The Smyths play Read the Fanzine at Bar Monsta, Camden on
Thursday 12th October 2006
Lineup: The Smyths,
Deathstar Preview
Jean
The Thought Criminals Myspace Page
Deathstar Preview (now Falon) Myspace Page
Jean Myspace Page
The Leather Exchange was short lived. One of the "Neighbours" (bearing in mind that the nearest residential property was a good distance away) complained about the noise of our gig and generally started a vendetta against the venue. Indeed when the council came down to investigate they told Peter that all sound had to be contained within the pub. He'd no choice but to cancel our booking.
One of the bands I had to cancel for the September night who were called Frightened Rabbit suggested I come and see them at another gig in a new venue in Camden called Bar Monsta.
| "The venue was actually closer to Camden Town tube than the Dublin Castle" |
The venue was actually closer to Camden Town tube than the Dublin Castle (I even counted the steps to make sure!) it was a good size without being too big, had a brilliant PA system and looked like it could be an ideal venue for Read the Fanzine.
In fact the only real problems I could see was that they didn't sell draught beers, and they are on the street leading to Kentish Town which never seems to have many pedestrians on it.
| "It was like something out of a film, a few rough looking blokes standing at the bar, I asked to speak to Mick and they lead me through to this room where I met this big biker dude" |
I got in touch and it's owner Mick asked me to come down for a meeting. It was like something out of a film, a few rough looking blokes standing at the bar, I asked to speak to Mick and they lead me through to this room where I met his big biker dude. I admit I was scared.
As it turned out, initial appearances were deceptive and Mick is a very decent bloke (though you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him, I've seen him pick up and eject people who'd had one drink too many).
| "I had to make up 50% of any shortfall in takings" |
The hire fee was only £80 on a Thursday night, but there was a bar guarantee. Normally they took about £1,500 on a Thursday night at the bar, so I had to make up 50% of any shortfall in takings. Worst case scenario, if nobody turned up it would cost me £750 + the £80 hire fee, but I was willing to take that risk.
We needed someone who would pull a good crowd and launch the night at what I hoped to be it's long term home with a bit of a bang.
I'd come across a Smiths tribute band called The Smyths. I've never been a fan of tribute acts, but there's something about The Smiths that I feel bizarrely lends itself to a tribute act.
I had a word with them,and although they were more expensive than any band I'd ever booked, I thought it was better to spend more money on the band than spend it on the bar guarantee! After all, they'd sold out the Dublin Castle a few months before.
Additionally I wanted to get Deathstar Preview back - they were good at The Progress Bar, but I was keen to see them in a proper venue with a decent sound system - and they did sound great on the night!
| "I don't believe in the term "guilty pleasure" I mean if something gives you pleasure then why should you feel guilty just because other people don't approve?" |
I also came across a band called Jean who I was worried were perhaps a bit too pop. I don't believe in the term "guilty pleasure" I mean if something gives you pleasure then why should you feel guilty just because other people don't approve? Never the less, it would be fair to describe this band as a guilty pleasure.
Around that time we'd bought a café in Covent Garden, and whilst we were making good progress, we'd got off to a bad start and were struggling a little bit.
| "Why am I doing this?" |
After being up at 5.30am to pre-cook and clean the grease off the Bacon, doing a full day at the café, and the prospect of doing the same on the Friday, I kept asking myself "Why am I doing this?" on my way to the venue.
But by the time the first band took to the stage I got that buzz that made it all worthwhile.
During the sound checks people were coming in asking to buy tickets - a good sign!
| "(I was) impressed when he turned up in full Mozzer garb" |
I expected the lead singer of The Smyths to turn up in normal garb, go to the toilet and come out looking like Mozz - a la Stars in their eyes, but was quite impressed when he turned up in full Mozzer garb!
By opening time there was already a long queue out the door, and no sign of Sherri! I gave her a ring - turned out she was having problems parking. To say I was having kittens was an understatement,
It was good to see Kirlian and his mates from The Thought Criminals making their way down, at last it looked like we were on to a formula that would bring the many people who'd told us they'd had their best night out in ages, back again and again.
Jean
Jean were a bit of an unusual band. They seemed very polished in their myspace songs for a band about to play their first live gig at our night. Their style seemed to be made up of various 80s bands.
It turned out they weren't quite the new band we thought they were! The lead singer had been in a boy band called Bad Boys Inc who apparently did well until Take that came along. Other members of the band had been involved in other signed bands, producing Shaking Stevens new album and stuff like that, and they were also a ten grand a night corporate entertainment 80s generic tribute act, and blondie tribute act. Now it all made sense!
They brought a good crowd with them including a few industry people. Their set sounded great and went down really well.
It was good to get Deathstar Preview back after their rushed set at The Progress Bar. What a difference a decent PA system made to their sound! Don't get me wrong, they sounded great at The Progress Bar, but at Bar Monsta they sounded very good indeed. What a shame they never quite made the big time. They were bubbling under for quite a while and pulled good crowds wherever they went.
The Smyths
The Symths where such a good band in their own right that even Smiths haters thought they were great. It made me realise that whilst I'd been hoping for a Smiths reunion, what I really wanted was to see The Smiths as they were in the 80s. I saw Moz at a festival a couple of years ago and it didn't really work for me, but this was probably as close as we were ever likely to get to seeing The Smiths playing live in their prime.
Meanwhile Mick bought me a beer, it turned out that there had been such a good turnout that they'd sold out of cider and lager and had to rush down the cash and carry to get replenishments. I'd reached my minimum bar spend - and then some!
| "they'd underestimated me" |
When the band came off stage Mick's lead me into his room and told me that they'd underestimated me - me being a fairly quiet bloke, they expected me to put up a myspace page and be surprised when big crowds didn't descend. It wasn't his kind of music but he enjoyed the night all the same, and was keen for me to do another night, well how could I refuse? I decided to book 1st December and cancel 2nd December at Dublin Castle.
Tris had a mate who was a DJ and apparently a bit of a draw. But during the 2 or 3 songs he played whilst I was talking to Mick, a packed venue became half a dozen people! Apparently he played a Smiths song to start off with, maybe not a good idea straight after a Smiths tribute act, but hey maybe people just needed to go and catch their tube.
| "It's not often the promoter is down the front going mental" |
I got home about 1.30am and just as I was putting the key in the lock I received a text message from Graham aka Moz, "It's not often the promoter is down the front going mental, it was a great night and that was possibly one of our best performances so far, if we can play for you again let us know".
A perfect end to a perfect evening!
I was tired on the Friday, but the memories of the night before kept me going. This was perhaps the golden period of Read the Fanzine - 3 great nights on the trot, all in their own way.
Read on: December at Bar Monsta, Camden with The Filthy Tongues