24/4/2017 Johnny Thunders Tribute Night @ Mau Mau Bar

I find myself out on a Monday night for the second week in a row, but there is a good reason. I'm at Mau Mau Bar for a Johnny Thunders tribute night. The venue is small, but rather cool. It's free to get in and although there is no real ale you can get a bottle of beer for £2.50 or a large can of cider for a a little more. The crowd are as cool as the venue and it's surprisingly busy for a Monday. At least half of those present appear to be musicians. and quite a few of them end up getting up to play on the venue's small stage. Among those present is Peter Perrett from the Only Ones - who was keen to get up to sing 'Chinese Rocks', but apparently a drummer who knew the song well enough couldn't be found in the room.

There is a sort of 'house band' playing when I arrive. They don't seem to have any connection to the late Johnny Thunders but they are rather good and I warm to them to the extent of being interested in seeing them again some time - if only I could remember their name....

Among those taking to the stage is the familiar figure of Dave Renegade - looking not unlike his cousin 'Alabana Country Joe' who I saw only last week. Dave plays a short solo acoustic set including the Thunders classic 'You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory'.

Another familiar figure to hit the stage is Nigel formerly of the Gasoline Queens but now the Kult 45's - he makes a glorious racket with his new Gretch semi.

Yet another very familiar figure takes to the stage in the form of former Cock Sparrer and current Bermondsey Joyriders guitarist Gary Lammin - a big fan of the New York Dolls and Heartbreakers frontman tonight pay's tribute to - in fact his band have recorded a song on one of their albums called 'Johnny Thunders Was A Human Being'.

The evening draws to a close a bit earlier than I expected - probably due to it being a Monday night. It's been a good night though, and although this has been my first visit to Mau Mau Bar I'm sure it won't be the last.

17/4/2017 Country Joe Renegade @ The Lamb

I've never been to The Lamb on Holloway Road before, although I've heard some good things about it. It's got plenty of character and gives the impression that it probably has an interesting past. Real ale at reasonable prices is always a bonus! Some places appear larger on the inside than they look on the outside - this place seems the opposite. Weird. It's not that busy on a Monday night, but tucked away in the back part of the pub I find Country Joe Renegade playing a solo acoustic set. 

If he looks a bit like well known North London musician Dave Renegade that's because he's his cousin from Alabama. ;-) His badly behaved cousin. Not a million miles away from Howling Willie Cunt - but without all the swearing! Country Joe turns out a set of mostly original songs to a small but select crowd. His songs are interesting and heartfelt. It's a nice relaxed atmosphere and the staff at the pub seem friendly and genuinely enthusiastic about the place - I shall return in the future....