Axis Of – Good Mixer
When you’re playing to a festival crowd, the majority of who don’t have a clue who you are, energy is crucial. Having some gusto can really make the difference between gaining new fans and being ditched for a pint and a ciggie outside. Axis Of are obviously aware of this as the three of them make the most of every inch of the tiny bar stage onto which they’re crammed. Their entire set of infectiously heavy pop-rock is spent hopping back and forth between the drum kit and microphones, spinning on the spot to the point where motion sickness is a very realistic possibility, and just generally rocking out until the sweat pours and the throat bleeds. It’s impressive, and shows this Northern Irish three-piece have a shedload of potential when it comes to future live shows. 3/5
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Glen Matlock – Proud
Ex-Sex Pistol Glen Matlock might’ve been overshadowed by junkie punk poster-boy Sid Vicious back in the day, but it’s clear who came out on top as he performs at Camden Rocks, four decades after his musical debut. Matlock’s style has developed from raw punk rock to a much more relaxed, mature blues vibe as he performs alone with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and the crowd’s clap-a-longs. His rockabilly tunes go down pretty well, with vocals that have more than stood the test of time, but it’s his acoustic rendition of Sex Pistols classic ‘God Save the Queen’ that really stirs up a storm as punk fans make the most of this unforgettable moment straight out of musical history. 3.5/5
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Anti-Nowhere League – Dingwalls (Main)
If you want some brutal old-school punk rock, look no further as the leather-clad Anti-Nowhere League takeover Dingwalls this afternoon with their middle-finger attitude. They shake up the day with their no-nonsense punk style that consists of gravelly vocals rough enough to cut glass and angst-fuelled lyrics – “I hate people, and people hate me!” being a personal favourite. Chaos soon ensues as the punk fans do what they do best, with fists flying (into the air and not at each other, thankfully!) and Mohawk-topped heads banging. While Camden Rocks is brilliant at bringing us fresh blood, it’s great to see some old-school pros showing the festival newbies how it’s done. 3/5
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Fearless Vampire Killers – Dingwalls (Main)
For a band such as Fearless Vampire Killers, festivals can be a blessing or a curse: you’ll either win people over with your intriguing stage presence and captivating live performance, or the theatrics will all be a bit too much for the unsuspecting crowd members who are laying eyes on you for the first time and are a little taken aback. Luckily, today seems to work in FVK’s favour and, for the most part, people throw themselves into it and enjoy the show. It helps that the band pull off a stellar set-list, with old favourites ‘Could We Burn, Darling?’ and ‘Bow Ties on Dead Guys’ sitting alongside new tunes, including summer song ‘In Wondrous Rage’ and killer single ‘Maeby’. Camden Rocks is the perfect festival for eclecticism, and bands like FVK do pretty damn well out of that. 3.5/5
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Red House Glory – Hawley Arms
One of the festival’s smallest headliners, Brit rockers Red House Glory, finish off this Saturday night at a packed-out Hawley Arms. As always, festivals tend to be blighted by the odd sound problem, and Camden Rocks is no different; with a touch of feedback here and there, the set could do with a few technical tweaks. However, they’re not the first band to have experienced this today and a very forgiving (and probably quite drunk!) crowd don’t let it spoil the show. Despite the tiny venue, the band manage to pull off a pretty neat and tidy set, with older tracks ‘Lead Me Away’ and ‘Fever’ going down a treat while newer songs show huge potential for their EP, out later this month. With ‘So Easy’ closing the set, this satisfied crowd would probably all agree – tonight is just the start for Red House Glory. 3.5/5
