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?