Let's Submerge

Having had a tip off that Bathing Suits are the "secret" band on tonight I get free tickets with added interest that not been to the Old Blue Last for a long long time. In the end anyone was let in with or without a ticket and Bathing Suits were announced well before the day. After my cycle down from north London I lock up the bike and go up to the gig room where I get a drink which I confusingly think it free as the woman at the bar doesn't ask me to pay. I later have to shell out though. First up are The Kitchen Sink Band an industrial noise with I think various members on the mic telling jokes. At least I assume they are as the packed audience is mostly laughing at them. They then settle down with their instruments and the cacophony morphs into an electronic Krautrock influenced set with guitar that speaks, or sounds, to the London alternative scene. By this time Pete and Wendy have arrived and due to further confusion I have to pay for my pint. Outside we chat and check out the local east London fashions before coming back in for Bathing Suits. As they take the stage their presence is felt especially the tall long blonde haired vocalist. Musically they are intense, punky and white hot with the vocalist  furiously head banging. We get into a hard funk punky metal electronic dance vibe not unlike LCD SS if James Murphy had taken a lead from British late 70s discos fusing punk funk disco and reggae instead of hanging around Studio 54 (which I assume he did?)  Anyways they are going down very well and rightly so. A few youngsters bopping around at the front which to be fair they were doing for TKSB too. It's a fantastically energetic set and well worth the bus fare and entrance price. They are great and we are treated to the singer going into the bopping youngsters then running to the back of the crowd much to the consternation of the ageing bloke next to me who nearly had his pint spilt. On that point the crowd does have a fair few over 40s, indeed over 50s and beyond, here which is different to the usual London crowd at such venues. Maybe the lure of a free gig and being able to use their over 60s Oyster passes has enticed them all out. By this time the singer has stripped to just a bikini which as an aside is not my idea of a bathing suit which I think of as a one piece but I won't quibble with that. By the end of the set the top is off and we really are in the realms of 70s nice n sleazy vibes. If I'd written a blog back in 78 you'd know what I mean. So a great set from a great band. They've given their all and we all appreciate it. Last up are Oslo Twins which confuses me as there are 3 of them and none look like they are twins. Maybe non-identical. The place has thinned out a bit which is a shame for the band but means that we can get nearer the stage and have space to breath. The "Twins" play a great set derived from a Bristol scene trip hop influence with laid back beautifully voiced vocals. It's understated and a long way from Bathing Suits but nonetheless a fine way to end the evening. Pete and Wendy have exitted already and soon I'm back in the fresh air and cycling home along the river. Looking forward to catching Bathing Suits at the Windmill and will also look out for the other two too.

Oslo Twins

Bikini

Bathing Suits

The Kitchen Sink Band

Just joking

View from Ally Pally

Music for Lebanon feat. Lepus Millipede

A fund raising gig at the Windmill to "raise emergency funds for much-needed relief and medical care in Lebanon." Debbie's working so we arrive after 9 am to a friendly hello Jim from the lovely guy on the door and we find Chris. Nastazia Bazil is on stage and going down very well. A strange mix of music a bit electro pop and a bit circus or film like. There's a lot of whooping and laughing and I think he may be doing some comedic tricks but difficult to see from where we are towards the back. They're persuaded to do an encore. Next up are Memory of Speke who we are closer to and who are an energetic bunch. We start off with drummer, bassist, cellist and singer who serve an up beat punky rap vibe with the cello adding a certain strangeness to the songs. It's a great start and then we swap around with the bassist taking up the guitar and cellist the bass. They are a great bass player too with a sharp finger picking style complementing both the drummer and guitarist who goes increasingly into a psyche rock style. But it's still energetic and the singer has removed jacket and sunglasses as we delve deeper into a funky punky vibe. They go down very well and deservedly so as they are great. I must mention the hand driers in the gents seem to be very loud being very distracting when you are toward the back of the crowd. Debbie and I are sure they were never that loud. They look old so either the gents are washing and drying their hands tonight whereas they usually don't or they've super-charged the drier. Anyways, back to the music. After the raffle, none of us won anything, the headliners are billed as "Lepus Millipede" a "much-loved avant-pop bunnies and Windmill regulars playing under a different name tonight for contractural; reasons". (sic). My friend on the door lets me know that they are Rabbitfoot although when looking on-line they seem to be named 1000 Rabbits and listed as 1000 Rabbits FKA Rabbitfoot. All very confusing. Maybe the name change is due to a slight change in style as when I saw them a couple of times in 2024 (was it really that long ago?) they were already morphing from a very alternative ATV style into a straighter alt rock vibe although still an excellent act. Tonight they seem to have a harder edge with the singer less whimsical or fey way (I mean that as a compliment to a performer) and the band backing this up with a harder sound. That's not to say they are one trick ponies as their sound jumps from alt new wave through to a more psychedelic sound through to a festival good time alternative sound. I could have stopped at "jumps" as they do that and get the crowd going. The violin adds a neo Velvets vibe but maybe that's me jumping to a lazy comparison. So, in fact a band I find difficult to pigeon hole which is what I like in a band. They go down well and are obviously enjoying themselves. In some ways the quintessential Windmill band merging edgy rock with a sensitively alt pop vibe. Or maybe that should be avant-pop vibe as per the listing. Overall a great night and saying our goodbyes to Chris Debbie and I release our bikes and pedal home in the brisk spring air. A great night for a very worthy cause only dampener being that I didn't win that 7" Rabbits single...

1000 Rabbits

Rabbitfoot

The Raffle Draw

Memory

Memory OF Speke 

Nastazia Bazil