Psicle: December 2019

Wednesday night is the start of a three evening run of outings so I'm happy to meet Debbie, Becky and substitute Pete at 8pm in a pub in Dalston. After a drink we mosey on down to the Earth arts centre to catch the last few songs of Working Mens Club who dish out a great warming up set of shouty festival like east european traveller folky celtic vibes. Shouting through a megaphone too. We find a spot down the front at the side which is where we stay as a pretty good view, not crowded and not in the mosh. There's an eclectic bunch tonight which is just what you'd expect to be following Fat White Family who come on after the usual tweaking of guitar strings. They launch into a sublime set of bouncy punk heavy sleaze and good old rocking tunes with their own particular take on the more psychedelic side of rock like the wayward offspring of Gong. Yes I know I've just seen them so will think that everyone else sounds like them (not so for Friday's gig) but what with the controlled shambolic nature of FWF and making use of uplifting flute and crashing sax I think it's a fair comparison. Of course the singer is as animated as usual and goes for a stroll or rather roll across the audience at one point. We have an odd spot where one of the band sings a very slow quiet country folk number to be honest not that well and you can hardly hear cos everyone is chatting. Nevertheless an excellent gig which made me feet shuffle and me head nod. Not bad for an old bloke.

Thursday sees me meet my mate Shaun (Highbury and band botherer from the early 90s) and son Jack and Simon's son Tom at Highbury and Islington and after a pizza we approach the fortress like Ashburton Grove aka Emirates stadium. Fortress like on the outside, not so much on the inside. I have 4 club level seats which I got in a charity raffle for a reasonable price. Reasonable for normal seats but amazing for club. The bouncers are apologetic frisking us and we are given complimentary programmes by the smiling hostesses dressed as Emirates Airlines air hostesses. The bar has no queue and after a quick one we take our seats with squashy seats and a brilliant view. Pity the football, sorry, this is The Arsenal vs Brighton and Hove Albion match, is so woeful. Brighton played pretty well but to be fair I think I would have looked like a reasonable striker. And I was always a full back. We go in 1 nil down at half time and the free beer does little to take the edge off things. We get a quick equaliser so hopes are high. Then take the lead but ruled off side by bloody VAR. The first 15 minutes or so we're fairly good closing down players and running in the right direction. But then hopes are dashed with their 2nd and even with 15 minutes to go there wasn't a lot of belief by Gooners. Afterwards we grab another drink, which Jack has to pay for, to avoid the crowds meaning we can waltz into Arsenal tube (I love that they renamed Gillespie Road station after the club) and hear each other moaning about our deficiencies. Ah well, there's always next week. And next season. Let's hope Freddie does instill a bit of Invincibles mental strength into this side but I worry that they've spent too long playing like they're not respecting the badge.

Friday I wake early slightly hungover and depressed mulling through the ifs and maybes from yesterday. My mood doesn't improve all day so with a heavy heart I step out into the damp late afternoon air to meet Shaun and work colleagues in Vauxhall. After a nice chat in the pub we head to Camden Town where we have to pop into the Elephant's Head for a quick one before landing at the legendary Dingwalls for our gig which is the reason Shaun is down in London Town. We catch the last half song by Arndales which are not worthy of a bold text format cos I only saw half a song. And that was waiting at a crazily packed bar. We squeeze to the front which as usual is not as busy as half way back and soon Mclusky* take the stage to rapturous applause. Now I'm not exactly a fan but that's more to do with not knowing their stuff than not liking them. And it seems that it's the closest I'm getting to Future of the Left which I thought I'd seen but blog says I keep missing them. Anyways the three piece go straight into a very raucous and energetic set of fast directly in your face songs some shorter than the average on the Ramones debut. And as fast. A lot of chat from the stage with a fair bit of banter between the group and with us out there. We have a couple of guests on bass as the bassist walks out over the audience then hangs by his feet from a bar (see video from 53 minutes on - very entertaining) and then on guitar cos the song needs two guitars. Me and Shaun are bouncing around with the best of them and don't we just feel it the next day. Anyways tonight is tonight and we're just enjoying the hard coredness of the band along with quite a few other moshers. All too soon it ends as there is a 10pm curfew I guess to open for a club night. Shaun and I step out into the cool Camden air which chills me as I'm so hot and sweaty. In fact it's a small venue and there was sweat dripping off the ceiling. I've not seen that for a while. We are refused entry to the Elephant's Head as we don't have ID which these days isn't for age. Credit and Oyster cards don't work (Olly unsuccessfully tried the latter in Brixton a while back) but the Oxford Arms bouncer is less stringent with us two but refuses another couple of blokes our age. Odd. Anyway the policy means it's nice and quiet and we can sit down/ Then it's off to the Hawley Arms where we sweet talk the bouncers into letting us in and slouch down on the big sofas. And then to home. Cheers Shaun. Good call tonight and a better result than yesterday. Here's the gig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJ4jt6I_oA