist is like a comedy act in it's own right! Then again, as guitarist Andrew O'Neill is also a stand-up comedian it shouldn't be so surprising. If you look beyond the politics and humour you'll notice that the band are also excellent musicians. This is a act who work on more levels than other bands and I think most people would find it hard not to enjoy their shows. Their original materiel is strong enough in it's own right, covering such diverse subjects as sea monsters eating granny on a day trip to the seaside, Victorian engineers, ghosts, and a pop at religion too. Maybe as it's a festival show and they are playing to more people who don't know them or their songs they throw in a couple of covers to emphasise their 'London band' credentials - Chas & Dave's 'Things That I Like' and The Kinks 'Victoria' - always a good sing-a-long and usually in their set anyway as it's a great crowd pleaser! More pictures from the excellent Trudi Knight here.

There's more downtime before I find myself at the legendary Good Mixer to see The Idol Dead. This is another band who always end up in a Camden Rocks venue that's far too small for them. They played this same venue at the festival before, and once again the place is absolutely rammed!

Musically a mixture of Glam and punk with a very high standard of musicianship - this is a really tight band with catchy tuneful songs and a great frontman. They look sharp, but there is plenty of punk attitude mixed in It's not often this band make it down to the smoke from their native Leeds so it's always worth checking them out when you have the chance.

Next I'm off to the even more legendary Dublin Castle to see a band I've known about and wanted to see for several years. I first heard The Hip Priests on Dave Renegade's 'Dark Heart of Camden' show on TBFM/Hard Rock Hell Radio. Being based in Nottingham they had evaded me up until now, but are very much on my 'Must see' list for this festival. Ever since I first heard their song 'Zero Fucks Given' on Dave's radio show I knew this was a band I really wanted to see live.

They didn't disappoint! If you can imagine The Stooges mixed up with Motörhead and the MC5 you might be getting close. This is what I call a proper rock 'n' roll band. Tight, LOUD, in your face, and dripping with bad attitude!

This is a FULL-ON rock show - in fact 'Full tilt bullshit' in their own words! They might look like a bunch of biker grebos but they have a snarling 'take no prisoners' punk attitude and a legion of loyal fans. And they have some memorable songs like 'Jesus Died So We Could Ride' too. This is one of the best filthy dirty rock 'n' roll bands I've seen in years. I don't know if Lemmy was aware of The Hip Priests, but I think he would have approved - what a great support act for Motörhead they would have been! This is a band I will definitely be going to see again...

Next I find myself back in a pub I seem to have been in quite a few times this year - The Monarch. And to see a band who I seem to be seeing quite a lot (including at this same venue back in March) since they took everyone by surprise by reforming their original and best lineup. Yes, it's the infamous Towers Of London. The place is rammed just like it was last time they played here. There are one or two familiar faces from the old days, and Ginger's whole backing band from their Underworld show earlier in the day. Towers Of London are in fine form after being on tour supporting The Wildhearts recently. They were good when I saw them here in March but now they are tighter after being on tour. Obviously they play 'the hits' from their first album Blood Sweat & Towers and not surprisingly the naff second album Fizzy Pop get's ignored. There are some new songs as well, but it's not clear if they are from the band's 3rd (and lost?) album for ex-Creation Records boss Alan McGee which was due for release in early 2018 or if they are newer songs. I think one single 'Shot In The Dark' was released, but I'm not sure if the album ever saw the light of day... The whole Alan McGee thing seems to be shrouded in mystery now and the whole 'Super Sounds Of K-Town' 3rd album thing seems to have been erased from history - although that was the previous and rather lacklustre lineup of the band.... Towers now seem very much fired up and and raring to go with the revitalised 'classic' early lineup of the band back together, and (another?) new album in the pipeline which we are promised will be out this before the end of this year... For now, this is just a great live band which a bunch of catchy crowd-pleasing songs like 'Air Guitar', 'I'm A Rat', 'Beaujolais', 'Kill The Pop Scene', and 'Fuck It Up'. The band have certainly found their spark again, although they seem less punk and more straight ahead rock & roll these days. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for them now. Sorry, no pictures - it was way too crowded and I didn't want to risk my phone being knocked flying and trampled on in the crowd.

I was originally hoping to see The Quireboys next at Gabeto but it was yet another venue I'd never heard of and couldn't find. Then later in the day I discovered that it was going to be an acoustic set, and as it clashed with Towers Of London in a venue I liked and I knew it would be a good show that's where I went and where I stayed. I would probably have also struggled to get back into the Dublin Castle early enough to catch my last band of the Saturday as I knew the place would be packed...

So, making sure to get there early I managed to get into the Dublin Castle to catch Warrior Soul.

Kory Clarke's warriors are always an exciting live prospect. And same as last time I saw them at Camden Rocks at the Black Heart the venue is rammed! The band have a new album 'Back On The Lash' to push, as well as playing songs from their extensive back catalogue so we are always going to hear 'The Drug', 'Fuck The Pigs', 'Punk And Belligerent' and so on delivered with a mix of metal riffs and snarling punk attitude - Kory might look a bit of a hippy at times, but don't be fooled - this is a ferocious band!

It's good to finish the first day of 2019's Camden Rocks on a high point with Kory's unique roar of a voice belting out 'The Wasteland'.

And so ends the first half of this year's Camden Rocks Festival. Out of the 16 bands I had shortlisted to try and catch I actually managed to catch 7 due to the usual timing and venue clashes - not as many as I normally manage in one day, so I didn't do as well in the 'Value for Money' stakes on this occasion. I would have also liked to see London SS, Bexatron, The Deadcuts, Ryuketsu Blizzard, Neon Animal, The Quireboys, Rich Ragany & The Digressions, White Eskimo, and The SoapGirls. However, the Soap Girls are playing again tomorrow so hopefully I'll catch them then - as for the others - maybe next year...

Let's see what tomorrow will hold...