Yesterday was the Rome Burns gig in Camden…the day started out wrestling with British Rail (or whatever they’re called these days) trying to get a ticket, of the two machines at the station one wouldn’t accept notes, the other wouldn’t give change. So I had to queue for a ticket at the single open window. Behind someone who was trying to organise a day trip for his family of five from gravesend to frant.
I watched the time counting down the arrival, then departure of my train….finally getting to the platform as the guard was blowing his whistle to let the train leave, but there was time to sneak onto the train behind him.
Welcome to England, where it is a good job the trains don’t run on time ‘cos we make it real hard for you to buy tickets quickly.
The heart has been ripped out of Camden market, they’ve already broken the thing that made it great by replacing all the ramshackle little stalls with glass and pine monsters. And theres Costa Coffee and Starbucks littering the place now.
I found evilmandykinz lurking upstairs, so joined her for a while before heading on to the Worlds End to try to catch up with the boys. After a quick detour via the Dev (gods do they play some cheesy music there or what?) with Stoo we met with a bunch of people in the usual milling around before the gig way. Good to see Alan, it must have been years, he’s now running some dark dance club on Brick Lane which sounds pretty cool.
Downstairs to the gig itself, Rome Burns were on first. Their sound has improved dramatically while I’ve been away, which is great to hear. Their guitars are much tighter than they were before, but, if anything, that leaves you thinking they more need a real bassist. Theres still a lot of power in those guitars though, and it’ll carry them far. Simons banter is getting better too, and it was good to see some enthusiasm in the crowd. Mike joined them for a song, providing some more depth to the chorus….which worked really well, I hope they’ve done that kind of thing for the new album…
Next up were Devilish Presley, who I’ve heard many good things about but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. They were the standard goth two guys (well, a guy and a girl) and a drum machine configuration, which I thought we’d all gotten bored with five years ago when Rosetta Stone took that to its logical conclusion, surely they can’t bring anything new? Wrong! This is guitar driven dark psychobilly. I love it! Its gotta be loud and lively and hell can they play the audience. What is it about girls playing sparkly basses? Theres something really powerful. Her voice could probably do with a little training, or perhaps just a little more confidence, shes a great backing singer but somehow a little weak on her own.
Following were Demeter, and it was time to retire to somewhere a little quieter to catch up with everyone. They were followed by a poet/drum machine combo who, while listenable were a little out of context. Andi Sex Gang didn’t do much better, bringing only an accoustic guitar to go with his poetry.
Things aren’t going to improve, I’m getting tired and hungry, so its time head off. The train at Charing Cross was just departing as I arrived, but I made it to the platform in time. So I had to get some food when I got back to Tonbridge…smalltown england is really quite intimidating at pub kicking out time, the place is full of little groups of loutish guys shouting at each other.
