6/6/2009 Camden Rocks festival

Subject	Camden Rocks Festival
PostedDate	6/6/2009
	Quite a big day out in Camden! So many bands, but only a few I actually want to see at the new Camden Rocks festival - but enough to make it worth shelling out £20 for a ticket. As usual with any event of this sort a few bands drop out - I was looking forward to seeing EMF but they seem to have dropped off the bill for some reason. There's still a hell of a lot on bands playing for only £20 though! It's sort of like a smaller version of the Camden Crawl. It's spread over four venues - all within walking distance of eachother. The acoustic stuff is happening at the Prince Of Wales up in the Chalk Farm end of Camden. Further south there are bands playing at the Barfly and Monarch (no longer both the same place) and also the Underworld. Fortunately all the bands I want to see are playing at the same venue. Less fortunately, that venue is my least favourite... I arrive at the Underworld in time to catch Dirty Harry playing an afternoon set - well I would have done if it hadn't taken fifteen minutes to get in queing up behind a load of people trying to blag in for free claiming to be on the guest list. Most of them weren't of course, but they managed to delay those of who us who had actually bought tickets from seeing the beginning of Harry's set. It was a bit weird seeing people playing rock 'n' roll in the afternoon when it was still broad daylight outside - however, the place was filling up nicely. The band's set was well received by the crowd even though most of them probably didn't know who they were watching. I'm pleased to report that this band's sets are getting a bit longer now. Then it's time to nip back upstairs for a decent pint in the World's End. Your ticket gets you a wristband which allows to to come and go between all four festival venues. This works out very well for me even though all the bands I want to see are playing at the Underworld as it means I don't have to patronise that venue's outrageously priced bar - at £4.10 for a bottle of Newcastle Brown they can fuck right off! Thirst quenched at a reasonable price in the pub upstairs I head back down to the Underworld to see the next band. They seemed to be having a run of consecutive 'Black' bands - I think it was a bunch of kids called Black Hole next. They were a bit 'My first band' and seemed nervous and inexperienced - I soon headed back upstairs for some more liquid refreshment... Next up were the Black Spiders. I'd seen the tail end of their set at the same venue fairly recently, but without knowing who they were or seeing enough to form an impression. This band feature ex-Groop Dogdrill frontman Pete Spibey, but this band is a very different animal. Pete's distinctive delivery is still recognisable, but that's all they have in common with his former Doncaster Destroyers. Pete also looks virtually unrecognisable now with long hair and a beard - which fits in with the heavy stoner groove this band churn out. I've not liked the noise Pete or his former bandmate Damo's previous post Dogdrill bands have made, but this is much more to my liking - more based on riffs and songs than noise and screaming. Certainly a band I'll put on my list to see again. Back upstairs for another pint while the band changover takes place... Liquid lunch having now been followed by liquid teatime in the World's End I dive back underground to catch Nine Black Alps. I think I may have also seen this lot at this venue previously supporting Queen Adreena. I've heard some of their stuff on the radio and thought they sounded quite good - just as well as they look a bit shit. I'm not that impressed on this occasion, although they sound a lot better than they look. Following my liquid supper I'm back downstairs to see the highlight of the day for me. Wildhearts frontman and main songwriter Ginger is pleased to find himself playing to a pretty full Underworld. He seems to really thrive on full venues and is certainly on fine form on this occasion. Although there are obviously quite a lot of Ginger and Wildhearts fans in the room, I'm sure a large percentage of the people present are here early to secure a place for the following act and don't really know who they are watching. In spite of this, Ginger's set goes down really well. The man himself is obviously pleased with how his songs are received and seems much happier and relaxed compared to his recent headline solo show at the much larger Islington Academy. The crowd respond well to his good humoured banter as well as his music and hopefully quite a few of those present who are new to this artist will feel like finding out more. This is one of the things which makes events like this so good - people discovering new artists they've never heard of and liking them enough to want to see them again or search out more of their music. I'm sure Ginger wins over some more fans at this gig, and he certainly looks like he's enjoying it more than the last couple of times I've seen him playing his own solo shows. Maybe he's more relaxed as there is less pressure at these more intimate gigs. I certainly enjoyed this more, and I was particularly pleased that he played 'Josser Bank' from his latest solo album 'Market Harbour' as it's my favourite song from that album and one I didn't think I'd ever hear live. After Ginger's set the place starts to get stupidly packed as Pete Docherty is due on next. If he actually turns up. As three ex-Libertines are performing at different venues at Camden Rocks naturally the rumour mill has gone into overdrive about a possible reunion. I was curious enough to consider staying on to see what all the fuss is about as I thought the Libertines were incredibley overrated. However, it is getting ridiculously packed and more and more idiots seem to be piling in making it seem like a 'no fun' place to be - besides, I have a gig in Hoxton to get to. I hear later that Potty Pete did actually turn up and play, but his performance was rather underwhelming.... So half and hour or so later I find myself at The Macbeth in Hoxton for the second Dirty Harry Show of the day. The place is still a dive, but I'd still rather be there than jammed into an overcrowded Underworld fending off Docherty fans while he turns in a mediocre performance. And of course it doesn't hurt that Harry is easier on the eye as well as the ears than the slurring ex-Libertine junkie. It's been a long day, but I certainly hope there's another Camden Rocks festival next year...