My Night
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On the KTF gig on Friday the 13th
By Hugh Nott
I would like to write a few words about last Friday’s excellent Kensal Town Fund gig at the William IV, for anyone who missed it.
The two stages were a constant buzz as twenty-two acts filled the night! With over 80 performers and techies streaming in it was mayhem till the doors opened at 8pm. BubbleVision’s brilliant ‘Lightening’Rod, treated the whole pub spilling light around in psychedelic streams. The red carpet was rolled out, there were queues at front door as people stuck it out for the good causes, Shelter for the homeless, and WaterAid (who save more lives than any other charity).
The Night kicked off after only slight delays for sound checks, with Wig's Band, vocal harmonies and lyrical mastery. Then the huge surprise; Big Linda, rocked the house with classic raw edged riffs and crafted guitar solos from a superb Patrick Murdoch! The lead singer Rob Alder seemed very popular with the ladies packing the front of stage, his huge charisma, the look of a reborn Jim Morrison of the Doors, wowed the crowd. The band should be massive in America, where they look quite capable of being big stadium rockers. Talking to Rob later he was soft spoken and approachable, the band have promised to play for the fund again, watch this space.
DJ Piers Thompson made the most of the brief gaps between bands spinning rare Groves, Motown and Disco Classics, in inimitable style dropping TV theme tunes and did I hear The Wurzels? Next on was The Loves MC, consummate proven professionals with unerring precision, their songs a joy on the ears. Later we had Elif and her Belly dancers giving an eyeful of eastern promise, in a west London pub!
After an intro from Gaz (Gaz's Rockin blues/The Trojans), The Rotten Hill Gang, took the stage, sparked up the crowd with 'Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner', as the audience rose to the occasion and with the massive presence of Mick Jones of The Clash fame, brought the house down! A sea of people jumping, when I tried in vane to leaver them off, Mick lashed off a couple of bars of 'white riot'! Naturally, we had to give them a couple more tunes, or we could have expected a west London incident! Brilliant gig. Later they told me they really enjoyed it.
Last on, after a Dj set that was all too short from DREADZONE were The Delinquents with Steve Dior, who managed to get the crowd right back on it, at once fun, tough and grungy screaming guitar punk heaven, the thrilled crowd was thrashing about and POGOING! That's a first at the WilliamIV! This band is going places!
There was a lot going on upstairs too, but I was Compering downstairs so missed many of the acts, although Delphi Newman was magnificent, as was Portasonic and Astroman who played without their drummer but as always delivered a great performance. Gracing the house were Hughie from the Fun Loving Criminals, DjPj (Sancho Panza) and Louis Theroux, amongst others.
Thanks to Donica Pearson, Goahead, Robin, Harvey, Sean Downey, John Roseveare, Joao Sarmento, Steve Hynes and all the performers I missed, particularly the wonderful Emma Lsd with her Opera singers, who I hear were marvellous, as ever!
The after party also lit by Rod,was fantastic too, but that's another story! (thanks DJs and esp DJ Nicky Nervosa).
If you can please write reviews if you enjoyed the night, thanks for coming. We will post the take soon.
I will post this review on the Kensal Town Fund site on Facebook, and would ask to invite their mates to join the KTF page, so we can spread the word for the next time.
Regards Hugh Nott
(A director with the Kensal Town Fund)
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