Notting Hill, on a weekend during the Easter holidays, and on Record Store Day, when you’re trying to pinpoint an unassuming door that leads to Notting Hill Arts Club is a logistical nightmare. But well worth it, once you’ve descended the stairs and got yourself a well deserved beer.
Some Record Store Day bargains. Courtesy of Mike Fabio
The event was a celebration of many things; the triumph of ‘keeping it old school’ for Record Store Day, which saw droves of music fans queueing at record stores to take advantage of special offers and ensure that the humble record store stays alive in its fight against the MP3. It was a celebration of the newly formed Pink Mist record label; an amalgamation of existing labels Big Scary Monsters, Holy Roar and Blood and Biscuits. And it was a celebration of the exciting collection of bands they have signed, namely Teej, Rosa Valle, Hymns and Tall Ships. Finally, it was a celebration for my purse, because it was all FREE!
The dimly lit Notting Hill Arts Club, a delightful underground hole, made it easy to forget that it was still daylight outside, as everything kicked off early in the afternoon. With short, snappy sets there was also no fear of missing a song when necessity called for toilet runs.
Teej made for an energetic opener, with a mix of synthy electronica that has a hint of post rock that really lets you get lost in it. Finishing on a huge applause from an unusually enthusiastic audience so early into the gig, the guys looked a little embarrassed at the gusto. They shouldn’t, when you’re lucky enough to get it, accolade is to be lapped up.
Rosa Valle followed with their mix of progressive rock with a hardcore edge. They describe themselves as a ‘four piece math-mosh band’, which sums it up pretty well. They owned the stage and their loud confidence made it impossible to look away.
Hymns, fronted by Jason Willcock, whose vocals you might recognise from past project Blakfish, the two-piece maintain a dark, serious edge, and are fiercely passionate in their performance. So fierce that, at times, it made you wonder if they would make it to the end of the set or they were all screamed and sweated out.
Matt and Jamie of Tall Ships. Courtesy of Kasper Vogelzang
And finally, Tall Ships. I’ve already banged on about how awesome these guys are, both their performance at Swn Festival last October, and the release of their EP There is Nothing But Chemistry Here. They’re still awesome, and tried a few new things during this performance, with a bit of climbing and backing into the crowd, as well as showcasing a new single that had only been recorded the week before. It was full of energy and suggests promising things for their new releases.
Great bands, great music, great day. Long live Pink Mist.
