On: 17/11/09
At: Koko, Camden

Camden’s Koko is heaving with middle-aged (and a few younger) diehard fans of Manchester’s enigmatic post-punk stalwarts The Fall. I am greeted with looks of sheer horror and bewilderment when I admit it’s the first time I’ve seen them live, and I’m subsequently treated to enticing hints and rumours of what might lie ahead.

On: 15/10/09
At: Eastpak, Carnaby Street, London

Anti-Flag made it their mission to evoke the spirit of Joe Strummer during their latest visit to London. Playing a free gig consisting entirely of songs by The Clash, the band packed out the tiny Eastpak store on Carnaby Street in the West End.

On: 04/09/09
At: Housman books - London, Cowley Club - Brighton, Fighting Cocks - Kingston

I arrived just as David “Spoonboy” Combs started playing in Housman Books. A young man from Washington DC who also sings for DIY-punk rock band the Max Levine Ensemble and plays a major in the Institute of Anarchist Studies

I missed Brook Pridemore’s actual show at the Cowley Club, but after an afternoon playing endless games of Bullshit for prizes such as pennies, starbursts and a loyalty card to Bombay Aloo he pulled out his guitar and agreed to play a couple songs

On: 26/09/2009
At: The Coronet, Elephant & Castle

Its not often I see a show advertised on a large poster and decide that I have to go, then again it can’t be often that Citizen Fish are directly below the Fun Lovin’ Criminals on such a poster, I should’ve known straight away that The Great Wreck ‘n’ Roll Circus was going to be anything other than an ordinary night.

On: 08/09/09
At: O2 Islington Academy, London

Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine
Photos copyright: Imelda Michalczyk
The weight of expectation can hardly be greater on a new band founded by one of the most successful and controversial godfathers of US punk.
Jello Biafra has blazed a frenetic path through music and politics – founding member of the seminal Dead Kennedys, owner [...]

On: 16/07/09
At: The Electric Ballroom

Camden’s legendary Electric Ballroom is busy having an identity crisis on this rainy summer evening. If you had to guess who was playing here tonight you’d have a tough job.

On: 26/07/09
At: Dingbats

To cut a 30 year story short: NoMeansNo are amazing, have a small but devoted following and they are old. Their tour is even called ‘Old’ and the opening (unreleased) song was called Old; and it’s even possible they are literally three times the age of your favourite band; therefore theatrics and gymnastics were never to be expected…

On: 07/08/09
At: Camden Underworld

Another hideously early start to an evening at the Underworld, I arrived at 7.30 in time to catch most of Gecko’s set. Over the two weeks around Rebellion Festival, the venue has been putting on lots of punk shows one night after another. It’s a really cool idea, but I think this show was the [...]

On: 31/07/09
At: The Raven

This was the first of (hopefully) many free shows at the Raven, a pub opposite some tube stop in west London that I’d never heard of. Lots of people were commenting on how weird it was having a punk rock show in a gastro pub, but a lot of the locals seemed to enjoy the [...]