MOURNING THE ELECTRIC PROMS + GRANDMASTER FLASH + MEN + MORE

THERE were some genius moments in the glory days of the BBC Electric Proms Festival. Over its brief life it sent out talons, expanded to new venues, branched out in Liverpool, brought in obscure artists and became one of the highlights of Camden’s music calendar.


(Stunning Nitin Sawhney evening ft Natty 2008)

The mantra “creating new moments in music” was hammered into our brains and for a time had some justification – remember Africa Express, Mongrel at Barfly and Liam Gallagher’s Oasis return angry fireworks?



Not to mention The Last Shadow Puppets' incredible show at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.



But somehow it lost its Mojo, the very mantra forever etched in our minds fell from the BBC’s own consciousness.
Last year’s event was cut to three days and although it’s pleasant to know Neil Diamond, Elton John and Robert Plant are still alive, there was little new about their appearances.
Perhaps if we could all get off the BBC’s back for five minutes, the quality of the Electric Proms could have been sustained and it wouldn’t have been such a likely candidate for the axe. A loss to our culture, a loss to the Roundhouse and a loss to Camden.

• How many of you know every word to Grandmaster Flash’s Rapper’s Delight? If you’re lucky, he might just play it at Scala (Feb 10).

• Sia’s girlfriend and former Record of the Week candidate JD Samson (ex Le Tigre) brings band MEN to the Lexington on Tuesday (Feb 8).

• Diva Natalie May’s a graduate of Hawley Wharf’s Young Person’s Theatre Company and single Closer has won a prized spot on a number of radio playlists. See her at Dingwalls (Feb 6).

• Lovely of Ian Brown to back a £10,000 musical scholarship for prospective students at Camden’s School of Sound Recording, whose rehearsal rooms have been used by The Stone Roses. If I had an ounce of talent...

• Proud Camden’s Metallica 30th anniversary photo exhibition Fade To Black: Metallica By Bill Hale begins today (Feb3). Go soak up the culture.

• Joan as a Policewoman – first dance choice at a friend’s ultra cool wedding – plays the Barbican (Feb 6).

WHERE'S JOHNNY? DEPP'S STUNT DOUBLE KNOWS + LITTLE NOISE + BRAVO MOBO NOMINEES AKALA AND N-DUBS

EVER wondered what Johnny Depp’s stunt double does when not risking his life to save Hollywood’s most precious cheekbones?
Turns out Pirates of the Caribbean cast member Scott Sener is a musician. He supports Camden band Earth Prayer – fronted by Heidi Jo Hines, daughter of former Wings guitarist and Moody Blues founder member Denny Laine – at a free gig at Scars Studio, 20 Castlehaven Road, Camden Town, on Saturday.
Sener’s invited cast members so keep your eyes peeled for the genuine article – Mr Depp has been known to pop up at the odd underground gig – ask Babybird.

(Can't find a clip of Earth Prayer so here's Heidi Jo Hines on her lonesome).

• Fellow music lovers, it’s all happening. Once you’ve completed the three peaks challenge of Elton, Neil Diamond and Robert Plant at Electric Proms (Oct 28 – 30) – here’s what’s coming up.
• Regular readers will know this is my absolute fave series of gigs, Mencap Little Noise Sessions return to the Union Chapel (Nov 15 – 20) with Tom Jones, Paolo Nutini and Hurts latest headliners to be announced – my pick so far – Hurts. Be there.
• Can’t believe we’re talking about the Camden Crawl already but early bird tickets go on sale at the Bull and Gate launch gig (Oct 28) – The Chapman Family, DELS, Hook & the Twin, John & Jehn, Martyna Baker and the inevitable secret guest tba by Twitter of course!
• If you missed Tim Robbins at the Union Chapel, you can catch him supporting Paolo Nutini at the Q Awards gigs at HMV Forum (Oct 22).
Also playing are Jamiroquai (Oct 20), Chase and Status (Oct 22) and Mark Ronson & The Business INTL (+ Rose Elinor Dougal) (Oct 23).
• Bravo N-Dubz and Akala for Mobo nominations – find out if they won (Oct 20).

WHAT HAVE ELTON JOHN, ROBERT PLANT AND NEIL DIAMOND GOT IN COMMON? ROUNDHOUSE ELECTRICS!

I’VE made my point on this page before but what has happened to the Electric Proms?
Firstly, it’s been rebranded BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms (Oct 28-30) – the organisers have made that very clear to all Press.

Secondly the headliners – Elton John, Robert Plant and Neil Diamond – are all only slightly one side or the other of claiming their pensions.

Thirdly, we all fought to save BBC 6 Music, they had their own section to the Proms last year but by Radio 2 taking over, we’ve lost that edge.
The greatest news about this year’s line-up, whose most likely highly varied followers would class as legends in their own special way, is that a restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Don’t bank on these but for those who do snap them up, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience...of sorts.
Now this is not an ageist page. In fact Robert Plant featured here a couple of weeks ago when he played Kentish Town’s Forum, and Led Zep remnants are always welcome here, but this is more about the lack of
new blood, and, at risk of sounding like a council flyer for youth services – diversity.
Radio 2 may be a part of the establishment but it does also feature good new music – just this weekend Dermot O’Leary played Villagers on his show. So why keep it so limited?
This year’s Proms will include a tiny sprinkling of younger pop acts – Plan B and Rumer will join Elton and Plant gets the London Oriana Choir (Oct 29).
But the Electric Proms tagline was always “creating new moments in music”.
There’s no doubt Elton, launching the show on Thursday (Oct 28) will put on a good show, and he’s a master at collaborations so there’ll definitely be some surprises but how is this going to work with Neil Diamond?

The greatest show I ever saw at the Proms was Africa Express. It had been a Proms staple but last year mysteriously dropped off the bill. 

Africa Express really defined the Electric Proms – a world away from the stuffy flag-waving crowd at the traditional Proms, it featured more than 100 artists of every discipline and background, crammed on Koko’s stage, jamming and experimenting like true musicians at the greatest party ever.
In 2008, it was Damon Albarn who brought it together and he’s been touring with various incarnations ever since.
It’s just a shame we don’t get it in Camden anymore.
This is not supposed to be a major moan about the Electric Proms.
Where else will you get the chance to see Elton at such close quarters for only £25?
He’ll be joining his idol Leon Russell to play tracks from new album The Union but the classics will be there too.
And how will Plant create his “new moments” with the choir?
Sure Neil Diamond will attract some older fans but also that irritating contingent who danced/drank/hooked up/staggered home to “I’m a Believer” and ”Sweet Caroline” at every university summer ball/formal etc. Sadly Neil, you’re responsible for too many bad memories.
As no other acts have been announced to join him, it would appear he will be making his new moments by himself. If none do materialise, it might be fair to say the concept’s becoming a myth.
He’s promising to play songs from his new album as well as old favourites so maybe he can redeem himself.
The good news is the whole thing will be broadcast on Radio 2 for those who miss it, presented by Bob Harris (any excuse to hear more of Harris’ voice is very welcome).
Performances will be broadcast on BBC 2 with the prefix A Night With...you fill in the gap.
• Tickets for the R2 Electric Proms, are £25 from www.bbc.co.uk/radio2.
• A restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.

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.