Camden Market - Camden Town

 Coming up the escalators of Camden station, which you could also be described as a wind tunnel, you can feel the Arctic weather before you even step outside. In the hustle and bustle of the city little puffs of peoples breath float upwards while strolling down the crowded high street. Upon approaching the indoor market the whiff of incense sticks and street food fills the air. The food court is packed full of hungry punters, luckily the amount of free food thats shoved in your face you don't have to pay for street food. While sat in the court yard of the stables I take in the sights of countless vintage stores, punk band t-shirts covering the walls of shops and shisha pipes at every turn. It maybe cold, but mulled wine keeps my hands warm as I continue to browse Collectif Clothing and the other edgy clothing stores!

The Old Blue Last- Shoreditch

 Walking through north London on a Tuesday evening in December. Feeling the crisp cold air on your lungs and the bitter wind biting your exposed skin. Its dark. Street lights and bars illuminate the way through city streets as you walk past murals of brightly coloured graffiti. At the end  35 Great Eastern Street sits The Old Blue Last. A small bar and gig venue that houses a collection of taxidermy and expensive pints. It has a warm atmosphere inside, a drastic change from the cold London streets, the sights of edgy Londoners caked in tweed jackets and skinny jeans spread across the bar. Couples sat in corners sharing drinks and the occasional band member popping downstairs to do the beer rounds. Walking up the old wooden stairs to the gig area, weaving in and out the waves of people, walking towards the upstairs bar crushed against people like sardines in a can. Old wooden bars and neutrally painted walls give the venue a cosy home feel.  The little wooden victorian style tables dotted around downstairs serve for a snug spot to sit while you enjoy a £5.90 pint of Wolf Rock.

Wilie J Healy @ The Old Blue Last, Shoreditch.

Hello 2016. We welcome you with open arms and hope for some amazing new music.

Willie J Healey, Oxford red head, beachy guitar extraordinaire and voice shocker. Playing an intimate gig at The Old Blue Last, sharing the stage with three other bands that night, Willie puts on quite a show. The little indie kid looks like he would exert a Two Door Cinema Club esque voice. But no. Deep, cordial and soothing voice oozes out as he sings ‘Palm Trees’, a song about Pamela Anderson. 

The start of the show is slightly awkward, jokes are attempted, family members are the only ones cheering. After the first song ‘Julia and I’ the crowd start getting into the swing of things. Bobbing in unison with the upbeat drums. The american beach rock guitar gives the whole show a Hawaiian Elvis Presley feel. Even his songs have tropical names, ‘HD Malibu’ was a significantly smooth song. It took a while to kick in, but when it did you really go there. His velvety voice making the crowd silent, listening in awe. 

‘Subterraneans’ fills the room with silence as the dreamy guitar echoes around walls. His deep vocals give you goosebumps as the blue lights dimmer. “Plain Jane dreams of nicer things” ripples through the room, the crowd bobbing to the slow beat and chilled out atmosphere. The whole room feels like its underwater, motionless, just captivated by his tranquil vocals. This guy is definitely one to put on the “must see” list. 

His hazy surf rock music keeps the crowd content through the whole set, ginger ringlets bouncing in beat to the bass and the backing vocals creating a perfect harmony. The emotional expressions in his face as he thanks the crowd for “appearing at his show” show his true love for music and what he's doing. This young chap is certainly one to watch. 

Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes @ The Underworld, Camden.

If you've followed Frank Carter since Gallows you'll know he's had a tough 2014. He has returned with the super group Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, made up of ex Heights and Pure Love members. They exploded onto the scene with album ‘Blossom’ in April 2015 and started touring the UK and Mainland Europe in November an December. Monday 30th November, the gig was initially scheduled for Dingwalls. But everybody knows the brutality of a Frank Carter gig. The venue denied FC&TRS a gig absent of a barrier. Which in Frank Carters words was “a dick move”. The venue change happened on the night of the gig and moved to the infamous Underworld in Camden. Touring with Leeds lads Brawlers and Wolverhampton duo, God Damn. 

Once the first two bands had finished warming up the already elevated crowd, the room goes silent. Waiting. Watching. Ready for Frank Carter to make his entrance. The roar of the crowd fills the room with an electric energy as Frank saunters on stage, microphone in hand and piercing blue eyes scanning the crowd. “This stage is not just mine. This is your fucking stage too.” are the first words that comes out of his mouth before playing the chaotic ‘Devil Inside Me’. Loyal fans echoing the lyrics as whirlpools of mosh pits form around the stage. Bodies being thrown off the stage and small balcony bars into the the sea of hardcore fans. The tumult continues as he powers though ‘Blossom’, ‘Juggernaut’ and ‘Fangs’. Franks terrifying stare could turn you to stone, he's like the Medusa of the rock world. He continues to thank the crowd bluntly. “You guys are the fucking greatest. I fucking love you mugs”, talking about his tough year and leaving Gallows. 

After a significant amount of carnage on the stage and floor, Frank begins ‘Beautiful Death’ probably one of his most heart felt songs he's ever penned down. Requesting the whole crowd to crouch down, not for the cliche synchronised jumping, but instead the crowd fall silent for the whole 4 minuets. Uninterrupted. The heart wrenching song was dedicated to his wife and her father who had died the previous year. Safari as emotional hardcore shows go, this one was indelible. 

Frank Carter don’t do feelings for too long though. Finishing the set with ‘I Hate You’, the whole crowd chanting “You are nothing, you are nothing to me. You're a useless fucking cunt, you are nothing to me”. The heavy metal energy tore through the crowd like a tornado leaving everyone battered and bruised. And of course covered in beer.