Upcoming...

As my website at www.darklordofbarnet.gb.net has been down for a while I haven't been able to post details of upcoming gigs of interest like I used to. So I've decided to try posting them up here instead. Note - I'm not necessarily going to all these gigs myself, so don't go expecting to see me there. Some are local, and most of the others will be in or around the London area. I will include some links to bands or venues, but if I don't - Google is your friend. 😉

  2026 

 OCTOBER 

1st: Marc Valentine + The DeRellas + Glitter Kick @ The Water Rats Kings Cross

2nd: Mauro & The Mob @ Eights & Aces, Tufnell Park

3rd: The Sideshows + Bite Me @ The Barfly Camden

3rd: Paparazzi @ The Barnet South Club

9th: The Empty Page @ Some Weird Sin @ Paper Dress Vintage, Hackney

11th: Hannah Wicklund @ The Lexington

16th: Blues On Fire @ The Butchers Arms High Barnet

17th: Horizon @ The Queens Head Winchmore Hill

17th: Groove Rats @ The Butchers Arms High Barnet

18th: The Quireboys + Soho Dukes @ The Garage Highbury

 NOVEMBER 

13th: Courtney Hadwin + MuddiBrooke @ The Lower Third, Soho

14th: The Dirty Strangers + 🗲Electrics🗲 @ The Spice of Life, Soho

15th: Asomvel + Black Spiders @ The Underworld, Camden

25th: Parker Barrow @ The Black Heart Camden

Things can and do change or get cancelled, so do check if you can before leaving home to make sure an event is still taking place.

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES!

R.I.P. Frank Beard

Another great drummer gone. 🥁Only Billy Gibbons is left from the original classic ZZ Top lineup now. It's incredible that it was just the same 3 guys in that band continuously from 1969 until only five years ago when we lost Dusty Hill. Their music will always live on in our hearts.

Eclipse

 Well the much media hyped (semi)eclipse turned out to be a massive anti-climax in my humble opinion. 🙄 No doubt some people made a lot of money flogging those hard to come by special glasses - you'd think the media were in on a % of sales for all the hype they made about this.

At the actual time the 'amazing' event took place I'd just left home on my way to a gig - so I didn't have time to stop and watch it all, although I was outdoors while it was going on. I saw lots of people in the street sitting outside their houses and flats - deck chairs and special specs at the ready. I wonder if they thought it was worth it? I couldn't be arsed to be honest.

Everybody waiting for it all to go 'dark' - as the media had been telling us it would. All that fuss and excitement just because it was apparently going to get dark during daytime - when just a couple of hours later it would be getting dark anyway. So What? 😕 Guess what? It didn't even get dark - hardly at all anyway. 😞 I've seen it get a lot darker in daytime just from threatening rainclouds coming over.

What a huge anti-climax after all the hype! Unlike what happened at the gig I went to, although things didn't start too well: 3 band bill, but I'd only heard of the first band Taurus Trakker who I'd seen two or three times before and liked. I left home, and about 3 minutes into my walk to the station I realised that in all the eclipse excitement I'd forgotten my travel pass! 😩 By the time I'd walked back home to get it and left home again I'd missed my train. Next train half an hour later. 🙄 Same length as the band's set. Change of plan and bus/tube to Highbury instead - already knowing I'd probably miss most of the band I particularly wanted to see. Still better than the eclipse though! Got there and realised they were billed as playing for 45 minutes instead of 30. So I'd actually catch maybe half their set after all. But they finished about 15 minutes earlier than billed. 😕 But at least I got to see the last part of their set - and they were good. Maybe the less said about the second band the better. 😐

Although it was a 'school night' and I had to be up at 5 the following morning I stayed the check out the final band. I'd never heard of The Jungles!!! before, but they were fresh from just playing at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool. An all girl punk band from Japan - I'm glad I stayed - they were amazing!

I get quite pissed off hearing people constantly moaning about shit like the are no good new bands any more, or gigs are too expensive. You are looking in the wrong places you idiots! I can often go and see really fantastic and exciting new bands like The Jungles!!!, Deaf Devils, and Karma Guns at small venues like The Hope & Anchor, Dublin Castle or Signature Brew for only a tenner or so. And not have to pay £9 for a beer at these venues either.

Goodbye 2025

Well that was certainly a year of ups and downs. Sadly the downs were more extreme than the ups. There was a odd nice surprise along with the not so good stuff. I apparently regained then relost a friend,  which I found troubling. I enjoyed playing at the Leytonstone Festival again, and the gig highlight for me was playing on the same bill as 🗲Electrics🗲 at Signature Brew. 😎

I only got to one air display instead of around my usual three for various reasons, so not so many good days out on the bike last summer. Could have been worse I guess 🙄 - my friends on 'social' media have only posted stuff about what a bad year they've had and they're glad it's over. My good bits were fleeting, but at least I still have my health and a roof over my head. 😶

Ten years after.... Lemmy

Is it really ten years since we lost him? ♠ It's hard to believe. So much has happened since then, but his presence still feels somehow here - and his music is very much still with us. It always will be. His spirit too - I will carry a tattoo inspired by him for the rest of my life. A lot of people will be thinking about him today, and I guess I will have to put that T-shirt on if I go out tonight. There's a certain tribute band event happening, but I don't know if I can face it the way I'm feeling at the moment - I'm at a pretty low ebb headspace-wise.

If anyone is unaware of the significance of Lemmy and the amazing band he created you can read what I wrote about him ten years ago here. It was hard to write.

Lemmy used to say "Remember us when we're gone"

We still do.

We always will.

♠

Social Media

At a pretty low ebb today, for more than one reason.😟 I'm not finding Social Media very 'social'. 😞 It's always been a double edged sword, but personally much good has come from it. But also some stuff I've found very difficult to understand and deal with - stuff which has given me sleepless nights.

As I said - it's not been very 'social' recently. I try to subtly and quietly express that I am happy for someone I know regarding something nice that happened for them at Christmas - a single friendly and well intentioned click on a 'Like' button and then I am persona non grata. I didn't even say anything - I was trying to keep a low profile as things have been difficult recently, but just one click and the damage was done. 😕 I wish I could just take back that one click. It feels like 'the butterfly effect' - where even the smallest and most insignificant action can have catastrophic consequences.

Daffodils blooming in December now... WTF?

Early this year the daffodils didn't wait for spring like they used to and were flowering in North London in the first week of January. 😮

And now they are coming up before it's even Christmas! 😲

You can see the autumn leaves are still on the ground.

The Global Warming deniers seem a bit quieter these days... 

Phone tickets for gigs - how many of us are becoming Digital Outcasts?

What's that all about? 🙄 This has been really winding me up recently! 😬 Buying gig tickets online has changed quite a bit over the past few years. Once upon a time you'd only pay a booking fee of around a quid from many ticket agencies + postage. Things were pretty transparent. Then booking fees started to go up, and other fees were added on that weren't obvious until you got to the final checkout stage. Now some ticket agencies add up to 3 extra fees on top of the face value ticket price! 😮

You used to get a printed ticket with band logos or pictures which made a nice souvenir - many people collected these. Then all tickets became generic computer generated printed tickets that looked the same. 🙄 Apart from Runnin' Blue who still give you a proper printed ticket on the door when you buy online. 👍 

Then things moved over to 'Print your own ticket' at home. I actually quite like this as there is no postage fee and you get your ticket instantly to print straight away or save for later. But some ticket agencies do still take the piss and have the cheek to charge you a fee - for printing your own ticket! And saving them the costs of admin and printing it themselves - while you use your own paper/ink and printer. 😲

I do highly recommend WeGotTickets.com though. No fee for printing your own tickets, and their booking fee is minimal - they just add a 10% fee so if the face value of the ticket is £10 you only pay £11.00 in total - nothing else!. Then print your own ticket with a code number or barcode that gets you in on the door. Simples. I have used them countless times and never had the slightest problem - why can't all ticket sales be like this? 😊

Maybe it's time I got to the point.  In recent times 'Phone tickets' are becoming increasingly common. I don't have a problem with this - as long as this isn't the only option and there is still at least one other way of buying a ticket.  But unfortunately phone ticket only gigs are becoming increasingly common. This I do have a problem with. 😠 I have always avoided phone tickets if possible as there are too many things that can go wrong. Mobile technology and phone reception is not robust...😩

My phone is on the O2 network. A while ago I bought a phone ticket (against my will but there was no other purchase option) and arrived at the venue only to find my phone had no reception at the door to the venue. It was an O2 venue and my phone was on O2! 😲 It looked like I wasn't going to get in to the show I'd paid to see. 😒 Fortunately the security guy on the door was sympathetic and helpful (not often either of those things occurs) and managed to somehow 'piggy-back' my phone to his own so I could get reception and display my ticket. All this took a while - suppose there had been another 20 people with the same problem queuing to get in?

About 3 years I wanted to go and see Combichrist and a phone ticket via Dice was the only option - so I bit the bullet and downloaded their app. I have been forced to use Dice about 10 times since then with no problem - until October this year. Nearly a year before that I had bought a phone ticket from Dice to see Amyl & The Sniffers at Alexandra Palace. It was a big show for them and I was really looking forward to it. My phone was several years old and I had been having problems with it's memory being full of hidden data stored by apps that I couldn't find and get rid of. So I deleted a load of apps that I didn't need or use much. But a load of the hidden data was still there lurking in my phone's memory. So I had to resort to deleting even more apps that I actually used regularly - just so that I could add one or two more apps to be able to get phone tickets. I deleted the Dice app thinking I could just download it again as I had previously with no problem. Only when I tried to add it back to my phone Dice said my phone was no longer compatible with their app! 😠 Which meant I could no longer use the ticket I had paid for! 😡  Fortunately I managed to get a refund from Dice, but that still meant I couldn't go to the gig as Dice was the only source of tickets. 🙄 I had a similar problem with the Primordial Radio app which I had been happily using for years on my phone - then had to temporarily (I thought) delete it and when I tried to download it again found it no longer compatible.  Which made me question if it was still worth paying their monthly subs...😟 So do app developers bring out new versions knowing they are not backward compatible with the previous version? Or is it deliberate for some reason?

So this month there are 3 gigs I want to go to that are phone ticket only. 2 of them are on Dice which means I can't go as the latest version of their app is no longer compatible with my phone - even if I still had room to download it. The other gig is for one of my favourite bands - I haven't missed one of their London shows in over 20 years. But this time someone (in band or management I assume) has decided that tickets for the show will be available exclusively from Ticketmaster - instead of with at least 2 ticket agencies as is normal. And Ticketbastard are only offering phone tickets. And only via their own app - which I previously did have on my phone before temporarily (so I thought) deleting it because my phone memory was full. And now I still can't make room to reinstall it. 🙄

So that makes 3 gig in a row I can't go to just because my phone is several years old and I can't afford to buy a new one every couple of years. I'm sure many other people must be in the same boat. Gig going seem's to be becoming a divisive two-tier thing where the less well off are being excluded from being able to attend. There is a new type of person starting to appear - the 'Digital Outcasts'. It is rapidly getting to the stage where if you aren't tec-savvy and well heeled you won't be able to go to many gigs. I am not OK with this.

Well, most people anyway.

Well the situation from Monday seems to have resolved itself - online at least. By accident or design I don't know, and maybe I never will but I am happier today as a result. 😀 I don't like drama and tension - I get enough of that at work - office politics even though I don't work in an office!

I think someone thought I was angry at them, but I wasn't. Sad, yes. Disappointed, yes. But never angry with them.

I'd never had to deal with anyone with ADHD before and really didn't understand how it can affect people. Some people have very complex personalities - which can make it hard to understand why they act like they do. It was hard - very hard, but by the time I eventually started to understand this it was too late and the damage to our friendship was already done. 😔

I think someone has been going through a difficult time recently so I tried to send out warm positive vibes on Thursday afternoon - I hope they might have radiated through. 🌞

I wasn't angry back then, and I'm not now.

I pick my friends very carefully - quality not quantity. I am fussy about who I hang about with and keep clear of those who seem to attract drama or trouble. Keeping those people out of my life keeps drama and trouble out of my own life too - both online and in that thing called real life. So I value my friends highly, and when something like this happens and I lose one (which is very rare) it really shakes me up and I find it hard to deal with as I'm really not used to dealing with stuff like this.

What is it with people?

Monday morning started with an unseasonal chill in the air as I rode my motorcycle to work - little did I know my day would go downhill later - and the chill would spread...

I seem to have been ghosted by someone. Again. Re-ghosted? I don't think I 'get' people anymore. 😕 You think you are good friends with someone - gig buddies who can go out for drinks too and have an enjoyable evening. Countless messages, texts, voice messages and phone calls - often in touch more days in a week than not. Things are fun. 😄 On a night out in town for drinks and they are happily telling total strangers in bars how you have known each other for 18 years and 'like a load of the same stuff' like being WW2 geeks. They are telling you things like "I really value your friendship" and "I'm really glad you are in my life" - I felt the same way and I'm pretty sure neither of us were drunk. Just friends - nothing more, but we enjoyed each other's company and I found her fun and interesting.

So it came as a shock to find myself unfollowed, blocked, deleted, unfriended, calls not returned and generally ghosted after a misunderstanding and communication breakdown due to her getting ill - illness which I wasn't aware of due to not being psychic. So my friendship can't have been valued all that much? And after being 'really glad' I was 'in her life' I seemed to be ruthlessly removed from it.  Those things which were said meant nothing? I have to confess I found it hard to understand that and deal with it - this sort of thing doesn't really happen to me. I take people at their word, and although we seemed to get our wires crossed and miss-understand each other I think I am still the same person I was before? It all shook me up quite a bit to be honest.

So nearly 2 years after being 👻 I'm getting on with my life and out of the blue I get a 'follow' request - from that same person. 😮 I'm surprised to put it mildly as I never thought I'd hear anything from that person again and didn't even know if she was dead or alive - in spite of my attempts to find out if she was OK? So of course I gladly accepted the 'follow' request. And although it was only just the one social media platform after we used to communicate on several different ones previously we seemed to be friends again even if in a limited manner, and that made me happy. And so for a few weeks we had fun and lighthearted exchanges - everything was good again.. 😀

Then something changed and we seemed to start getting our wired crossed and miss-understanding each other again. 😞 I think I am still the same person I was 2 or 3 years ago? Maybe one (or both) of us have changed? Or not, but I know we still have a lot in common.

So at some point on Monday I got blocked/ghosted again.  By the same person. And when after that I got on my bike to go home from work I found my speedometer had stopped working. If I was superstitious I would wonder if someone put a spell on me? 😂

So, what really puzzles me is: Why after 2 years of totally ghosting me then reach out to me with a 'Follow request'? I was more than happy (if really surprised) to receive it but...

I'm confused. As usual. You mentioned (to everyone not at me in particular) on one of your recent pre-blocking social media posts something like 'If you have a problem with me then let 's discuss it' - but when previously I have tried to do exactly that you have said it's "Too much drama" and blocked me. And now you've done it again. Yeah - don't tell me - 'Get over it loser!'. Which would be kind of ironic as I have 'Born to lose' tattooed on my arm...

I won't pretend I wasn't hurt, but this business also left me really confused. It seems a bit one sided as I feel unable to defend myself - and I'm not the one hiding behind a VPN. So writing this seems my only way to deal with it - it's hard to write all this but I need to get it out of my system somehow. This seems to be my only method of expression left. I need to resolve this somehow and maybe writing this will help get it out of my system. Maybe I should write some songs about it? More songs that no one will probably ever hear but...

I really don't 'get' people anymore.

Dear Reaper. Again.

What is it about this time of year? In the last week us rock fans have been hit with a double-whammy. First we lost David Johansen - singer of the legendary underground band the New York Dolls, and now we lose guitarist Brian James founder member of The Damned and later Lords of the New Church. Although I never saw either of these guys first time round as I wasn't going to gigs back then, as least I managed to see them both in later years when their bands reformed - most recently when the classic original Damned lineup reformed for a few shows. I shall be playing those first two Damned albums tonight...

Even earlier this year...

Last year I was shocked to see daffodils appearing in late January in North London. This year they are starting to bloom in the first week of the New Year!

Daffodils didn't used to appear round here until February or March. This year I saw them on 7th January. And still there are people claiming Global Warming is 'fake news'. 🙄 Next week the Orange Hitler will take over power in the USA - expect a lot more 'fake news' in 2025...

 

 Dear Hot Damn! About last night... I was twatted by a unicorn! 🦄 True story.

R.I.P. Robin Guy

R.I.P. Robin Guy. This one hits hard, but not like how hard he hit his drums. Robin was an amazing drummer, and by far the best showman I have ever seen behind a drum kit. He was also a really lovely man - as anyone who ever met him would testify. Helpful and always friendly. Although I was never lucky enough to play with him myself, many of my friends did over the years, and Robin made every performance a special and memorable one. Among countless others Robin played with live or recorded with: Rachel Stamp, Bruce Dickenson (Iron Maiden singer), GMT, The Fiascos, AntiProduct, Sack Trick, Sham 69, All About Eve, Bay City Rollers, Conspirators, Adam Bomb, Tigertailz, Lilygun, Maleficent, Freewheeler, and Faith No More (on Top Of The Pops) - the list of artists Robin recorded sessions with, depped at gigs, or bands he was a full member of is endless...

I can't claim to have known Robin very well, but he always remembered me when we met even it we hadn't seen each other for years and his smile and greeting was always warm and genuine - not a showbiz 'sunshine smile' as often found in the music business.

I am shocked and deeply saddened this evening to hear of his passing. Robin will be greatly missed by a huge number of people in our scene - his family, friends, and countless musicians famous and less so, and of course his band mates who I know will be absolutely devastated. Robin will leave a massive hole behind, but also all the memories of the good times - of which there were many. Rest in peace my friend - our world of rock was a much better place for you being in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kSiDXo-OLk

24/5/2024 The Warner E. Hodges Band @ The Camden Club

Another great show from Runnin' Blue promotions

An interesting night in Camden. This was my first visit to The Camden Club and I have to say it was a strange experience. 😕 I actually walked right past the place without even realising it was there - even though I was looking for it. 🙄  Walking back down the road I noticed a bar set back from the pavement facing out onto the street. There was a rather pushy man standing behind the bar and he tried to sell me an overpriced beer - I had found The Camden Club! I'd already checked the drinks menu online and seen the prices, so I declined his offer and went into the club. (I later found out the pushy bloke behind the bar was actually the owner of the club!) Even going into the venue was strange as the entrance wasn't immediately apparent.  A door at the side of the bar led to the actual music venue - up some stairs, then down some more stairs into the room containing the stage. 😕 There was another bar in the music room.

I found out a bit later than there was a special 'deal' on beers for the day bringing the price of a pint down to a reasonable (for Camden) price - so I relented and did have a beer or two. I suspect I wasn't the only one who thought the price of a pint was outrageous and refused to pay it - I guess the owner realised he wasn't selling  much beer unless he lowered the price. The toilets were weird too - when they could eventually be found. I must say it seemed a very strange place and appeared to have been 'designed' in a very haphazard and random manner. The owner seemed to be running the place almost singlehandedly, from from what I had read in online reviews had a bit of a reputation for being a bit strange and rude to customers, but to be fair he seemed friendly enough to me and I had no problems with him once I realised who he was.

Opening the evening's entertainment The Conny Bloom Band. Conny rose to fame as a member of Sweden's Electric Boys and has also toured with Silver Ginger 5 as well as joining the last lineup of the 'rebirthed' Hanoi Rocks.

Joining Conny on bass is Jason Knight - who seems to have recently acquired a new bass with eight strings. Yes EIGHT STRINGS. On a BASS! WTF?!!! 😲 I always thought just 5 strings on a bass guitar was excessive, but what do I know? Still, Jason seems to make a pretty meaty sound with his new weapon.

Conny is mainly showcasing his own solo material, but it's no surprise that he throws in the odd Electric Boys song or too - and drops the news that there is new Electric Boys stuff in the pipeline...

Although this 3 piece band appears to have been put together just for this tour the onstage chemistry seems good and everybody is having fun!

And if Jason hasn't already had enough fun for one evening...

The room is pretty full for the headline act - London shows for The Warner E Hodges Band tend to sell out. Although Warner made his name as a guitarist in country/punk/rock band Jason & the Scorchers his current band leans away from country and punk and more towards straight up hard rock - Warner's favourite band is AC/DC and you are pretty sure you will always hear at least one of their songs mixed into the setlist along with his own original material - except there isn't actually a setlist at all and Warner makes it up as he goes along - reading the room, or just playing whatever he feels like playing - so the band have to learn a lot of songs by heart before every tour!

For tonight's main act Jason has switched back to a more sensible 4 strings and his usual weapon of choice a Thunderbird bass.

Ex-Main Grains,  Grand Theft Audio and The Spangles guitarist Ben Marsden does a great job on guitar backing up Warner, but is an excellent guitarist in his own right and can rip out a mean solo with the best of 'em. 🎸

Regular Warner E Hodges Band drummer John Powney seems to have gone missing and new guy Shane Dixon has taken his place on the drum stool - he does a pretty decent job. Maybe the change of drummer could explain Black Sabbath's classic 'War Pigs' not being played on this tour as John Powney's performance was always particularly amazing on that song.

Warner has put together a really good band for when he tours the UK and Europe. In fact Warner likes this UK band enough to have recorded two studio albums in the USA and a live album recorded in the UK with them. In spite of the somewhat weird venue this is a very enjoyable evening of top quality rock music played by a fine band of musicians who work really well together. Before I leave after the show I buy the band's latest album and am given a free signed poster to take home - great souvenirs of a terrific night's entertainment!

18/5/2024 Denizens + ? + Cato Street Conspiracy + Loudmouth @ Hope & Anchor

Saturday night and I'm back at the Hope & Anchor for the second time in two weeks. And why not as it's usually a very reasonable ticket price along with bar prices to match? Tonight's punk themed show kicks off with Northern oiks Loudmouth.

Just what it says on the tin, but decent musicians making a tight and punchy punk style racket. Well done lads.

Next up are Cato Street Conspiracy. I'm a bit confused - I think I may have mixed them up with a band I've seen in the past managed by an old friend of mine (hello Joe) called Caffeine Conspiracy who were a bit like The Wildhearts. This is not that band.

Good solid sound from these guys - heavy with a punk edge, but not a lot of stage presence.

Next (nearly) was the headliners. Denizens are definitely worthy of that title tonight. A bit more attitude than the previous band

More aggressive vocals, but without taking the easy but all too common route these days of resorting the screaming or shouting. I hate all that fashionable fake 'anger' and 'emotion' from so many modern rock vocalists, but this sounds more genuine and convincing.

Denizens do more than any of the other bands tonight to get your attention bring you into their world without resorting to unnecessary drama. They are worthy of your attention.

Oh yes, there was actually another band on just before the headliners. I didn't get any pictures of them as I was otherwise engaged. 😉

10/5/2024 Anoraks + Seizure Salad + Glitter Kick + No Feelings @ The Hope & Anchor

Another good value for money Friday night at the Hope & Anchor - only £7 advance or £10 on the door to see 4 bands. And still people moan about gig tickets being too expensive! They are obviously going to the wrong gigs. 🙄

The theme of tonight's show is 'Female Fronted Punk', but there is some 'artistic license' applied with the first band of the evening The Anoraks.

They are an old school East End punk band formed back in the last century - and they've never stopped since.

Bev the drummer takes lead vocals on some songs - sort of justifying the 'Female Fronted' title - even though she is at the back  of the stage, but mostly they are fronted by guitarist Gary Minall.

Although they are a punk band after all this time together they can play pretty well and are capable of holding their own on large stages with big name bands at events like the Rebellion Festival.

There have been a few lineup changes over the years, but over that 25+ years the band has evolved into a tight and punchy sounding unit.

With a really solid sound The Anoraks mean business and I don't envy any band that has to go on after them.

However, that doesn't seem to faze the weird and wacky Seizure Salad who have come all the way from Exeter to entertain us.

And we are indeed entertained by their punk and Riot Grrrl antics. They give a spirited performance and look like they are having a lot of fun!

All too soon Seizure Salad have finished their set and it's time for Glitter Kick 🤩

There have been changes since I last saw this band in February. A new and maybe permanent rhythm section has been installed to take over from those who been standing in after the tragic and unexpected loss of drummer Belle Star, and subsequent departure of Adam the bassist.

The core of the band is singer Roxi and guitarist Greg, but the new guys seem more than competent enough and fit in as if they have been there for a while.

Glitter Kick are polished and professional with a bunch of catchy and commercial pop/rock songs - with Roxi and Greg always holding your attention.

Roxi manages to look completely different for every show - apart from one thing - she loves her big boots!

Even if you have never seen Glitter Kick before and don't know any of their songs, you can still be sure of one thing - you won't be allowed to get bored!

Glitter Kick mix things up - pop, rock, glam, and a hint of punk. Pretty much something in there somewhere for anyone who likes guitar based music.

No Feelings name their band after a Sex Pistols song and try to pass themselves off as a 'punk' band, but are by far the least punk band on tonight's bill. Although they are supposedly the 'headline' band they are the least interesting or exciting band of the night.

Unlike the other bands tonight all playing their own original material No Feelings set seems to consist entirely of covers - albeit mostly punk classics. Although the singer does a decent enough job, the only punk thing about this band is the bass player - I'm guessing it's his band as apart from the singer the rest of the band seems to change every time I see them.

Although reasonably competent musicians, this is the sort of band you will find in countless local pubs in every town and city in the land every Saturday night. And I come down to Islington or Camden to get away from this sort of thing.

Still, four bands for around a tenner on a Friday night in one of London's cooler little venues is not to be sneezed at, and the price of a pint is much more reasonable than most music venues too - well worth jumping on the train to Highbury & Islington for!

3/5/2024 King Salami and the Cumberland Three @ Signature Brew Haggerston

It's nearly a year since I last saw King Salami and the Cumberland Three - and that's been far too long!

Last time I saw them was at the Hope & Anchor, but now they are playing at the larger Signature Brew in Haggerston - also quite easy to get to on the Overground train. When I last saw them they had a new guitarist replacing the excellent 'Captain Not Sensible'. The new guy then was still pretty good, but now he too has been replaced. Fortunately the newest bloke is also a pretty good rock 'n' roll player.

Not content with playing some of the best old school rock 'n' roll to be found, their singer also has the best headgear! I am pleased to report that the sausage boys are still a damn fine rock 'n' roll band, and as well as being fine musicians they are also highly entertaining! 'The King' himself is a great frontman with a good line in banter. The often sausage themed songs are also good fun and get people dancing. There is nothing not to like here.

The venue itself is also better than many, although the toilet facilities leave something to be desired... No real ales at the bar unfortunately even though the venue is owned by a brewery. 😕  However, there is a reasonable selection of beers at the bar of varying strengths - although they aren't cheap considering the brewery are cutting out the middleman. Still, it's not a bad place to go and see a band on a Friday night.

18/4/2024 Jeff Moh Memorial Show @ Mau Mau Bar/Bar Love

Photographer Jeff Moh was a well known figure on our scene - frequently seen at gigs, and always sporting his signature look of black aviator shades and bandanna. Nikon in hand he would be down at the front getting all the best shots - while still wearing his shades - always the coolest looking photographer in the room. In fact, often the coolest guy in the room full stop. Always friendly, he seemed to know everyone! London's rock 'n' roll scene was deeply saddened to hear of his passing in November last year - Jeff was a friend to many of the bands, and not just rock bands - he was the official photographer for Osibisa. 😎

Originally from Borneo he was well travelled, but known mostly for his time in Berlin and then London where he spent 40 years building a reputation as a photographer. But there was a lot more to this modest man than that and he was involved in more dangerous things in other countries, but maybe those stories will remain untold...

As Jeff was a well loved character, particularly in the Ladbroke Grove area it was decided to organise an event to pay tribute to him. And appropriately it took place at one of his regular haunts - Mau Mau Bar as it used to be called. Sadly this cool little Portobello Road dive has since closed. Now reopened as a trendy cocktail/wine bar in the same location called Bar Love. Next best thing I guess as it's still in the same place Jeff used regularly hang out. As a tribute to Jeff attendees tonight are invited to wear their own shades and bandanna - a nice touch. I oblige, but I can't carry it off as smoothly as Jeff did. 😎

It being a Thursday night I struggle to get all the way to Ladbroke Grove after work and sadly miss Roxi and Greg from Glitter Kick😍 perform a short set in tribute to their friend Jeff. The place is packed when I arrive! Fortunately I am in time to see 🗲Electrics🗲

This band are very at home in this intimate venue as like with Jeff Moh this is a regular haunt of theirs and they are used to playing here.

As usual 🗲Electrics🗲 give a lively and entertaining performance of punk tinged edgy rock 'n' roll.🎸

Although this is a very much West London band there is a strong New York and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers vibe going down here - without resorting to copying or being a tribute band.

But the snotty punk attitude is very much in place, and the band only play their own original songs.

With song titles like 'No Shit' and 'Fuk U' and frontman Alan Blizzard often wearing a L.A.M.F. T-shirt you can tell where this band are coming from.

Punky attitude aside 🗲Electrics🗲 are basically a good rock 'n' roll band, and also a lot of fun!

The next band also have similar West London roots - in fact The Dirty Strangers and 🗲Electrics🗲 can often be found playing on the same bills - and both bands also have frontmen called Alan who go back many years as being great mates.

Another thing The Dirty Strangers and Electrics have is common is that they are both just basically rock 'n' roll bands. But that's fine, in fact it's all I need - because Mick, you say "It's only rock & roll but I like it" - but I don't like it - I fucking love it! And so do a lot of other people if all those dancing are anything to go by.

The thing about that used and abused term 'rock 'n' roll' is that it has been devalued by being applied to so many things and people that simple aren't. If you need a huge banner behind you saying "ROCK 'N' ROLL" to tell everyone that you are, then you almost certainly aren't. The Dirty Strangers don't need any banners. Like punk real rock 'n' roll is all about the spirit with which is played - and this band have it in spades! You only have to watch Alan Clayton fronting this band to see how much he totally loves what he is doing. This is the real thing.

And the rock 'n' roll isn't over yet as Taurus Trakker take to the stage. This is another band with close links to the Ladbroke Grove area. There seem to be a bit of a theme developing here: Portobello Road, rock 'n' roll, frontmen playing Telecasters, and Jeff Moh. 😎

This area of West London seems to be a bit of a rock 'n' roll outpost - after all - Lemmy used to live in Ladbroke Grove! 🂡 They might not be as loud or as fast as Motörhead, but Taurus Trakker are very much a rock 'n' roll band in the finest traditions and capture it's guitar based spirit well.🎸

I think the bands and crowd tonight did Jeff Moh proud - I think he would have been happy to see how much affection the local crew, and the London rock scene hold for him. The venue was packed, including many musicians - did I see an Only One or London Cowboy or two? He will be much missed by us all. Thanks for all the pictures Jeff.

13/4/2024 The Priscillas @ Walthamstow Trades Hall

Walthamstow Trades Hall may be a bit off the beaten track and not always easy to find if you haven't been there before, but it's actually one of East London's best venues for live music - and other events too. It's quite spacious inside, but not too big and barn like. Reasonable bar prices, and friendly staff who look like they are actually happy to be there too - it's the sort of place that makes you want to come back. Unlike London's many corporate venues - the vibe here is quite different. 😀

There is plenty of room to dance if that's your thing. And as the always entertaining Priscillas are playing here tonight then more people than usual will probably feel like dancing to their infectious rock 'n' roll beat.

But the Priscillas beat is actually slightly different tonight as the band's regular drummer is otherwise engaged, and the drum stool is occupied by former Molotovs drummer Ice Dob. This girl in no slouch behind the kit!

The band are a few miles East of their usual Holloway haunts, but appear just as at home here as anywhere else.

The dim lighting suits singer Jenny Drag's Catwoman style outfit tonight - lookout boys - she's got claws!

Taylor maintains the fact that the coolest person in most bands is actually the bass player.  Regular readers will know this is true. 😉

Although  it has to be said that the best named member of this band is guitarist Valkyrie. Which makes her sound like she should be in some sort of extreme metal band, but she's actually far more rock 'n' roll than that. 😎

The Priscillas are a lot of fun! They have a punky edge to them, while echoing the sounds of classic old school rock & roll and the sixties and seventies girl groups - probably not a million miles away from the same influences that shaped the sounds of the New York Dolls and Ramones. Which can only be a good thing!

If you go to a Priscillas show you are going to be entertained - whether you like it or not. And Walthamstow Trades Hall is a pretty good place to be entertained. There is nothing not to like here. 😃

The venue is in walking distance of the Victoria Line and the Night Tube, but as I wander about after the show I see there is a new Superloop bus service going right past the venue which means I don't even need to walk to the Victoria Line to get a train to get me home. And the new Superloop bus routes are much faster as they don't stop at every bus stop.