Camden Crawl

By Matthew Hitt and Michael Bateson-Hill

Thank God for Global warming; It’s mid –April and London’s Burning.

We’ve fetched our wristbands from the back of Sainsbury’s and there’sfive hours to burn before the first band comes on. Camden, the indie

Mecca, is swarming with its resident freaks and hipsters but todaythey’ve been invaded by a glut of guitars, synths, drums and haircuts.

13:15 – 18:10 Much drinking at the Lock. Discussions include theprice of lager, homelessness and who’s a sexier frontwoman: Beth Ditto or Karen O?

18:13 There’s lots of lines to join at the Camden Crawl. Pushing in is officially the new queuing up.

18:15 Cajun Dance Party: A Lanky bob Dylan look-alike in yellow trousers fronts danceable indie pop. Not many people dance though.

18:37 We spot a plaid-clad Jack Penate leading a troop of hangers-on down the high street; presumably in search of a Ginsters pork pie.

18:45 Shout Out Louds: Cure esq. gloom Pop in the shape of scandirockers who fuse bittersweet lyrics with waves of guitars and chimingkeyboards.

19:30 Kid Harpoon. With a newly acquired band of merry men behindhim, he fails to please us and only now do we realise he’s a sort of Billy Bragg impersonator.

20:45 Jack Penate: Most certainly the highlight of the Crawl, Jackkeeps it nice and simple with his own brand of rockabilly soul. He woos the women with his dance moves; one of which makes him look like he’s trying to fan his crotch with his knees.

21:13 A drunken Suggs is spotted clinging to a lamppost.

21:15 Malcolm Middleton/Kitty Daisy and Lewis: Mike wonders off to see a grumpy Scot armed with angsty pub rock lyrics whilst Matt jives to the youngest Rock n Rollers in London.

22:30 Kids in Glasshouses: Putting a South Walian boyband in frontof a Camden pub crowd is desperately unfair. Their sickly sweet

Americana-pop punk prompts one crowd member to get his nob out. It’s the second one we’ve seen today.

22:52 A woozy Matt leers at Lauren Laverne.

23:15 Ash: Certainly not ashamed to bash out the hits, 90’s anthem

Girl from Mars from leaves the crowd dying for more from the indie-poplegends. Genius!!!

23:53 Grindie legend Statik is spotted checking himself out in themirror in the gents of the Electric Ballroom

00:00 Lots of middle-class indie kids pretending to like Dizzee

Rascal? It must be the Lethal Bizzle DJ set !

02:00 We smile affectionately, while a tramp throws up on the nightbus, and agree that the Camden Crawl is brilliant.