8/5/2010 Skintight Jaguars @ Dusk Til Dawn

Subject	Skintight Jaguars @ Dusk Til Dawn
PostedDate	5/8/2010
	I hadn't been to the Archway Tavern for a couple of years or so, and things have changed since then. The bands used to play in a room round the back, while round the front was a traditional Irish pub where you got funny looks if you walked in there by accident looking for where the band was playing.  Apparently, local lads The Kinks used to play here back in the day... Now the front bar seems to be the 'Dusk til Dawn' club and it appears to be undergoing a transformation similar to when the Old Kings Head in nearby Holloway Road transformed into The Gaff. It's still essentially a pub venue, but that isn't such a bad thing as there is a better choice of beer (although no real ales or Newcastle Brown) and cheaper bar prices. Also, your beer is served in a actual glass made of glass instead of plastic. Bet that won't last long!  Another thing that has changed dramatically at this pub is the clientelle - it's like walking into a 'Hotter Than Hell' night at the Purple Turtle. In fact, it's virtually all the same people with some Decadence regulars mixed in.  The first band are Zombie Headhunters and feature a girl 'singer' who has good stage presence, but should either grow her hair, or someone should buy her a Steel Panther wig and take her down the chip shop and feed her up a bit. Next is Junction 13 who I'm sure I've seen before but didn't make any impression as they look and sound like just another cloned Identikit sleaze band on the Camden circuit. Skintight Jaguars have some technical probems - nothing ever changes!  I have some technical problems myself as the batteries in the new camera I only got yesterday fail before I can even take one picture - in spite of having been on charge for a good 20 hours to make sure they'd be good for tonight.  Don't buy Duracell rechargables - they are shit!  So it's back to rubbish quality pictures from my phone again.  The Jag boys set doesn't last much longer than my camera batteries - a couple of songs in the guitarist breaks a string. He didn't bring a spare guitar, but is offered the use of a Flying V which should save the day - or so it would seem. Until he tries plugging his lead into the guitar and finds it has no jack socket!  At which point the band call it a day - a short set even by their standards! Last band is Generation Graveyard - who to be honest sound virtually the same as Junction 13, but at least have an image which makes all the members look like they are in the same band. By this time we are starting to suffer from 'Sleaze Fatigue' and Newcy Brown withdrawl so we head off down Holloway Road to Big Red, which happily is in walking distance and open till very late...

PS: This place has now (in 2014) become the new venue for the famous Intrepid Fox which recently had to vacate it's West End venue. It looks like a new era has began for the former Archway Tavern....