31/3/2013 Rachel Stamp @ The Barfly

Subject	Rachel Stamp @ The Barfly
DateCreated	4/7/2013 3:50:00 PM
	Off to Camden again tonight. As I don't like drinking at The Barfly these days due to it's prices and poor beer selection I drop into the BrewDog pub for a few tasty liveners first. They don't have any of my favourites on tap tonight so I settle for a Libertine Black Ale, a Hardcore IPA, and finish off with a Tactical Nuclear Penguin - at 32% one of the World's strongest ever beers. Suitably refreshed after that lot I don't need another drink all night - the Barfly can keep their overpriced rubbish beers. I arrive at the venue a few minutes before Rachel Stamp take to the stage to headline the 'Early' show at the Barfly's Jubilee club - on this occasion taking place on Sunday instead of Friday to promote this year's forthcoming Camden Rocks festival. I think the Barfly is sold out so there are loads of people here to witness this Glam Rock explosion. The band don't disappoint and they are really on top form tonight. This doesn't have the air of a band reforming and just going through the motions for an easy buck - they look like they are really into it. As you would expect, it was a bit of a 'Greatest Hits' set from the band who reformed last year for what was originally supposed to be a one-off show at Nambucca. However, that gig went so well and they enjoyed it so much they they have decided to stick together and write some new songs. Meanwhile we get 'Brand New Toy', 'Monsters Of The New Wave', 'Jet Black Supersonic', 'I got The Worm', 'Pop Singer', 'Queen Bee', and 'I Wanna Be Yours Doll' amongst others. Robin Guy kept trying to lead the band into 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', but they weren't having it! Drummers huh? There was one cover though - The Nymphs 'Sad and Damned'. There was the odd technical problem with DRP's bass unplugging itself at one point, but there is no such thing as the perfect gig. Overall it was a bit of a triumph though. With time running short the band teased us with false intros to 'Black Cherry' before finally launching into this heavyweight monster of a song to close the show. Unfortunately, despite the calls for an encore there was no time for more as there were several more bands to follow in the 'Late' show. The Loyalties were playing later, but with a stage time around midnight and a vital part of the Northern Line out of action this weekend we thought an early departure was wise - getting multiple night buses home loses much of it's appeal (if it ever had any which it didn't) when faced with waiting at bus stops in -3 degrees.