THE CAMDEN CRAWL - HOW ARE THEY COPING AND WHY THE SUGABABES??

THE Post-its are flying all over the place and staff at the Camden Crawl HQ are slowly being buried under a pile of CDs.

We’re only weeks away from one of the biggest events in the music calendar (May 1 and 2) – and with the ever-expanding daytime programme, it’s beginning to give the Edinburgh Festival some serious competition.

There’s the big names: LostProphets, We Are Scientists, Calvin Harris and The Drums. The oldies: Teenage Fanclub, Babybird and Cornershop. The dubious pop choice: Sugababes. The cool- as-ice Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip, The Delays, New Young Pony Club and the most important to me, Camden’s home-grown talent – Akala, Ms Dynamite and Man Like Me.


(Teenage Fanclub, who play this year's Camden Crawl)

The day starts early with impromptu gigs, theatre shows, countless quizzes to tax even the brainiest muso, mind-bending spoken word performances and real comedy from real comedians. On top of all this there’s a series of free events for residents with a street party in Hawley Crescent, and free gigs at the Hawley Arms and the Primrose Chill. There’s also a programme of free live music in four pubs: The Queens, The Lansdowne, The Engineer and the Princess of Wales.

But right now organisers are preoccupied with the Emerging Talent Awards (ETA). And they’ve had a huge task to whittle down 1,000 hopefuls with stars in their eyes to just 45. And now the work begins, picking the eight best bands to play the ETA stage at the Ice Wharf.

Event organiser Chris Jakubiak said: “If the weather’s good we’ll have the doors open. The standard’s been really high, much higher than we’ve anticipated. The prizes are amazing.”

The finalists will be announced on April 12.

Barring Madness’s takeover of Inverness Street last year, this will be the first time the Crawl’s put on an official street party.

Chris said: “There’ll be a road closure in Hawley Crescent, from Kentish Town to Stuckley Place. We’re putting a Red Bull stage at the Kentish Town Road end and the space on the street is licensed to hold 2,000 people. That part of the event is 14-plus and accessible to Crawl wristband holders and also a few local residents will be invited. We’re going to look after everyone.”

So why did they book the Sugababes for the Crawl?

Chris said: “What’s a typical Camden Crawl band? It’s about diversity. They’ve got new material, a new line-up, the show will be very interesting. Very special guests will be announced next month."

Each year there’s the odd surprise gig – last year Graham Coxon played The Spread Eagle and Chris hints there could be more to come: “I’m almost certain that there’ll be something like that, but we never know until close to the time.”

But right now, the Crawl staff are busy turning the cogs.
Chris said: "I’m covered in Post-it notes and I’ve got stacks of CDs I’m
listening to. We’re working late into the night but it’s always an
enjoyable experience."