MUTYA BUENA'S CAMDEN CONNECTION? AND MORE...

EVER walked by Stables Market and thought: “I want to capture that sound forever?” Well, the guys who own the market have roped in ex-Sugababe Mutya Buena to guest on a series of albums called The Sound of Camden. I’m not sure what her Camden connection is but Mutya’s promo quote says: “I am connected to the market and now I am singing songs that my mother loves as well, it’s amazing.”

The albums, sold at 2,800 market stalls, cover electronic, classic and revolutionary sounds of bands such as U2, The Pixies, The Rolling Stones and more, featuring tracks that are synonymous with the sound of Camden.

• Beware the small print. I couldn’t believe it when I read Blackstreet were playing at The Hill, Haverstock Hill on Friday. Then I heard it was two ex-members and a guy who was never in the original band – anyone know different?

• Jongleurs hasn’t left Camden but the venue has been renamed Highlight. There’s a pop-up variety cabaret show on Tuesday (May 25) including Mandy Muden MC – who combines comedy and magic, ping-pong ball mouth juggler Rod Laver, musical impressionist Duncan Wisbey, comedy circus performance artist Kaliki Hula Girl, 16-stone prima ballerina Madame Galina, the world’s fastest tap-dancer James Devine, and octogenarian Barry from Watford – got to beat any Britain’s Got Talent line-up. Tickets from 0844 499 4064 orwww.thehighlight.co.uk

• Sadly just learned I missed out on a screening of Love Story, a documentary about Arthur Lee’s genius psychedelic band Love at Westminster Reference Library on Monday. I heard Darwin Deez recently played there too. Definitely a venue to keep an eye on.
Here's Arthur Lee in later years - still struggling to find footage of him with the original line-up.

CAMDEN CRAWL HEADLINERS LET FRINGE ACTS DAZZLE AND BBC 6MUSIC CAUSE REACHES CRISIS LEVELS

THE Camden Crawl has announced the rest of its line-up – bar one SECRET SPECIAL GUEST (in caps of course), and any surprise unannounced gigs on the day.

The big names expected for the Roundhouse have not materialised. Lostprophets and We Are Scientists are not, in my humble opinion, a patch on last year’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kasabian, Idlewild and The Maccabees. As for the ever-changing, ever-falling-out Sugababes, who knows if they’ll even still have their name by then, judging by pending legal action from past members.

Bravo to the organisers, though, for doubling up Roundhouse shows and selling tickets upfront rather than making people waste precious hours on the day having to queue.

But personally I’m glad the Roundhouse isn’t such a huge draw, it leaves more time to focus on the smaller bands, what the Crawl is all about – discovering lesser-known gems.

• Bands scrabbled together, an emergency press release was sent out, and hundreds scrawled their names on the petition. The threat to BBC 6Music has taken on international crisis proportions and, as is fitting of these causes, Proud Camden took out its contacts book and pulled in the big names on Wednesday to do its bit. The Maccabees, The Holloways, Kitty, Daisy and Lewis and Master Shortie were among those on the line-up. Let’s hope the BBC Trust was listening.

• Here’s one for all you dreamy types. The Dig’s Spring Equinox celebrations of bohemian deviance are at Passing Clouds, Dalston, on March 18, featuring live installations, poetry, an erotic life-drawing class and cult film screenings. Live bands include The Bridport Dagger, Life In Film, Ay Ducane and Cruella Ribbons.