The Return

Well then, what a week that was. Many of you will have noticed that this page has been collecting some cobwebs for some time now. I have to apologise for that. Over the lockdown periods we lost something very dear to us all: live music. With this, my inspiration to write had significantly diminished - until this week. Monday night was filled with old friends and wholesome music, it was a well needed trip to the Windmill. This was followed on Saturday with a trip across the river to a park in Crystal Palace for a day of hard hitting tunes, riptide crowds and most of all dirty baselines. That week reminded me why I wanted to write about music.

The Windmill in Brixton is a personal favourite for us at ScumFiles and it was sorely missed.  On Monday I was treated to a night made up of three great acts: Zac Lawrence and The Hate, Sasha and the Shades, headlined by Ideal Husband. All of which contained one or more close friends. Many of you will know that it’s rather cosy venue and most nights I’ve spent there have been nights where I’m surrounded by familiar faces. This evening was no different. These factors came together to give me a real feeling of being at home.  The music was fitting of this feeling, with the music of all three bands stemming from folk. Within the first few songs I was hooked. It was the ring of harmonies on the skin, the vibrations of bass in the ribs and the tingle of bass drum on the soles of the feet. It was a wonderful night of music that provoked a sense of nostalgia and comfort.

On to Saturday, where we made the trip to an unfamiliar venue: The Crystal Palace Bowl. I say unfamiliar but in a way it was very familiar in that it was a field full of people drinking and listening to live music, which was very welcome. The lineup was stellar with the day rounded off by the trio of Fat White Family, Baxter Dury and Sleaford Mods. The frontmen from each of the bands completely owned the stage, stirring up the crowd, creating an electric atmosphere. The day sparked up more emotions I hadn’t felt for a while: ones of liberation and empowerment. Although they were different emotions they were birthed from the same sensory experiences of Monday night. I was reminded that there’s no better feeling than the ring of live music through your body.

Live music is back, and so are we.

Words : James Watson