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

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: 17th July 2009
At: Victoria Park, London

Welcome to the house of fun! Fairground rides actually rival the number of beer tents and a weighty proportion of the crowd is sporting Madness-themed fancy dress – something tells me no one is taking anything too seriously today at this family-friendly festival.

On: 03/05/09
At: The Rag Factory

This year we celebrated five years of holding a zine symposium in London. Each year it seems to get bigger; and this year was by far the biggest yet. Over 60 different distros, creators, writers and artists…

On: 18/04/09
At: The Windmill, Brixton

I didn’t know Bridge and Tunnel’s music particularly well, but they had blown me away at the Fest last October, based on my previous experience and his enthusiasm, I knew that anyone who came to this show was in for a treat.

On: 7/03/2009
At: Pure Grooves, Farringdon, London

Frank Turner claims to be haunted by the scene from Spinal Tap where no-one turns up for an instore appearance. He really didn’t have anything to worry about today. Pure Grooves, the record shop/cafe tucked away behind London’s Smithfield market, is packed to capacity and a few ardent fans even have to settle for the pavement outside.

On: 27/02/09
At: Forum

This was my first outing to the ‘HMV’ Forum, and I’m sad to report that not much has changed: the bar is still overpriced, the toilets scuzzy, and the sound awful. However this wasn’t going to put a dampener on my night.