...So about 12 minutes after leaving Surya and I'm parking the bike a few yards from the Boston Arms Music Room. The Renaissance Alternative Music Festival is taking place here - another all day event. I've already missed over half of the bands, but as I've not heard of most of them I'm not as bothered as I could be. Terminal Gods are playing as I arrive and fit in well to the Goth/Industrial vibe of this event - I'd find them a lot more convincing if they had a drummer though. I'm still trying to make my broken camera work when they finish their set so no pictures this time folks.
Fortunately I am in plenty of time to see Lilygun. This is the band's third gig with the current lineup and they continue to grow more confident, although singer Anna-Christina is feeling stressed and rather under the weather beforehand. In spite of her worries, apart from a slight vocal glitch in the first line of the opening song 'Sunlight Dream' she sounds fine.
Unlike their recent Camden gig the bass isn't really loud enough. The guitars sound great though, and in spite of the lack of bass in the mix I've never heard the band sound so heavy!
Lilygun's unique mixture of 'The Three G's' (Goth, Glam, and Grunge) seems to go down well with the Tufnell Park crowd and the 3G Queen herself seems to overcome her earlier worries to give a gutsy performance. Before the show she was feeling angry with herself for getting ill, but now she turns that anger into positive energy and rises above...
There is plenty of light and shade in this band's music, but a more subtle dynamic than usually found in Grunge. Not miserable enough to be Goth, not lightweight enough to be Glam - you can't pigeonhole Lilygun. But why would you want to? Anna-Christina puts her guitar aside at times and stretches her legs a bit - her dance and theatrical background getting a chance to show itself a little, but I can't help thinking what we are seeing barely scratches the surface of what she is capable of...
Most of the songs from the band's eponymous first album are aired tonight - the song 'Scum' in particular always being the point in the set were Anna-Christina allows herself to vent about certain individuals who have crossed her path (or just crossed her) in the past. Tonight this enigmatic lady vents about herself as well - saying she is 'her own worst enemy'. Make of that what you will....
There isn't time for the band to play a long set, and as their performance draws to a close they realise they have time for one more song than they thought. Anna-Christina asks the crowd what they want to hear? Album closer 'Diamonds' gets more requests so that song closes the set. Good choice!
This is more 'their' crowd than some of the shows Lilygun play, and there are plenty of people getting into the band's vibe. The band's performance is good, and as a result they sell a few CDs afterwards - a minor triumph after Anna-Christina's pre-show worries.
Lilybun are followed by a bad and generic metal band, then we get something more interesting in the form of Drilling Spree.
My knackered camera is continuing to play up and ruin my enjoyment of the show so I give it up as a bad job. Next band is Faces Of Sarah - a new name to me but they turn in an impressive display of hard edged rifferama without moving into bad metal and shit vocals territory. Worth seeing again. Next up is Jordan Reyne who gives a solo acoustic performance which is OK apart from being allowed to go on for far too long. I've had enough by then and decide to bail - long day and work in the morning. I'm tired and not in the mood for any more - sorry to Cold In Berlin and Die Kur.
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