Organic lager, a super-friendly vibe and a Madchester moment for folk music: these are the memories of my evening at the Green Note in Camden. Find this bijou music bar/restaurant by heading up Parkway, away from the clamour of Camden Market, just at the point where the verdant sanity of Regent’s Park can be…
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Of all the train stations in London to find yourself in with time to spare, St Pancras is the most pleasant. A few shops, wine bars, artisan type food outlets, and occasional announcements in French – and I discovered Orlando Seale and the Swell were entertaining the crowds. There’s even more going on at the…
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Phildel used her surroundings of St Pancras Old Church to create a mixed media experience, instead of simply performing her songs – this was an inspired move. This tiny church has a rich history and amongst those buried in its churchyard are a vampire writer, a composer and a sculptor. It clings to the edge of the glitzy…
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What a transformation for the flamboyant musician King Charles. Last year I saw him perform in a church in Hackney, where a polite crowd clustered round the stage, supping wine and swaying gently. A year on, and he’s headlining at Shepherd’s Bush. The place seems rammed to the rafters with the most excited crowd I’ve…
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Phildel is more than a singer songwriter, she’s a multi-talented performer whose artistry permeates every aspect of her work. So I was keen to buy the physical CD of The Disappearance of the Girl and enjoy the art work and read the lyrics. Sometimes I just think, damn those soulless downloads: music without its history. For Phildel,…
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Bush Hall, with its its rich red velvet drapes, majestic chandeliers and upstairs bar with viewing gallery is opulence in miniature. Such swagger for such a tiny place. This Sunday eve is Mixellaneous Melodies, and true to its name, it’s a very random mix of artists who play to a relaxed weekend crowd. Ozzie band…
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We saw ahab at King’s Place as part of the King’s Cross venue’s folk sessions. Just for the record, Ahab (upper-case) are a German funeral doom-metal outfit – to be remembered when googling them. ahab (lower case) saunter on stage at King’s Place. First on is Callum Anderson, playing the first few chords of a beautiful-sounding…
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New Year’s Eve 2012. I asked various people how they intended to celebrate. Mostly, it seemed, this was to be the year of the “quiet night in”. How boring, I thought. I need to go out and do some dancing, maybe rolling back home as dawn creeps in. I’ve always been drawn to The Trades,…
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The Troubadour at Earls Court. Upstairs is the quirky coffee house and restaurant which I don’t think has changed in appearance since I first visited it in the 70s. Downstairs is a venue at the heart of London’s music scene, a cramped cellar which has seen the likes of Bob Dylan grace its stage. Last night…
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The Little Noise Sessions in aid of Mencap are now into their seventh year. Curated by Jo Whiley, the gigs take place over six or so nights, with a choice of lineups designed to please most music lovers. The artists give their time free to the Mencap charity, which is struggling with the government’s further cuts…
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