16/3/2008 Monsta's Female Rock Night & other Camden shenanigins

Subject	Monsta’s Female Rock Night & other Camden shenanigins
PostedDate	3/16/2008
	I did sort of have this Sunday planned out previously, but as usual things go wrong.  Actually, things were bound to go wrong from the moment I decided to go to Decadence last night instead of going straight home from the 12 Bar - attempting to go to three gigs in then night, and then a club after?  Not smart really...  I was actually planning to go to another three gigs on Sunday - starting with Rockworkz at Tommy Flynns in Camden from three in the afternoon, but after a night at Decadence that was never likely to happen. Then the plan involved walking just up the road to catch Darrell Bath playing a free gig at the World’s End - I didn’t make that either and arrived shortly after he finished his set with his band. I’m told he was really good as well. I know from past experience that if I go to Decadence then I have to effectively write off Sunday as a sleep/recovery day - I never learn!  I did actually make the third gig on my agenda - after staying at the World’s End for longer than I needed to enjoy a decent pint of beer before heading round the corner to Bar Monsta and it’s less than ideal beverage stocks. The ’Female Rock Night’ at Bar Monsta looked quite interesting with four bands playing. Unfortunately, my thirst for decent beer at the World’s End delayed my arrival and I arrived with only two songs left of the first band’s set. The band was Psycho Baby and they were really good.  Laura the singer was a real livewire and great at fronting a band - I suspect she has some sort of acting training as she really commands the stage. Good singer too, and the (all male) musicians in the band were certainly above average as well, and not just making up the numbers as it often the case in bands featuring a strong girl singer. Sometimes you see a band that have obvious star quality, and this is definitely one of those bands. They could go far, but their London gigs are very rare as they are based around Kidderminster... Unfortunately, one of the other bands on the bill cancelled, and the other two were less than exciting. Next were Jesus Got His Gun - a new band who have risen from the ashes of Ophelia Torah. I’m sure I recognise the bass player from some other band I’ve seen playing in Camden recently...  Jesus Got His Gun aren’t bad, but not really my cup of tea and I wouldn’t choose to see them again. The last band are Vanilla Ride. They are not terrible, but there is something very ’My first band’ about them and they lack charisma and stage presence - maybe they will be a lot better in a year’s time? From what I saw tonight, the last two bands were onto a loser from the start having to follow Psycho Baby who sounded much tighter and more professional. No pictures of the first band I’m afraid as I was too busy at the bar and saying hello to people following my late arrival - by the time I could deploy my camera their set was over.  Hopefully I’ll get a chance to put that right on their next visit to London... My friends from Germany arrived while I was at Bar Monsta - their arrival had also been delayed after a long hard day’s sightseeing in the cold rain of London - and an incident involving a hairdryer that turned into a flame-thrower! No really.  The show at Bar Monsta ended fairly early, and we decided to escape before the invevitable house music drove us out anyway. We found that the World’s End was closing (what is it with this country on Sunday night!) and looked for somewhere else to go. Somewhere ’Goth’ was suggested - so there was only one place in the immediate area - the Devonshire Arms. The girls liked this place a lot, but it was shutting at midnight so we ended up in the Dublin Castle for some time before repairing to the hotel. It was just as well I didn’t have any work on Monday as I ended up going home even later than the previous two nights - I seemed to raise a few eyebrows on the tube at around 8.30 as I mixed with all the suits on their way to work.  Funny thing is - after being up all night I still didn’t feel tired. In fact when I finally got home I still felt fine so I decided not to waste the day by going to bed - I just stayed up all day and got on with stuff as normal before finally crashing around 11 the following night still not feeling that tired. And no - I hadn’t taken any drugs the previous night. It was quite a weekend!

PS: Bar Monsta was pretty cool but only lasted a year or so before turning into the really horrible 'Camden Rock' venue. It's best avoided these days.

15/3/2008 - Part 3. Toxic Slut @ the 12 Bar Club

Subject	15th March - Part 3: Toxic Slut @ the 12 Bar Club
PostedDate	3/15/2008
	...I arrive at the 12 Bar Club feeling bad as I’ve left my friends behind, although there is still another band still to play at the Spice Of Life - I was told they aren’t very good though. To my relief, Toxic Slut haven’t started their set yet. It’s not long before they hit the tiny stage at this most intimate of London venues. They are good fun as usual, and throw in an unexpected Aerosmith cover as well as their usual run through the Quireboys ’Sex Party’. I wish this band would play more often as their brand of sleazy pop/punk/rock ’n’ roll is very entertaining and they always get a good reception from the crowds they play to. I’m not expecting to meet into anyone I know apart from the band at this gig, but while watching Toxic Slut I bump into Tish from Honeykill with a couple of friends. Tish says the infamous Ribsy is playing at the 12 Bar later with his punk cover band, although he doesn’t turn up. Again. After the band have finished I am getting ready to head back down the road to the Spice Of Life to spend the rest of the night with my German friends. As I’m about to leave I get a text saying they have got a taxi back to their hotel as they are very tired after their hard day’s shopping earlier.  So I stay and have another drink at the 12 Bar to consider my options. Tish says they are heading to Decadence as it’s virtually next door. I decide to go too as I haven’t been for a few weeks. I bumped into a few familiar faces as usual, although not as many as normal. It was certainly a very busy night, and I did actually manage to get to all three gigs as well as a club later - even though I only saw two out of the three bands I planned. I did feel bad as I only saw my friends from Germany for a few minutes the whole night though - all my fault really.  Hopefully I will do better tomorrow... As usual I don’t get home from Decadence until nearly six in the morning - second night in a row I’ve got in at virtually the same time - which isn’t so great as I have three gigs I want to get to the following day, starting in the afternoon...

15/3/2008 - Part 2. Dead Monroe @ The Spice Of Life. Or not.

Subject	15th March - Part 2: Dead Monroe @ The Spice Of Life.
PostedDate	3/15/2008
	...So I rush off from the Hope & Anchor as soon as Men & Gods finish their set, without even having time to say goodbye. It’s pissing down with rain by now, but it doesn’t take long to splash my way to the tube station. I’m soon in the west end but I arrive at the Spice Of Life five minutes after Dead Monroe have finished.  Just my luck - for once their set actually got to start more or less on time - the one time I didn’t want it to! My German friends had only just arrived too - tired from a hard day shopping in Camden. By this time Toxic Slut were due to start playing at the 12 Bar Club only a few minutes walk up the road. At this point I felt I was being really rude as I had to leave my friends because I’d promised Toxic Slut I’d be there for their first gig in over a year. I’d only just arrived and now I was leaving them again - I didn’t think it was fair to try and drag them with me as they’d already paid £5 to see a band they missed because they went there to meet me. I didn’t want them to come with me and maybe pay another £6 and possibly miss that band too, so I promised to come straight back to the Spice Of Life after I’d seen Toxic Slut - fortunately the two venues are only five minutes walk apart. I’m told there is still another band to play at the Spice Of Life, so hopefully my friends from Germany will be entertained in my absence. So, feeling guilty I rush off into the rain again...

15/3/2008 - Part 1. Men & Gods @ the Hope & Anchor

Subject	15th March - Part 1: Men & Gods @ the Hope & Anchor
PostedDate	3/15/2008
	Second night of a very busy weekend. There were three gigs I wanted to attend last night, but I only got to one - and it wasn’t that great.  I did meet my friends from Germany there, so at least that aspect of the night was good.  There are three more gigs tonight, and this time I intend going to all of them! I’ve manged two in one night a few times, but not attempted three so far. Checking the stage times of the bands I want to see at the three different venues shows it should be possible - especially as two of the venues are only 5 minutes walk apart. So this was the plan: 8.00.  Men & Gods @ The Hope & Anchor. 9.00.  Dead Monroe @ The Spice Of Life. 10.00 Toxic Slut @ The 12 Bar Club. Simple huh? Just like me... So I find myself at the Hope & Anchor in Islington where Men & Gods are supposed to go on at 8.00. As there are the first band on I reason that they should be on time as nothing should have gone wrong that early in the evening. They eventually take to the stage 37 minutes late - not a good start!  However, I reason that there is a good chance all the other bands I want to see at other venues will be at least as late going on... Men & Gods turn in a good performance in the intimate confines of the downstairs room in the Hope & Anchor. It’s pretty full, but I get the feeling that most of the people present are here to see one of the other bands. Men & Gods play well and get a good reception from the crowd, but in spite of the full room, it doesn't quite seem to be their night. It’s good to see this band playing to a full room, but I feel the band can’t really give their best in this very cramped venue. Their performance deserves a better venue than this. The show was originally supposed to take place at the larger Dublin Castle, but the promoters cocked-up and double booked so Men & Gods got shunted off to this tiny basement instead.  I can’t help feeling this show would have gone better if it took place at the originally booked venue.  While Men & Gods are playing I am wondering if I should sneak out and try to catch my next gig over in the west end, but I hang on until the end of their set - hoping that things will have been equally delayed at the next venue...

14/3/2008 Jack Viper @ the Purple Turtle

Subject	Jack Viper @ the Purple Turtle
PostedDate	3/14/2008
	Not a particularly good night at the Purple Turtle as as there weren’t that many people there and Jack Viper were playing. They sounded quite tight, but didn’t have strong enough songs or a good enough singer to really get people going.  I didn’t get there early enough to see the other bands, but that didn’t really matter as I’d only gone to meet my friend from Germany who was in London for the weekend - so the beer and the company was good.  The music may have been a bit lacklustre but it was still a good start to what was a very busy weekend...

7/3/2008 Hanoi Rocks @ the LA2

Subject	Hanoi Rocks @ the LA2
PostedDate	3/7/2008
	This is a gig I've been particularly looking forward to - and it doesn't disappoint! Even if I hadn't heard their rather good latest album 'Street Poetry' I'd still have been looking forward to this show as Hanoi Rocks have been great every time I've seen them.  The Mean Fiddler/LA2 (delete as applicable) was packed and I assume this was a sold out show. The band were on top form and as good as ever - Mike Monroe is still one of the best frontmen in the business. Ex-Electric Boy Conny Bloom has been in Hanoi Rocks for a couple of years or so now, but fits in so well he looks like he could have been in the band all along. He and original guitarist/main songwriter Andy McCoy complement eachother perfectly swapping lead lines and solos throughout a storming set. It seemed odd at first seeing a bald bass player in this band, but AC does a fine job throwing shapes and beefing up the sound. It's drummer Lacu's last tour with Hanoi as he's leaving to join another band back in Finland, but he still looks like he's really enjoying himself. The current setlist has maybe a bit too much new stuff in it for some people, but I think the new album is excellent and enjoy hearing plenty of songs from it. The band's two best albums 'Back To Mystery City' and 'Two Steps From The Move' are also strongly featured though. Naturally we get 'Taxi Driver' and (in my opinion their best song) 'Tragedy' from their earlier days as well, plus a terrific version of their Creedance cover 'Up Around The Bend' in the encore. Obviously, there isn't time for all my favourites in the set, but they did a bloody good job of picking most of them to play tonight. - this is definitely the best rock 'n' roll show I've seen so far this year!  As I got there late I didn't bother to fight my way to the front to try and get some decent pictures and contented myself from enjoying what was a very good show from a more comfortable vantage point further back. You can find a poor quality couple of minutes of 'Taxi Driver' in my videos section though - it's from my digicam so the sound is pretty distorted!

PS: This venue (along with several others) has since been demolished to make way for London's 'Crossrail' project.

6/3/2008 Ginger acoustic gig in St Albans

Subject	Ginger acoustic gig in St Albans
PostedDate	3/6/2008
	I've already been to one Ginger gig this week, but one that's only a few minutes drive from home is too good to miss! I arrive at The Horn in St Albans to find it's not at packed as the Water Rats was on Monday, but it's still pretty full. The venue is not much different in size, but has a more intimate feel. Once again Eureka Machines are supporting and they provide another tuneful and entertaining show.  They are good fun and seem adept at winning new crowds over. As ever, this Ginger show is different to any other I've attended. The atmosphere at this one is different from the Water Rats, but very good. Ginger has no family present this time, which also changes the vibe. Fortunately, there are no drunk people staggering about spoiling it for others either. The setlist seems fairly similar, and to be honest not as much to my taste as previous shows I've seen - but you can't please everyone. I haven't really listened to the new album enough yet, and there is a fair amount from it in the set so I'm not really getting as much from this show as I could. However, there is the odd surprise as usual and I am pleased to hear the Wildhearts B-side song 'Bang'. This show is even less of an 'acoustic' show that the one on Monday - now there are two Les Paul guitars on stage - Ginger's trademark stickered one, and Scott Metzger now sports a nice vintage looking Les Paul Deluxe - very nice sound I have to say. Once again, there is much instrumental jamming - with the other two guitarists having to follow Ginger as he seems to be largely making it up as he goes along - there is no actual written setlist. The man is more chatty tonight and seems in more of an upbeat mood - maybe due to the lack of drunks in the crowd. He mentions that this seems a nice place - I guess it seems so after London. Ginger announces that this will be the last acoustic tour as he feels it has run it's course and he doesn't seem to be enjoying it so much - he mentions that since he's been sober he has enjoyed playing to very drunk people less and less... This was particularly noticable at Monday's gig... However, he eases the audience's obvious disappointment with this news by telling us that he willstill be out playing, but it will be with a full band in future - giving us more for our money. I don't think anyone is going to complain about that! And, he reminds us - he will still be out playing with the Wildhearts - this is greeted with much enthusiasm! Then he reveals some news which is greeted with even more enthusiasm - the Wildhearts will be playing a special show in London to record for a DVD - and they will be playing the entire first album plus a load of B-sides!  A lot of people are going to be very excited about this!  Someone in the crowd shouts out "Will it be at the Astoria?" (which would have been my choice of venue) but Ginger says no as they want a location which will look good for the DVD. He goes on to hint at a certain venue, but says he can't reveal the name as it's not confirmed yet.  No - it's not Brixton Academy, which is the most spectacular venue that springs to mind for me. With one, or maybe two new Wildhearts albums being released this year, and no doubt a tour (plus who knows what else Ginger may have up his sleeve?) 2008 seems to have a lot to look forward to for Ginger/Wildhearts fans!  I am surprised to meet several people that I know at this out of London gig - most of whom have travelled further than me to get to the show. Everybody seems to think it was worth the trip though, and I think we all go home happy.  Personally, it was worth the journey just for the great Wildhearts news - but the Ginger and Eureka Machines performances were very worthwhile bonuses! And I get home after a drive of just over ten minutes - if only I could get home from all gigs as quickly!