Bank Holiday Sunday – once the bastion of chilled out afternoons and lazy days in front of the box. Not so when Clash gets involved…
Commandeering their Camden mainstay once again, Clash’s Sunday Sessions all-day party was perfectly placed slap bang in the middle of May’s holiday weekend so that all who came down could enjoy guilt-free Sunday hijinks without a worry of working the next day – all soundtracked by another exemplary backdrop of live music.
Dividing their time with perching outside on the balcony to drink, smoke and socialise, the capacity crowd vied for position to check out the three bands performing throughout the day. First up was opener Official Secrets Act.
The London four-piece might look like they got thrown out of The Feeling for looking too nice, but even stripped down to acoustic guitars and a snare drum these boys can unleash some musical malevolence. There’s still those taut rhythms and jerky-punk leanings, but laid bare their songs reveal poignant tendencies, which prove the perfect introduction to the day’s festivities.
Following them an hour or so later, and armed with the biggest bass amp known to man, was Belgium’s Das Pop, who set themselves the mission of turning up the heat inside the already swelling pub. Peppered with Motown hooks, funky chops, angular rhythms and of course enough pop sensibilities to embarrass Simon Cowell, their set was a storming showcase in front of a new crowd, and quite effortlessly won them over. Their debut album, produced by Soulwax’s David and Stephen Dewaele, will be out this summer, and should definitely be investigated further…
House favourite Pop Levi then stepped up to the plate to deliver his own inimitable brand of acoustic high pitched twee folk-soul. Playing a mixture of songs from debut ‘The Return to Form Black Magick Party’ and latest release ‘Never Never Love’ including Clash favourite ‘Skip Ghetto’ which had the Sunday night crowd swaying to a slightly different pace of headline act than the Clash Sunday Sessions crowd is used to. The little man went down a storm and looked like he was having a whale of a time to himself after travelling from a near all-nighter followed by a video shoot, to complete his own bank holiday in the fine company of Clash and friends.
With 4 hours still to go the Clash DJ’s could be forgiven for shooting their anthemic load a little too soon, but the perfect brand and blend of bank holiday classics just kept on coming and the best venue in Camden, nae London, rocked till the late license was squeezed of every last drop of musical celebration allowed.
Another belter. Gigs don’t get much better.
