Date: 19/04/08
Rating:
Determined to tackle the second night of the Camden Crawl with the intention of seeing more than four bands, this was made easier by a relaxed daytime. Heading to Tommy Flynn's for an afternoon of 'Indie Idle', we caught the unsigned Ice Sea Dead People, Skyhorse and My Name Is Red battling it out for a slot that evening. Despite rooting for Ice Sea Dead People, Skyhorse emerged triumphant.
An early evening amble through the drizzle, stopping off to see Alex Zane DJing to bemused shoppers in the new H&M, leads us to the first band proper of the night. Duels make a hugely welcome return with tracks from their second album 'The Barbarians Move In'. The cheapskates' favourite pub The Crescent is hardly a fitting setting for the reinvented Leeds band, but their brooding, epic opening tracks 'The Furies' and 'Sleeping Giants' soon transport you into their intense world. Duels finally look like a band with a purpose.
After jumping on a bus to the rammed Barfly for Johnny Flynn, squeezed in at the back it was offputting to hear people talking at the bar when there was a half hour wait outside. Pushing forward, it's possible to see that Flynn and his Sussex Wit are crammed onto the stage making beautiful quirky folk, but while Flynn sounds engaging, his physical impression suggests otherwise - staring vacantly into the crowd. Ah well, you can't always have it all.
Following the pledge to see more than four bands, it's off to Oh Bar to catch Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds. The smartly dressed teenage quintet come across like the little brothers of Young Knives with their angular indie pop with an edge. Having decided to round off the night seeing Creepy Morons at the Purple Turtle, our spot is claimed by settling in to watch Sky Larkin. The trio's effortless dreamy pop sweeps over the grimy venue, having the peculiar quality of being both lo-fi and lush. Most definitely lo-fi are the pair that call themselves Creepy Morons. Consisting of guitar and drums the duo thrash out bluesy indie with a twisted dark underbelly. Post-gig, a weekend of walking the length of Camden means moving onwards no longer feels desirable. So any afterhours shenanigans cannot be reported on alas. The overall verdict is: great fun and games if you can bypass the queues. A total swizz if you cannot.
Becky Reed
Duels Official Site
Duels MySpace
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