5/8/2018 Tequila Mockingbyrd & Garage Flowers @ Fiddlers Elbow

Sunday night finds me heading down to Camden - well Chalk  Farm really although the venue likes to say it's in Camden. Still, it's only one tube stop north of Camden Town so who's complaining? The Fiddlers Elbow is a proper old fashioned pub rock venue, although I think it's claim to be 'legendary' is stretching it a bit - it hardly has the music heritage or history of the Hope & Anchor or Dublin Castle. However, if you like your music venues intimate and gritty (and also with real ale) then this rather grotty pub is an excellent little music venue! No corporate bullshit or officious security here - this is how pub rock used to be and all the better for it. I am slightly surprised to find the bass player from the headline band taking my money as I pay in on the door, but at least I know my money is going straight to the band!

First act of the evening is The Garage Flowers.

I saw this lot in Barnet a couple of years or so ago and was impressed by their old school dirty rock and roll sleaze and swagger. If you can imagine the Rolling Stones crossed with the Libertines then you wouldn't be a million mikes away - especially as the have a Keef-a-like lead guitarist. They have catchy songs too, plus plenty of attitude. There have been one or two changes to the lineup since I first saw them and the new bassist plays a right-handed Rickenbacker left-handed - which looks particularly awkward. This band definitely have potential though - all the ingredients for success seem to be there, and if they just got the right breaks they could do well. Which is more than can be said for the following act.

Even before they have finished setting up you can tell we are about to be assaulted by something particularly loud and heavy - which I don't have a problem with at all. However, while some bands have individual musicians who might not be that special but when put together have something that makes them greater than the sum of their parts - sometimes the opposite is true. This band is Renegade Twelve. There are only five of them, but maybe Renegade Four would be more appropriate. They are all excellent musicians, but even as they are setting up you can sense one or two egos that are bigger than the band's sound.

They are indeed loud and heavy, and also seem to have brought a decent crowd. Unfortunately they seem to have forgotten to write anything that could be mistaken for a decent song. Shredding, gurning, and super heavy riffing count for little (in my book) if you have little that resembles any memorable songs. The band does actually have a rather good frontman with a good line in stage patter, even though he looks like just another chump from the bar - unfortunately he is the member of the band who looks least like he is actually in a band - not a good quality for a frontman. One of the guitarists is although an excellent shredder (as is his opposite number) at least as good at gurning as he is at playing the guitar and seems somewhat in love with himself - his ego really requires a larger stage and a bigger crowd to worship him - although I suspect in his head this is what is happening tonight. The rhythm section are pretty good, and although more 'background' members of the band actually have more interest and originality than the guitarists - who although excellent technically as they take turns shredding and riffing are very 'metal-by-numbers'.

This is the second time I have seen Tequila Mockingbyrd in a few weeks. I am glad to finally be able to see them in a venue which isn't overcrowded as The Dublin Castle was at Camden Rocks - it's nice to actually be able to see the band this time!

Tequila Mockingbyrd have been on tour in the UK for some time now and this is their last show before heading back to their native Australia. As a result they are a tight and powerful unit.

Loud and in your face with some catchy songs these girls are not unlike a down-under version of Rock Goddess - although their best known tune 'I Smell Rock n Roll' reminds me of our own JoanOvArc's 'Live Rock N Roll'.

The girls get a big sound for a power trio and play hard and fast. This a a band who totally believe in what they are doing and have worked hard to get this far. Like Scottish power trio The Amorettes this lot take no prisoners. Well worth the money and the Sunday night trip down to Chalk Farm - two out of three ain't bad!