25/3/2011 Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction @ Islington Bar Academy

Subject	Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction @ Islington Bar Academy
DateCreated	3/27/2011 5:40:00 PM
	Friday evening doesn't start well - I'm as badly organised as ever.  I want to get to Islington Bar Academy early to see Bubblegum Screw as I haven't seen them for ages and want to check out their new lineup. However, as I am checking the ticket details at home I discover the 'Doors' time is a ridiculously early 6.30 and realise there is not much chance of me getting to the venue in time to catch their set. And so it proves.  After a few years of just playing the odd low key pub and club gig Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction have now landed a new record deal. They actually have an album to promote and a tour booked for the first time in many years. It's a long time since this band have been playing proper headline shows of their own, but the venue is packed. The 'High Priest of Love' himself seems to be camping it up more than usual tonight - at times he looks like he might actually be enjoying himself! I'm pleased to see Cobalt Stargazer is once again sporting his famous 'Sleazegrinder' axe - he was playing bog standard Les Pauls at the last two gigs I'd seen. The standard of musicianship in the band's current lineup is very high - some of you will recognise the current Love Reaction rhythm section from well known Camden hard rock covers outfit Metalworks The setlist is a mixture of old and new. We get a few tunes from the new album We Are Volsung as well as the expected 'Greatest Hits' like 'Backseat Education', 'High Priest Of Love', 'Fucked By Rock', and of course 'Prime Mover'.  Apart from the rip-off bar prices it's been a reasonably priced night out - the band are selling T-shirts for only £10 so I'm happy to buy one - if only all bands would sell their merch at these prices I'd buy a lot more 'Official' merch than I do now.  After hearing the 'hits' they wanted to hear as well as a storming cover of Thin Lizzy's 'The Rocker' with Cobalt playing most of the solo while out in the audience, everybody goes home happy. The problem is - the venue want's everyone to go home at 10.30! On a Friday night?  After refusing to pay over £4 for a pint of something that wasn't even nice in the venue itself I have no intention of going home without a beer or two - fortunately the Lloyds bar opposite the venue provides a suitable refuge and reasonably priced beverages after the gig so I down a few pints in there before heading for the tube suitably refreshed.