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Camden Crawl 2007
Once a year, Camden turns even more insane than it's already is. For the first time this year, due to it's huge success in the past, the Camden Crawl is held as a two-day event, and the change couldn't have come at a better point in time. Having recently tunred again into the preferred part of town for everyone cool, young and successful in music, Camden was buzzing throughout the 19th and 20th of April, with people who didn't know what's going on shaking their heads in sheeer bewilderment about the crazyness of it all.
Once a year, Camden turns even more insane than it's already is. For the first time this year, due to it's huge success in the past, the Camden Crawl is held as a two-day event, and the change couldn't have come at a better point in time. Having recently tunred into the preferred part of town for everyone cool, young and successful in music again, Camden was buzzing throughout the 19th and 20th of April, with people who didn't know what's going on shaking their heads in sheeer bewilderment about the crazyness of it all.
Thursday, 19th April 2007
As mixed as the crowd was in most venues, they all had one thing in coming: queueing for the biggest part of the day. It all started with collecting the wristbands on Thursday afternoon, with waiting times up to an hour during the first rush of people, and this day of the festival hadn't even sold out.
Our first stop that day was the Electric Ballroom to see Kid Harpoon (in hindsight thankfully skipping the secret Babychambles gig at Studio 88, which ended in a, well, shambles). Having walked past the Electric Ballroom an hour before, but deciding to have a pint at The Hawley Arms instead concidering the queue in front of the venue, I was more than surprised by the fact that 10 minutes before the band started their set, we were able to walk right in and find the venue half empty. It has to be said that everyone who was not there missed out. Kid Harpoon with his gypsi Indie rock, comparable to the Holloways or Larrikin Love, is the next big thing coming from this scene. His catchy tunes and wonderful lyrics had the crowd in an ecstatic frenzy only after a few songs. And when London newcomer Kate Nash joined them on stage for one of their songs, it felt like the roof would be blown away any second. Keep an eye on those guys!
The highlight of the day was definitely Calvin Harris, though, making the owners of the Cuban Bar fear about their venue being torn to peices by overly enthusiastic fans. Having scored a Top 10 hit this year with "Acceptable in the 80s" and currently producing some tracks for Kylie Minogue, Calvin Harris i certainly one of the newcomers of the year. The people at the show witnessed electronica's finest tunes mixed with ludicrous but memorable lyrics. Halfway through the set the bar was bouncing and sweat was dripping from the ceiling.
My last stop for the night was the legendary Koko where the even more legendary The Damned were headlining. Looking as old-school punk rock as possible, they played an extensive set featuring most of their hits and certainly pleased their fans, dressed just as old-school as their heroes (that night, I probably spotted the tallest Mohawk I've ever seen in my life). It wasn't the revelation that I hoped it would be but they played a solid set and proved that they still had it. And by that point I defnitely need some sleep before the crawling would continue the next day...
Friday, 20th April 2007
If you thought the queues had been big on the first day, you were in for a surprised. With Friday being sold out, it seemed like most festival goers favourite pastime was called "Who can get into any of the venues in under an hour".
After having to give up on first Kate Nash at the Electric Ballroom, and then Pull Tiger Tail at Barfly, since we were still queueing when they were halfway through their set, we ventured back to the Electric Ballroom, which for once that night, didn't have queue in front of it. Once inside knew why. Not really caring who we were going to see, only hungry for some live music, we got to witness the performance of The Kissaway Trail. One doesn't need many words to descirbe this British version of mainstream Emo. Lame, is quite enough.
Midlly disappointed we headed on to the Oh!Bar to get a look at Your Code Name Is: Milo. And wonder do happen, there was no queue in front of the club. Usually not really a typical venue for Camden's Indie kids, Oh!Bar got a taste of a different crowd, being the Kerrang! promoted venue for the Crawl. The venue was packed, probably the had been hyped by every single msuic publication in the country. When the band started their set, with the singer sporting a pair of ridiculously fabulous white sunglasse, one soon realised that this will be a crowd pleaser. Having the sound that you would expect from a Kerrang! event (it blew your ears off!) they soon had the crowd dancing and moshing wildly. But although the people loved them, it didn't hide the fact that they were merely mediocre.
And again my last stop for the night led me to Koko, which probably sported the biggest queue for the whole two days that night. The Charlatans were headlining and it seemed that the whole of London wanted to see them. Feeling just slightly guilty for being on the guestlist, I got inside just after they had started their set (yes, there was even a small queue for the people on the guestlist), I got a good look from one of the balconies at the crazy crowd downstairs. Koko was full to the brim with the people inside being hardly able to move (this might have been because other than normal it weren't the skinny Indie boys who made up most of the crowd, but balding middle-aged men reliving their youth). But no matter what, this show was definitely worth queueing or not being able to breath. With the band as enthusiastic as ever, and an incredibly youthful looking Tim Burgess (this man must have sold his soul to the devil!), they played a set full of hits like "NYC" and "North Country Boy" (which was dedicated by Tim to his close friend Carl Barat). This was definitely a worthy ending of the two-day madness that is the Camden Crawl.
It is messy, boozy and crazy, but the Camden Crawl is an event you definitely shouldn't miss next year. That is, if you don't mind queueing...
http://www.myspace.com/kidharpoon
http://www.myspace.com/katenashmusic
http://www.myspace.com/calvinharristv
http://www.myspace.com/thecharlatans
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