Sound InPhotos: Our Final Hour // Unicorn Camden

Hardcore outfit played a special show at Camden's Unicorn just before heading out to Europe on a tour on Sunday. Braden had his camera with him to take photos.

Sound InPhotos: Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip // KOKO

Two sold out nights at Camden's iconic KOKO meant real business for Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip so with guest appearances from support act Itch and the one and only Billy Bragg, these nights were really spectacular.

Braden was on hand with his camera to take pictures of the night.

 

 

Sound InPhotos: White Lies @ Camden Roundhouse

White Lies played an amazing show at Camden's iconic Roundhouse and Braden was on hand to take photos. There were lazers and everything.

Braden Fletcher

Sound InPhotos: The Front Bottoms @ Dingwalls

Incase you haven't already heard, allow us to update you. The Front Bottoms are one of the most incredible bands still channelling punk rock and roll through semi acoustic songs about heartbreak and home, on the planet.

So when they decided to tour the UK and play Camden's sweaty Dingwalls venue; the place sold out. They open with a series of singles (both current and forthcoming) from their second record Talon of the Hawk and play through a hugely energetic set to a crowd that more than welcomes them in; even if frontman Brian Sella is wearing a Millwall shirt (blame his parents, and their parents, apparently.)
Highlights come in the form of TotH opener Au Revoir (Adios), and lead single and set-closer Twin Sized Mattress. Never before outside a rock/hardcore show have we seen such dedication from fans screaming lyrics back at an artist.
Of course the highlights of their debut record, Maps and Flashlight see the most singalongs with huge amounts of passion. For a group of people who've probably not travelled as much as Sella, nor experienced East Coast America; the amount they relate to his heartache on the topics is astounding.
We sent Braden along to the show with a camera and we suppose we should show you the results?

NB.
This show was as good as any festival set or gig I've been to in 2013 so far, and I go to quite a few.
Braden 

Sound InPhotos: Tall Ships and Tellison @ Camden Barfly

How to create a good show. Take a show that already happened in a bigger venue and sponsor it with beer. Tellison supporting Tall Ships happened last year at Shoreditch's XOYO and from there Tall Ships went on to headline the Scala after the release of their debut record Everything Touching. Becks managed to cram both into the Camden Barfly and what ensued was loud.
Here's the Sound Inphotos set from the night taken by Braden.



Created with flickr slideshow. Braden Fletcher

Sound InPhotos: Japandroids - Dingwalls, Camden

After the huge success of their second full album Celebration Rock last year, Japandroids are on a victory lap. "This will be the last time (except tomorrow) that we play London in a long time" says front-man Brian King after opener Fire's Highway before breaking into debut record track The Boys Are Leaving Town.
Whilst the show is a victory lap, it's not without its difficulties. Sound breaks, guitar straps fall off and strings break all in the cause of Japandroids' almost impossibly loud sound for a two-piece. "We're the most unprofessional professional touring rock and roll band around" is greeted to an array of cheers from a crowd that take half the show to really get going. Tracks from both records get an outing including the rarely played I Quit Girls. It's a treat for the devotees but a bit slow for those who followed the critical acclaim to the Camden venue. For those fans however, The Nights of Wine and Roses features mid-set and The House That Heaven Built proves to be the all-crowd-surfing-all-dancing-all-sweating highlight of the night.

It's a small venue for the Canadian duo, but filling it twice in the hottest weather of London's year proves to create the sweaty atmosphere that the act thrive in, even if technical difficulties do plight them. Still, a Japandroids show is better than most for just these reasons; they know how to put on a show and though they don't keep to the script, they don't really need it.




Words and Photos by Braden Fletcher

Live: An evening in Camden

Thanks to MaybeMaq for this photo

It’s surprisingly cold in Camden. What I’m led to believe is the opening to the first “cold snap” of the year is settling in and its caught most people unawares. Of course on a night time in Camden, the scantily clad and generally most eye-popping of all of London’s outfits can be found on the strip that links Mornington Crescent up to Chalk Farm.

Along that road, you have some of the finest venues London has to offer in the form of Jazz bars, boxes on the lock and at either end, the mighty KOKO and Roundhouse venues. Tonight, its’ as bustling as ever as the iTunes festival is in full swing as Andrea Bocelli brings the Roundhouse crowd to classical elation but its three small shows that have caught SI’s attention.

The first venue ventured is the Lock Tavern as Spring Offensive take to the darkened stage. The venue is filled to the brim as it takes about five minutes just to get to the bar and as the Oxford band (recently featured here) get into the swing of things with their new single “Not Drowning But Waving” which builds an otherwise passive and moody crowd into a moderate bob; not bad for a quiet London venue. Spring Offensive play a solid set, but it’s the sound that lets them down as the venue’s not so much tinny as lost in a mix of minor feedback and speakers that can’t quite cope.  Nonetheless, the five piece are in good spirits and their every-day office worker look and lyrics seem to go down well a treat, especially considering most people are only present at the Tavern for hype centric act Hey Sholay.

Instead of sticking around however, I race up the road.  Her Parents are about to rock out with the volume at 11 upstairs at the Barfly, but it’s a bit further afield to the Enterprise, a venue much less visited than the Barfly that has the set for SI. For two nights only in London and for the first time in a while, Rams’ Pocket Radio are hitting the stage. Complete with a full band and supported by live member Shauna Tohill, also known as Northern Ireland’s up and coming Silhouette.
Ram’s are on form, playing from a selection of both new and older material. It’s fresh and powerful music from the piano-led band. The bigger songs such as 1+2 should sound epic and last time we caught Rams’, they were supporting Snow Patrol at the Forum where sound comes as big as the venue, but sadly the Enterprise suffers the same problems as the Lock Tavern did earlier and the sound gets lost in a mix of overheated volumes. It’s another shame as a second good band gets lost in unnecessary noise but Ram’s power through and pull off a strong set that signals big things on the way.

Camden, cold and noisey and full to the lock with music, if only it could all sound great.

Braden Fletcher

Live: Eyes on Film @ Proud Camden

When a Libertine joins your band, its natural that there’d be a little bit of excitement around it. So when Carl Barat announced he was joining relatively unkown Eyes on Film, naturally the Proud Galleries in Camden filled up. The converted stables always seem crowded as its one narrow corridor bustles with the borderline famous, usual Camden faces and the trendy night-trippers, so many don’t bother going through to the equally crowded main room for support The Tricks.

The band are your standard indie four-piece with a nice sheen. Sadly, even without many paying attention, they’re hardly going to light up the charts nor do they really light up the room. It’s entertaining but barely something special.

The room is far fuller in time for Eyes on Film. It starts loudly as the band sound like a mix between the likes of Art Brut and the more melodic end of Kasabian as frontman Dan Mills erratically moves about the relatively stage like a man possessed. Barat himself has a few guitar difficulties in that his trademark beaten up Fender won’t make a sound but once he gets into the feel of things he’s almost robotic to watch. After the show he indicates that he’ll stay with the band “as long as they’ll have him” and seems content with the Londoners.

All in all, there should be right things on the horizon for Eyes on Film, they may not be the best new band, but they’ve definitely got the material to let the hype that Barat’s bought with them continue in the coming months.

Braden Fletcher