The event is a Camden Rocks All-dayer featuring eleven bands for only a tenner - and I think most of them are pretty good. It's certainly great value for money! I only arrive in time for the last four bands but it's still well worth ten quid.
PollyPikPocketz are the first band I see. I've seen them at The Unicorn in Camden in the past when they had two singers and they have always been good fun. The current slimmed down version of the band is more distilled and
rock - definitely heavier, but with a noticeable punk edge. There are other influences from around the world too and singer Myura adds some more tribal rhythms when she brings a drum onto the stage.
There is a slightly anarchic vibe to the band's performance and a spontaneous feeling that anything might happen.
I thoroughly enjoyed
PollyPikPocketz lively and energetic set and look forward to seeing them again soon.
Have you ever seen a band who really think they are the shit, but actually you just need to remove the 'the'?
TPI is one such band. They seem to have fans so must have
some level of popularity - but 'Eat shit - 50 million flies can't be wrong' etc... Their fans present at this gig obviously think they are
the shit, so I guess they must be doing
something right, but I can't see what it actually is.
They can play their instruments perfectly well and I'm sure have had plenty of guitar/bass lessons, but don't seem to have much in the way of actual songs. I get a feeling they might be 'trust fund kids' messing about and playing at being 'outrageous' to entertain their well heeled pals - or maybe just their mates from college? If I never see this band again, it will still be too soon.
Next up is a far better band - sadly playing their last ever show. Fortunately it's a bloody good one!
Fly High Michelle are apparently named after a
song by Enuff Z' Nuff. The band rose from the ashes of the infamous
Drugdealer*Cheerleader and feature singer Hilda and guitarist Jay from that outfit.
The music is full on ROCK - more of the
classic kind than the sleazier trashier style of Drugdealer*Cheerleader.
Hilda is a non-stop bundle of energy for the entirety of the band's set - pulling out all the stops for their final show. They certainly went out on a high.
With the infamous
Soap Girls headlining this show was always going to be full! They have been going for a few years now, but until seeing them play at the main
Camden Rocks Festival I had always resisted the hype.
I had originally assumed they were all image and no substance. But on a few occasions now I have heard songs on the radio that I hadn't heard before, and without having any idea who I was listening to I thought 'Hey - this is good!' - and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was the Soap Girls.
And yes, in spite of their image and outrageously flirty antics - they can actually play. There are just 3 musicians on stage, and I can tell that everything is played live - this is actually raw and full on punk rock.
It's not just any old punk rock racket - there are actually some good tunes in there and some work has obviously gone into the songwriting.
I don't know whether this is a conscious decision, but the South African sisters seem less scantily dressed than in the past - is this a sign they are getting more serious about their career? Even if that is the case, they certainly don't hold back in their performance.
Soap Girls show are
fun. Not just for the audience - you can see the girls are really enjoying themselves as well.
This is certainly not a band just going through the show business motions - they
mean it. These girls are doing it for themselves - on their own terms.
Poses are pulled, shapes are thrown - we are
entertained. This is what I want from a rock show.
If you were put off seeing a Soap Girls show because of the hype and think they are just a provocative image with no substance - don't be. They are a lot of fun, and provocative too, but not just in the obvious way - they can be challenging too and will take no shit from anyone. And their music is probably better than you think. Well worth seeing - and hearing too.
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