LOYAL CAMDEN GIRL AMY WINEHOUSE PULLS A MEAN PINT AND MORE GOSSIP

DEPRESSING news about plans to axe BBC 6 Music. Huey Morgan, from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals – interviewed above – recently won an award for his 6Music show.

Why, when the Beeb are permanently under scrutiny for their unwise spending of public money, do they choose to delete a gem like this? I guess they need the cash to secure endless Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps repeats – that’s what teenagers really like, right?

• l know him as the man who created Lil Chris – but to most people Gene Simmons is the make-up wearing frontman of glam-rock band KISS. He and his clan put on an incredible show but, the reason that made the gig special - that it was in such a small venue - almost backfired on them in the end. Determined to put on a worthy show, they closed the show with a sustained blast of ticker-tape. I thought we in the balcony were the only ones suffering shortness of breath from the blast of air coming from the cannons, but it appears the band also suffered and were unable to continue past the one encore.
Still it was a night to remember - even if I walked off with a headache.

• Amy Winehouse was back in her old haunts this week. She showed her allegiance to Camden’s iconic Dublin Castle by pulling pints for punters. “I’m a Camden girl,” she told me. “I’d do anything for Camden.”


(Amy Winehouse at Camden Monarch - August 2008)

• They’re the band everyone’s talking about. HURTS play Koko on May 10 and we’re gonna be there – so should you.

• Ever-innovative, ex-UK beatbox champ Beardyman’s touring again and this time he’s stopping off at 02 Academy Islington (May 2). But he’s leaving his fate in the hands of his fans. Send suggestions to him, along with your city, on Twitter with hashtag #beardytour and he’ll try to include them in his set.

• Quadrophenia or is it EastEnders’ Phil Daniels and Ian Dury/Gollum actor Andy Serkis have joined the bill for the Barbican’s celebration of the city Songs in the Key of London (March 9). Together with an eclectic collection of singers – Chris Difford, Blaine Harrison, Jools Holland, James Hunter, Mike Lindsay & Becky Jacobs (of Tunng), Natty, Rico Rodriguez, Chas Smash, Suggs, Glenn Tilbrook and Kathryn Williams – they celebrate songs about the capital.

LIGHTS, TICKER TAPE, KISS, NOEL FIELDING...AND ALL SAINTS???

THEY were the hottest tickets in town on Tuesday night - going for hundreds of pounds on eBay.
But somehow, thanks to some very kind people at 02 Academy Islington, I ended up with a pair of tickets to see KISS.
People had queued outside the venue for the whole day just for a chance to snap up a ticket at the door after the original allocation sold out in record time.
Die hard fans knew just how precious these tickets were - it's not often you get to see a stadium band in such a small venue.
Hairy men stood side-by-side with glammed-up rock chicks just to catch a glimpse of Gene Simmons et al.
And the band relished every second.
Their compact setting just emphasised their gargantuan status.
Their make-up served the dual purpose of cementing their enigmatic superhero personas while at the same time acting as a wonder anti-ageing cream - not a wrinkle in sight.
Simmons obliged with all his tongue-waving and KISS, against a backdrop of Hollywood lights, dazzled.
Their set was tight, the sound clear and their nu-metal stacked gothic boots elevated them to stellar proportions.



They ended with a blinding ticker-tape onslaught, which nearly suffocated former All Saints singers Nicole and Natalie Appleton who, until then, had been right at the front, hanging over the balcony, looking like they knew every word. (see here)
Who knew they'd be such KISS fans?
Less of a surprise was comedian Noel Fielding, who bears some resemblance to all the band members put together - although he seemed oddly lacking in make-up this time.
He and Mighty Boosh co-star Julian Barratt spent only a short time in the VIP bar before preferring to join the hairy men in the pit below.



Setlist:

Modern Day Delilah
Cold Gin
Let Me Go Rock And Roll
Say Yeah
Calling Dr. Love
Got To Choose
I Love It Loud
100,000 Years
Love Gun
Black Diamond
Rock And Roll All Nite
Detroit Rock City