Wombles, commons, windmills & wimbling

Another month, another visit by Bruce. You've ventured into London for the last 3 months which must be the most since the late 80s. After a brisk walk around the Tooting Commons (there are 2 of them - Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common and Bruce, I was wrong in which was where as I've just googled it) I stir up a stir fry and we say goodbye to Debbie who's working an overnight shift at the local hospice. Left to our own devices Bruce and I cruise the Balham pubs and like Goldilocks find that one is uncomfortable as too many young folk, one uncomfortable as too loud and crowded and one is just right with a good mix of people and plenty of material for people watching. Unfortunately the just right one was the 2nd we got to. In order that's The Devonshire, The Balham Bowls Club and the Bedford. 

Saturday sees us successfully trawling the charity shops where we get trousers for Bruce and a birthday present for Pete. After a hearty brunch with Debbie who's back we cycle off to the Plough Lane Cherry Red Stadium for a "just above relegation zone clash" between AFC Wimbledon (one of my many teams and I have the "shareholder" scarf to prove it tho no brick on the wall) and Shrewsbury Town Bruce's childhood team. Luckily the have the same home kit so his granny knitted scarf from 1975 blends into the Wimbledon supporters where we're sat. It's an exciting match with lots of atmosphere greatly helped by a sell out crowd including at the Salop end who have brought a drummer with them. Ended in a 1 all draw which I begrudgingly admit was a fair result. If we'd hoofed the ball into their area more we would have won. We cycle home swapping bikes as Bruce can't seem to ride Debbie's old Dutch without the chain coming off. Mind you the one I renovated and painted Wimbledon Blue does need care turning corners as the wheel hits your foot. Once home we have a delicious stew made by Debs before she goes off for another over nighter, hospice not clubbing, and Bruce and me gear ourselves up for the big night out...

We cycle without incident to the Brixton Windmill pub, next the actual windmill, and sit at our usual spot at a table with a view of the stage. Well, as long as no more than 2 are stood on the dance floor. Pete arrives and is obviously very touched by our present a CD by Goldie Looking Chain with the classic Your Missus is a Nutter. Tonight's music turns out to be a little more eclectic. Soon Daisy & the Dead Heads take the stage who are standard drummer in odd hat, stylish bassist, stylish in a different way singer guitarist and moody all in black guitarist. They are all great musicians and a pretty tight band. What is a typical South London laid back post indie vibe (although I find out they are from east London) with the twangier side of FWFB and ending with a great upbeat folky Irish indie number. Excellent start which we could all agree on. Next are The Others which are billed as a "Josef Kurtz improv band" and improv is the word. This isn't the well known band called The Others (Bruce and Pete would wish it was) and funnily enough the Wimbledon "scores around the grounds" announcer refers to the MK Dons as "the other team".  Back to the music. The band are made up of 2 guitarists, a bassist (I think - he seemed to be sitting on the floor at the back of the stage), a very long keyboard with player, a synth knob twiddler who I think is Josef, a singer / wailer, celloist and a saxophonist. They start with a few minutes of scratchy cello which I wonder is them trying to tune up but then the rest of the band gradually join in. Difficult to know how good they all are as it was indeed an improvised set and often a cacophony of noise. I know it's my go to comparison but they sounded a lot like Hawkwind. Not their songs but the weird synthy bits between their songs on albums. Or a some of the stranger Gong tracks and at times edging towards The Good Missionaries (if you don't know them that's the Alternative TV offshoot for greater weirdness than you find with ATV which is saying something). Needless to say half an hour of weird sych meanderings left me clapping for more, Bruce moaning it wasn't rock and roll and Pete muttering "come back Black Midi all is forgiven". The band come off stage and wander through the audience. Next band up are... the same folk but with a drummer. They launch into a very free form improv jazz like number which morths into another psychout with the previous song's keyboardist taking over vocals giving it his all by shouting lyrics seemingly from a book he has open from the front monitors and then into the crowd. Very entertaining again. Didn't convince Bruce and Pete tho. After they finish a bloke (young of course) asks us what we thought of them. I enthuse and try to teach him about Gong (he thought I was going on about god). His verdict was that they'd be better with a load of mandys (or mandrax a heavy barbiturate). Probably right. After a breath of fresh air (literally, not another band) we come in for the headliner and apparently album launch band. Ava and are a drummer and a pianist / keyboardist / singer. The 3rd band on the bill, Export Import Ltd., I don't think turned up so I assume this is Ava. They range from melodic tunes to full on bangers but after the last band they are either a little too tame for me or not rock enough to bring round Bruce and Pete has to go and Bruce and I follow soon after. To be fair Ava were very popular and we had to stand on chairs to see them but didn't grab each of us a great deal. Cycle ride home all OK then to bed.

Sunday Debbie returns from work and Bruce and I do a slightly different tour of the commons and Tooting Bec station. After another decent early lunch Bruce is off back up to the Midlands. Great weekend...

Shrewsbury playing in the Dulwich Hamlet strip

Oh by the way, which one's Daisy?

The Others - not sure why such a poor shot

Another, just cos I liked them

Ava I assume

New Year Old Pub

Bruce arrives New Year's Eve ready for the Big Not Locked Down Party Night. After hellos and a substantial meal we (me, Debbie, Bruce) cycle up to the Windmill (where else on NYE) where after blagging our way past the strict Covid entry rules and having heat tests where we meet Pete and Wendy who had an even more eventful Covid Entry Test Experience including showing a positive test result. Once inside all evidence that we are in the middle of a pan(ic)demic are thankfully lost. We seat ourselves next to the Old Regulars table and get a few looks from the young uns who are obviously wondering if we are old regulars, the artistes parents or ageing hipsters. The latter is of course correct which the young uns will see once we start grooving as you will see a little later on. The line up has changed since first announced but who cares. First up is a single woman, well, single on stage, she may be in a relationship for all I know, who sings to backing tracks and then picks up her guitar and ends her short set on a high. Sarah Meth has one of those winsome voices that I'm a sucker for especially with a downbeat guitar and she makes me long for another chance to see Katie Crutchfield. It's a great way to start the evening - a nice slow burner. 

Next up are the main band of the night KEG. They are a 7 piece who have bags of energy and get the crowd jumping like it's the last party of a year when we've all been locked up inside. Umm, yeah. The front singer looks like he should be playing rugby league (according to Bruce who knows these northern references) but sings like a proper hard hitting indie band vocalist. There's a long haired exuberant keyboardist who shares singing. Two guitarists, bass and drums keep the sound together. And a great trombonist who gives the sound a playful fast punky folk infused vibe to the band. KEG are high energy loud brash and brilliant. They meander off into bits of what sound improvised but which is great but when they come together they are all just so on the mark with no dropped beats or notes it's so impressive. They are a lot like the present day Squid with their jerky sound and shouted vocals. Plus that trombone. But they certainly aren't a Squid wannabe and in some ways their weirder side is, well, weirder and exuberant than a lot of other stuff around at the moment. They want the audience to party and are quite happy to have their monitor speakers tumbled over by those falling on the stage. So if the harder edge of Talking Heads and Devo with the deeper side of The Fall with a sprinkling of Hawkwind quarky strangeness is what charms you then go see KEG. The kids love them!

The last act is going to bring us into the new year and of course Debbie's birthday. It's a drag artist called Ash Kenazi who has fabulously high hair and it turns out a very skimpy bikini. They serenade us and play the violin in a cabaret type performance whilst strutting about including into the audience. Half way through we have the big countdown, which hasn't always been recognised at the Windmill, and everyone jumps around hugging and kissing and saying Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Debs. Our group's excitement shows that we are indeed closer to the hip young things than the Old Regulars. A stint in the garden follows the excitement and then back inside but the promised karaoke and disco have only a few takers and as it's now the early hours we part company with Pete and Wendy whilst me Debbie and Bruce negotiate an uneventful ride home. Post script to Ash is that it turns out that they are the drummer in Happyness who are a very downbeat shoegazing band I've seen a few times and very good they are too. Probably just as well Ash was counting us down into 2022 rather then their band.

The new year brings presents for Debbie then we three cycle to the south bank to people and skateboarder watch before coming back for dinner and to watch a dodgy film. Oh, we took some good pictures at the still derelict Cricketers pub at the Oval. Next day me Chris and Bruce go see Dulwich Hamlet who lose once again in front of Bruce. Then Bruce flees London for the relatively Covid free East Midlands. Great weekend.

OK - as it's a new year you are treated to a few snaps of punters rather than just the bands...

Sarah Meth - addictive?

or inflammable?

Hats mullets and dodgy moustaches seem to be in vogue. Fashion not style.

KEGoing for it

Ash in full flow

Ash flowing

Bruce gives a hand or two

This is no time for larking around

Wendy hiding behind Pete

Young love Old pub Strange writings (especially the lower left)