THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT - FROM BLOODSTAINED CARPETS TO WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

A COUPLE of years ago LA band The Airborne Toxic Event took up residency at The Dublin Castle in Camden, staying in “skanky” hotels and living it up in Marathon Kebab house.
They played 30 UK dates, and within six months were playing to audiences of thousands.
Now, having put the finishing touches to their second album they’re about to cross the Atlantic again, this time touring of non-traditional venues like Islington’s Union Chapel (Oct 3).
They’ll also attend the premiere of their DVD All I Ever Wanted – The Airborne Toxic Event : Live From Walt Disney Concert Hall (out Oct 4), which has been accepted into the prestigious Raindance Festival.

Frontman, guitarist, chief lyricist Mikel Jollett is wide awake, it’s 10 am and he’s still at home in LA thinking about packing.
He said: “I get up at like 7am. I know it’s decidedly not rock and roll of me. The last couple of weeks we’ve been finishing this record we’ve been making for about nine months.”
Don’t ask what it’s going to be called, as they’ve got ideas but they’re not letting on.
Their biggest hit to date Sometime Around Midnight, captured the attention of fans, but Mikel’s moved on from drawing too heavily on his previous break-up and says the songs have other stories to tell.
He said: “It’s definitely not a reread of the first record. It’s probably both louder and quieter. I wrote the last record when I was going through a pretty devastating break-up. It was a pretty bad time. On this record there’s some songs about my folks and one about Afghanistan – the hypocrisy of nation building in the context of war. Then there’s some ballads. It’s definitely a different kind.”
Turns out the new album was supposed to be an electro mash-up effort “but we ended up making a big rock record” Mikel confesses.
Back to their stay in Camden, Mikel said: “We got to know Camden pretty well. We stayed in this super skanky hotel that had like bloodstains on the floor. It was such a grimy place, we were sleeping three to a room because we were so broke. I like the Dublin Castle it reminded me of a lot of bars in LA. We liked the rock and roll falafel place (Marathon Kebabs), at night it becomes like a rockabilly night, people dancing and eating falafel. That was the most happening joint in London, I really liked that place.”
Mikel seems thrown by UK music journalist lines of questioning but believes it comes from the right place.
He said: “Everyone always thinks you’re scheming and trying to come up with something clever either how you dress or the aesthetic or the music, something in order to solve the equation of being like the next
huge thing. We do not think like that at all.”
He launches in to a (pantomime) English accent: “(UK critic) "I notice you’ve got your sound, you’ve got The Strokes with a bit of The Clash and Arcade Fire sort of thing, how did you come up with that equation” and we’re like uh.......we don’t know. Actually the UK Press is actually quite polite, smart and enthusiastic about us and I think people seem to understand...Where a lot of the hyperbole of the Press comes from...it’s written by people who literally don’t want to be let down, they’ve sacrificed so much in their lives to be part of it.”
He’s not likely to be found complaining about touring either.
Mikel said: “I used to be a carpenter and my hands were sore – that was work...The people who come to our shows have jobs and work. We don’t work, we travel around and play music.”

CAMDEN - WHERE YOU KNOW EVERYBODY'S NAME, DJ YODA'S BIG SCREEN MOMENT + THEE DEADTIME PHILHARMONIC

WATCHING Fight Like Apes at Barfly last week, I found myself standing next to DJ Steve Lamacq. I thanked him for introducing me to so much new music during my teens when he co-hosted Radio One’s Evening Sessions with Jo Whiley. 

Outside after the gig, I spot FLA’s fierce frontwoman MayKay chatting to Lamacq inches from the front door. I stop in at The Enterprise on my way home and see The Bluetones’ frontman Mark Morris chatting in the bar after his solo show upstairs. 

Yes, there are other venues where you can get close to the acts you so admire but Camden has such a concentration of good venues, each so close to each other and with the pulling power to attract bands who,
elsewhere wouldn’t consider playing such petite shows. You never know who’ll be standing next to you in the crowd – a few years ago at The Dublin Castle, it was David Schwimmer – moany Ross from Friends – watching Amy Winehouse at the Camden Crawl – wouldn’t let us take his pic though. Just wanted to remind you why Camden’s so great!
• Thee Deadtime Philharmonic play the Dublin Castle (Oct 2) and they’re expecting all sorts of muso types to turn up. They’ve held the number one slot on Strummerville’s fan download chart for nearly a year and have supported Mick Jones in the past – see if they’re worth their place.
• Inventive turntablist DJ Yoda takes over Everyman Hampstead (Nov 17) and Screen on the Green (Nov 18). He’s bringing AV Stop Look & Listen tour into our cinemas but how’s it gonna work? Will there be raving in the aisles? Glow-in-the-dark popcorn?

RECORD OF THE WEEK - THE PIERCES, Love You More

I KNOW when I really rate a band when I start wishing they were French.
But heavy-eyed sisters Catherine and Allison Pierce come from New York (ok Alabama originally) and so almost qualify for geographical coolness.
The very first low strings set the tone for the desolate Love You More and the sisters’ bleak harmonies shun any high notes that might hint at optimism and ruin the wretched mood you should be in when listening
to this. A soundtrack for post-break-up solitude which MUST be included on the next Feeling Gloomy playlist.
(Single out Oct 25).

LADY GAGA WHO? MIDLIFE CRISIS ME? TIM ROBBINS AND THE ROGUES GALLERY BAND TAKE OVER NORTH LONDON

NOTE: I was lucky enough to interview actor Tim Robbins this weekend - here is the first of two stories to come from this. The second is below.

IT'S 5am in an airport lounge in Hawaii and actor Tim Robbins is speaking quietly into his mobile phone trying desperately not to be “that guy”.
The wedding he was at ended a couple of hours ago and Robbins just laughs when I ask if he’s merry.
“I’ll never tell,” he says heartily.

Robbins and The Rogues Gallery Band play Islington’s Union Chapel on Wednesday and the chapel fits the one criteria the Hollywood actor/director/singer requested of all venues on this tour.
“I wanted to make sure they weren't too big and that they didn't have bars actually inside the room I was playing in,” he said. “I'm all for bars but it gets noisy and the songs I'm playing are a little more intimate than that... to make sure that we have a shot at telling the stories.”
The band name should give a hint at what Robbins’ music is all about, a bit folksy, described as “rousing, raggle-taggle gypsy Americana and story telling songs”.

His debut eponymously titled album, out September 27, will be the 51-year-old actor's first.
But don’t be fooled into trying to match the lyrics to Robbins’ real life.
“The stories are about all kinds of different things, people I've run into on the road who've told me their stories, things I've read in newspapers, moments in time in my own life...I was down in New Orleans in June and I wrote a lyric about an experience I had down there...What was the experience? Oh I don't know, no comment.”

And this is Robbins' attitude if you try to get close to his personal reality.
He warns: “If you're listening to an album and you're thinking about the personal life of a person you should probably check into an institution. People that are obsessed with other people's personal life who they don’t know, it's kind of a little silly and a waste of time. I believe that as well with people you do know. Mind your own business.
“It's a real good idea to try not to get into people's personal business because it's trouble. It's true. In personal business of friend of yours if you start laying your opinions on their personal situation can only lead to bad things. Sure you can be an open hearted compassionate person and be a sounding board if a friend's in trouble but to then pry and to needle someone. You know it’s not good.”

That's not to say he doesn't pull on real-life experiences in his writing – just be warned, his songs were written well-before his much-publicised break-up with actress Susan Sarandon, a fact he wants to stress.
He said: “I would like to set the record straight. If you heard Desert Island Discs I was clearly making a joke – the “midlife crisis” thing.”

Robbins has been affronted by UK Press taking his joke and suggesting he wrote the album after the break-up. So much so that he has asked if this interview is being taped for accuracy.
He said: “For them to write a story about how I did the album as a response to recent events and then have a psychiatrist write a side article about what men go through in a midlife crisis is and compare my situation to someone who's institutionalised and on and on...it was like really? Is it that important to make some story up where there is no story. All these songs were written way before any recent events in my personal life and have to do with many, many different things and about zero to do with a midlife crisis.”


(An old clip - can't find any recent ones).

So what is he singing about then?
“When I'm inspired by something or someone, whether it's inspiration from frustration and anger or from being touched by something. 

“I've written completely sober. I've written a few late night in hotel rooms. A lot of the album is from hotel rooms. I hate hotel rooms. When I'm on the road I try to remain open to experience. It's the only way I can be away from home. You know you have to treat it as a blessing. We find ourselves in circumstances we wouldn't normally be in and oftentimes that leads to conversations or a character that is intriguing. So you go home and you write.”

So the few insights I can gather about Robbins' life away from work include his love of riding his bicycle, and working in his garden “no skydiving for me”.
His confession that Abba is his guilty pleasure: “Abba can get in my skin sometimes. I can forget myself sometimes with Abba. All of a sudden you start tapping your foot.”
His admiration for Nina Simone's Sinnerman: “It just rocks. It's just got such a great groove on it and she's just amazing. They way she performs and interprets songs is just genius.”
His thirst for learning about new music from his children: “They've introduced me to Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes, LCD Soundsystem, I'll stop there. I just absolutely love the new Arcade Fire album.”
His choice of funeral music: “I would like a second line. It's a New Orleans tradition. The first line is the brass band that plays on the way to the cemetery and the second line is the one that plays on the way back. The first one is super slow and the second line is a kind of celebration, it’s very uplifting, danceworthy.”
And his dislike of the outside world intruding on his home life: “You know what boring very liberating thing you can do is to get rid of your answering machine. That was really a great liberation for me. So I'm trying to apply that to the cellphone and voicemail. When you get home you should be home so I try to get any business done before I get home but I’m not perfect.”

It seems like he has succeeded on this last task as when I ask what he thinks of tabloid staple Lady Gaga, he replies genuinely: “Who?
Honestly I don’t listen to hit music, I don’t listen to radio stations, I don’t have a television either so she’s kind of not landed on my lap and so I don’t have an opinion either way.”
• Tim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band play the Union Chapel (Sept 30) and HMV Forum, along with Paolo Nutini for the Q Awards Show (Oct 22).

OSCAR-WINNER TIM ROBBINS: U.S. MEDIA IS "DUPING" AMERICANS INTO BELIEVING IN THE RIGHT WING TEA-PARTY MOVEMENT

HOLLYWOOD superstar Tim Robbins has told how the US media is “duping” his fellow Americans into believing the right-wing Tea Party movement is good for them.
In a telephone interview from a Hawaii airport lounge this week, the actor and director – who plays Islington's Union Chapel on Thursday and Kentish Town's Forum in October along with his Rogues Gallery Band – launched into an attack on the “unrelenting propaganda we hear in the US media”.

Mr Robbins, famous for roles in such films as The Shawshank Redemption and Mystic River, said: “It created an entire movement out of a couple of rich people. They call it the Tea Party movement but from the very start it's a very well-funded right-wing extremist group.

“The media treated it as if it's a serious political party and gave it undue attention so much so that ordinary people are being duped into this line of thinking which is good for billionaires but not good for them.”
The actor, who recently split from actress Susan Sarandon after 23 years together, added: “Once again we’re facing a ridiculous (mid-term) election and all this is fuelled by fear and hatred and distrust and so the right wing sends it right all over the media, you know how stupid people can get, but it's so shocking to me. It's always disappointed me but never surprising. It's clear in my mind and has been for 25 years and no-one seems to want to get to the root of the problem. Free Press has been corrupted.”
Mr Robbins, who went to Catholic school but describes himself as “lapsed” also took the opportunity to question organised religion in the wake of the pope's visit.
He said: “I’m not a Catholic now...I don’t follow any deified religious leader, whatever religion it is...Religion makes people do foolish things and usually the bastardisation of faith leads to terrible behaviour.”
He recalled his experiences as a schoolboy, saying: “I would be the one that would stand up if everyone was complaining in the schoolyard of excessive homework or unfair grading. I would be the one that would stand up for them. In Catholic school the nuns would then say “does anybody else feel this?” and most of the time my classmates would just throw you under the bus.”

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER ELECTRIC PROMS + PARTY FOR PALESTINE WITH AKALA, LOWKEY ET AL + SEAN LENNON'S SABER TOOTHED TIGER POUNCES ON THE ROUNDHOUSE + SEASICK STEVE'S BLUES

REMEMBER the great BBC Electric Proms of 2008 – Oasis, Glasvegas and Burt Bacharach at the Roundhouse, Goldfrapp at Cecil Sharp House, the incredible Africa Express marathon at Koko, and The Last Shadow Puppets in Liverpool?

It was the best of the Proms, multi-venue, multi-genre, multi-generational, spanning north and south.
Last year the Beeb tightened its belt and shrank to one venue but still pulled in the huge acts – Dame Shirley Bassey, Smokey Robinson and Dizzee Rascal.

(One of my favourite songs ever - I love you Miles Kane!)

So what happened this year? It’s always fantastic to see classic legends in a venue as concise as the Roundhouse but the Proms has been reduced to three nights, each headliner – Elton John, Robert Plant and Neil Diamond – over 60 and white (or perma-tanned).
Younger names such as Plan B will support but still, the Proms was such a huge event and a chance for surprises and unexpected collaborations – a real celebration of musicians of all kinds remembering what it was like to jam and experiment. A move away from the fuddy duddy traditional proms that clogs up our TVs annually. Did this really have to be a casualty of the cuts?
• Don't miss Party for Pakistan, fave acts on the bill include Akala, Lowkey, Riz MC, and Facejacker – you know who I mean – great cause – 02 Academy Islington, (September 29).
• Who's Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger I hear you ask? Although the musos out there probably know. This is Sean Lennon and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl's collaboration. Expect beautifully crafted songs from their debut gig (Roundhouse, Oct 13).

• Seasick Steve plays the Blues Kitchen (Oct 7) – it's an oddly-shaped venue but old Seasick can bring any stage to life – do NOT miss this.

OU EST LE SWIMMING POOL'S TRIBUTE CONCERT, ELECTRIC PROMS OUT FOR THE OLDIES, THE HAMPTONS SET SAIL + CARL BARAT'S MEMORY

SOME of my absolute favourite music events of the year are looming so save up your pennies. Tim Robbins plays the Union Chapel (Sept 30), Mencap Little Noise Sessions comes up in November and BBC Electric
Proms is next month.
The Union Chapel's Little Noise Sessions are the most memorable I've ever been to and always produce unique, unpredictable moments. I can not wait to see the line-up. Although the Electric Proms will be a smaller affair this year the kaliber of the stars is higher than ever.
Pleased to see Elton John and Robert Plant aready lined up to play the Roundhouse, but waiting with bated breath to hear which up and comers have been signed up.

(Here's some old footage of Elton teaming up with Guns 'n Roses)

• Mr Hudson, The Kooks, Man Like Me and Eddy Temple Morris are among the many acts signed up to celebrate the life of the late Charlie Haddon, former frontman of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, who died last month. Chazzstock takes place at Koko (Oct 3) – a particularly poignant event for Camden.
• Charlie from The Hamptons called this week to say his band plays The Monarch (Sept 21). From what I can gather they're called The Hamptons although they've never been there and Charlie, who once sailed the Atlantic in a yacht, is from Gainsville, Florida, of Koran burning preacher fame.
• Re-Libertine Carl Barat’s written a memoir – but will there be anything in it we haven’t already heard? He plays Scala (Oct 27) to promote the book and his debut solo album.

MS DYNAMITE'S EMAIL REVIVAL

NOTE: Slight delay on putting this one up, event has passed but here's my interview with Ms Dynamite. Tim Robbins interview will be up later this week. 

THERE'S a movement taking over the Roundhouse – and it's gathering pace as we speak.
From tomorrow, young people will seize control of Camden Roundhouse, mastering every aspect of the Turning Point festival of comedy, music, circus, cabaret and theatre.
More than 300 artists have been signed up to take over five stages over the next three days, featuring the likes of Professor Green, Toddla T, Ms Dynamite, Roll Deep and Devlin.

So who better to tell us a bit more than Camden institution Ms Dynamite aka Niomi McLean-Daley.
She's been building up her career again but due to some unhappy interaction with the Press, her management have insisted all interviews be conducted by email – beware an abundance of exclamation marks.
So here's how it went:
RG: What’s so special about Turning Point?
MD: It's put on by young peoplel!!! I LOVE THE CONCEPT OF THAT! We commonly talk about young people with such negative and biased views! I'm of the belief that if we 'as adults/society/the authority' etc.
give young people respect, love, faith, time and tools to grow with the things that inspire them, and a chance to fulfil their passion, they will succeed EVERY SINGLE TIME! I know this gig will prove that!!!
I love that it's in Camden and at the Roundhouse, who are absolutely amazing with young people!!!
They offer SO MUCH in terms of music, media and the arts to young people and I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND ADVISE EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT WHAT GOES ON AT THE ROUNDHOUSE!!! (under and behind the shows).
RG: What can we look forward to from your appearance?
MD: ENERGY, POSITIVITY and MORE ENERGY!!! Xx
RG: Who are you most excited to see on the line-up and why?
MD: I'm excited to see everyone (not a cop out) but I genuinely like all the artists and am happy to be working along side them in 'this' particular show! I think it'll be amazing!
RG: What do you think of the Roundhouse as a venue?
MD It's amazing, I've seen my brother (Akala) and a few other artist, groups perform/act there... This'll b my first time though, I can't wait!
RG: What are your favourite Camden haunts/ favourite things about Camden?
MD: I LOVE the multi-culturalism of Camden!!! I love the fusion of styles, foods, music, dress codes, ages, energies and beliefs!!!
RG: Any Camden gripes?
MD: Camden have the most HASTY, UNFORGIVING, NO LEE-WAY what so ever TRAFFIC WARDENS, I've ever experienced! Parking is a complete nightmare!!!
RG: What’s it like to have a musical sibling?
MD: All my siblings are musical... I have a younger brother who goes by the name of 'Snooze' he raps, writes, produces, directs, designs websites, films videos etc, a sister named Jessica who has an amazing voice and is an amazing writer and the others are a bit younger (still in school) but all are equally talented in a musical/creative way!
It's the nature of our family, we've never known it any different, my mum and dad ALWAYS have and had music blasting in the house!
We used to make up songs and perform for our parents and aunties and uncles as birthday presents at bbq's and parties... When myself and Kings (Akala) look back, we're just like "how did we ever not see this
happening?"... :o)
RG: Akala told me he’s become vegan and enjoys eating at Inspiral cafe in Camden Lock. Are you a vegan? If not, could you ever be?
MD: I'm not a vegan but am a veggie and can I just say I LOVE INSPIRAL!!! I'd like to become a vegan, but food is still my weakness, my comfort, my addiction & my passion.
I can't help but think about ALL the CRAP I'd miss if I became a vegan... But it is exactly that... Crap! And I will get there one day, soon as I get the discipline my brother's blessed with! Lol!
RG: What’s the strangest gig you’ve ever done?
MD: I've done great gigs, fantastic gigs, amazing gigs, funny gigs, sad gigs and not so good gigs but never really a 'strange' gig?
RG: The Mercury Music Prize has just passed by, who did you want to win and why?
MD: Corinne Bailey-Rae... I love her! She's one of the sweetest, most graceful, ambitious, talented young women I've had the pleasure of meeting!
RG: How has your music progressed since then and what direction do you want to continue in?
MD: Umm, the turns and twists my career has taken since then would fill this whole issue and more!!! Lol!!! There have been many highs and lows but I'm in an amazing position now, totally recognising and appreciating that the lows made the highs sweeter and that its all been equally neccessary to get here where I am today! :o)
RG: What did you think of (winners) The XX?
MD: Yeah, they're cool... I like what they did with Aaliyahs 'Hot like fire' and also the 'Florence and the Machine' cover (of the cover) they did was great too!
RG: Do you think the prize helped your career?
MD: Definitely!!!
RG: Do you think there’s any truth in the belief that the prize can sometimes do more harm than good?
MD: Depends how you look at it?
RG: If you were in an American high school, what clique would you have been in as a teenager?
MD: No clique... I've always been a leader that floated like the wind through different 'groups', I had my days with my 'middle class' friends, my days with my 'hood' friends, days with my 'grungy' friends and days with my super-slick friends, black, white, Asian, Male, Female etc etc, we just did our thing.
I'm me, me has never belonged to 'one group' of people and can't be defined by one style... I've always done me!
RG: What’s the worst trouble you got into at school?
MD: Oh the list is too long!!! Lol! X
RG: Lady Gaga, love or hate?
MD: I'm full of love for 'everyone', hate no-one... a more accurate answer would be "I respect her hustle!"
RG: Tell me something no-one knows about you.
MD: There is genuinely NOTHING no-one knows about me! I LOVE to talk and am not ashamed to chat my business!... I'd tell any-one anything... Other than obvious stuff! If I'm happy, sad, hyper, tired etc. The world knows about it! I've always been like that!
RG: What do you like to do when you’re not making music?
MD: Be with my son!!!
RG: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
MD: Damien Marley!
RG: What’s it like being a famous mum?
MD: I LOVE IT!!! :o)
RG: You’ve had a bit of a reputation for being political in the past., are you happy with the election results?
MD "Yeah, I'm over the moon!".. Lol! I'll leave it to your common sense, xx
RG: If not, who would you like to see as Prime Minister?
MD: I think a group that represents our society (of young, old, rich, poor, English, African/Caribbean, Asian, Eastern-Europen, Spanish, Japanese, gay, straight, religious, athiest, with disabilities, from conventional AND single parent families etc etc etc) that would govern our 'world' with compassion and 'open ears'... Would be a BEAUTIFUL sight!
RG: What are you working on at the moment – what direction are you taking musically and what kind of subject matter are you thinking about?
MD: I'm having fun with music, trying all different styles and directions and am talking about a wide range of subjects!
RG: Who are you listening to at the moment that you’d recommend our readers to watch out for and why?
MD: I worked with Katy B nearly 2yrs ago and am really happy to hear her able to bless the world with her talent/gift! Also Emeli Sande, I can not wait for her album!!!

TOP FIVES READY FOR AMOEBA MUSIC, JIM MORRISON'S CADILLAC NIGHT, BLACK PANTHERS TRIBUTE + DEVLIN HITS CAMDEN

BACK in the UK doesn’t quite have the same ring as Back in the USSR, and much less romanticism, but, sadly, that’s where I am.

So I promise this is my last mention of my Californian musical trail, which until now had pretty much failed. Yes I saw Earth, Wind & Fire, and though I couldn’t tell which were the original members, they were reasonably fun. Shame about the atrocious dancing from certain sections of the crowd. I also managed to stay in the Cadillac Hotel in LA, where I hear Jim Morrison once jammed and Charlie Chaplain used to live. No trace of that history now, just pleasant rooms and grimy beach surroundings.

But the highlight of the trip must have been visiting Amoeba Music in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. Occupying a former bowling alley, it is said to be the world’s largest independent music store and it’s massive.

I spent hours trawling through the records and found a lovely rare recording of songs by my LA psychedelia heroes, Love.

It felt just like being in a giant version of High Fidelity, or maybe Empire Records. Now where's my top five list....?








• Speaking of Haight-Ashbury, the band of the same name support The Vaselines at Scala (September 22).

• Here’s a good one – Tongues on Fire: a tribute to the Black Panthers takes place at the Barbican on Saturday (September 11). Described as a “unique musical tribute to the cultural influence of 1960s African-American radicals the Black Panthers”, The Roots, The Last Poets and Doctor L are among the talent on the bill.

• Recent Record of the Week appearance, Dagenham MC Devlin’s making two appearances in Camden in October. He supports Example at Koko (October 12) and headlines Underworld (October 28). I only hope he brings Giggs along.

ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK, EARTH, WIND & FIRE, REALLY? + I AM KLOOT AND AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT'S UNION VISITS

ENGLEBERT Humperdinck. Earth, Wind & Fire. What are these words? Who are these people and why are they even on this page? 

As much as I’ve looked out for the next big thing in San Francisco, I haven’t been near a radio, I’m staying in a flat without a TV and with people who don’t like guitars/electro, or any music I like. 

So this is all I’ve got so far. Apparently 74-year-old lego haired Humperdinck – once famous for his version of Release Me (your parents/grandparents may know it) is still alive and singing in the wine country of Sonoma, California, early next month – I know, I saw his name in shiny lights as we drove past. 

Also, I’ve been talked into seeing veteran disco kings Earth, Wind & Fire in a vineyard somewhere – think I might slip away and check for young blood among the grapes.

• They’ve been nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize and now they’re off trying to seal the deal by playing fave venue, Islington’s Union Chapel (Sept 29). Then again, I Am Kloot may not even want the
ill-fated award, which has been known to dampen an act’s career (see Speech Debelle).
• Last year the Camden Crawl won best digital campaign at BT’s Digital Music Awards. The awards are looming again (Camden Roundhouse, Sept 30) and we’re hoping the crawl will continue its winning streak. As I’m yet to get hold of an iPhone, I can’t nominate for new category Best Music App so instead I’m trying to guess who will top Camden rapper Akala’s 2009 performance this year.
• Former Record of the Week contenders Airborne Toxic Event play an acoustic show at the Union Chapel (Oct 3). Their single Sometime Around Midnight is timeless. One not to miss.