Read the Fanzine at Bar Monsta, Camden on
Friday 1st December 2006
Lineup: The Thought Criminals
K*** and the Gang,
Weightloss
The Filthy Tongues
The Thought Criminals Myspace Page
K*** And The Gang (Over 18s) Myspace Page
Weightloss Myspace Page
The Filthy Tongues Myspace Page
After the success of the first Bar Monsta night I was keen to do another and build up that relationship. I was going to cancel the Dublin Castle gig but Tris offered to take it over so that worked out well.
It was always going to be hard to follow the success of that first night at Bar Monsta - Jean turned out to be better known than we thought, Deathstar Preview were one of the elite lesser known bands that can pull a crowd, and The Smyths were popular, but I couldn't think of a tribute act for another band I'd want to book.
| " It was £7 to get in on a Sunday night and the venue was packed." |
We'd seen The Thought Criminals headline a gig at Underworld in Camden a couple of weeks after The Leather Exchange gig. It was £7 to get in on a Sunday night and the venue was packed.
The 1st support was a ska band called Weightloss. They were really good, and importantly the same people were going mental to both bands, and kirlian said they were always keen to play gigs, so I booked both bands to play in the hope that it was a winning formula that would bring in a decent crowd.
I'd been a big fan of Goodbye Mr Mackenzie back in the mid 80s ever since I saw them play The Rattler on The Chart Show, Indie Week (with Shirley Manson on backing vocals - much better than the later release on Parlophone).
The core of the band were in a new band called The Filthy Tongues with a new lead singer. Their songs on myspace sounded great so I'd approached them a while back and they finally said yes to playing the night!
| "The Filthy Tongues had to go on first which was a travesty as they really should have headlined." |
Of course it took a bit of organisation on their part to come down to London from Edinburgh and to keep travelling costs to a minimum, they decided to take the train which meant they couldn't bring any equipment. I asked the other bands to do some equipment share which worked out ok, but it did mean that The Filthy Tongues had to go on first which was a travesty as they really should have headlined.
As a bit of a curve ball, I'd been looking at comedians when we were in the Leather Exchange, turning the night into a sort of modern day variety show. I'd been keeping an eye on an act called "K*** and the Gang" who had "single of the week" in NME with a single I daren't mention the name of.
| "Most of his songs are about masturbation and he comes on stage to a Gary Glitter backing track whilst getting out a fake penis." |
Most of his songs are about masturbation and he comes on stage to a Gary Glitter backing track whilst getting out a fake penis. Highbrow he's not!
But I figured it was the Christmas night, right at the start of party season, people had just been paid, so the night was to kick off with a criminally under exposed experienced band, followed by some good time Ska, a few songs about masturbation and finish the night Leather Exchange style with a tongue in cheek lyric good time party band.
Well that was the idea!
It was great to meet Martin Metcalfe and the gang and I only wished I could have given them the headline slot. He reminisced about the last time he played London was supporting Debbie Harry at The Brixton Academy at the height of their success, where they had several stylists on demand (I could only offer a loan of my comb) and catering staff (I could stretch to a bag of nuts).
There was a good crowd by the time they took to the stage and their set went down well.
The Filthy Tongues playing Nae Tongues
Live at Read the Fanzine, Bar Monsta
When they finished a number of people who had obviously just come to see them started to leave the venue. Unfortunately those that hung around to see what the next band started to drift away as Weightloss's set were plagued by equipment problems.
Weightloss playing Ebb and Flow Live at Camden Underworld
K*** and the Gang promo video for F**KSTICKS!
There were still an okish sized crowd when K and The Gang came out, but it was quite sparse. There was a smile on practically everyone's face in the room for most of his set, with the notable exception of Mick who demanded that the set be cut short.
The Thought Criminals promo for single "Dirty Electro"
By the time The Thought Criminals were ready to play, there was hardly anyone left to play to, and they were worse for wear. They'd played in the Dublin Castle the week before so chances are their fans and mates went to see them there instead.
All in all what started off as a good night, ended up as a complete anti-climax, not to mention a big financial loss and didn't exactly help in getting into the venue's good books.
Read on: December at Dublin Castle, Camden