Whilst checking the bill I noticed that the Favours, who are down from Hull, sounded great. More like headliners than 8pm on a Sunday night; and so they proved in the flesh. Monocle Rose have been drummerless since …well a very long time. I think this may be their first gig of the year. There’s an awful lot of bands on tonight, too many really. There are a couple between Monocle Rose and Ghostcat, both names start with black and are OK. But it’s all too much, by Ghostcat start I have had quite a lot to drink and know I am going to have to catch the nightbus. Ghostcat are not even the headline band. Fortunately the nightbus is relatively fast tonight.
It’s really good to see Ghostcat again, even though the lighting man seems to have found a switch which makes the lights flicker like a broken old tv. It’s difficult to describe how bad an effect this is for the viewing public. Ghostcat are fun but my faculties are not at their best after 5 hours in pubs.

Monocle Rose provide a timely opportunity to check out the Hope and Anchor before Little Fish play here on Thursday. The Hope & Anchor is very small, smaller than it was in it's heyday of the late 70s. My most vivid memeory of that period is sitting upstairs whilst the Dammed played downstairs. We could have gone in, but didn't need to; we had all gathered at the Dammed gig because our friends would be there. Actually paying to go in would have spoilt the social occasion (too noisy to talk), so we didn't. The best example of this was Toyah; I don't think anyone I knew thought she was particularly good, but it was a gig everyone went to because your friends would be there. Because your friends were cool, like you, the gig itself became cool. Anyway I never saw Toyah at the Hope & Anchor and I'm sure Monocle Rose weren't born when I was ignoring the Dammed upstairs, or even when I did go downstairs to see the Bodysnatchers. I've got a feeling I saw Madness here, or maybe it was the Specials. I know I wasn't there when Joy Division played their first London gig here. It was definitely bigger then , whoever it was I came to see. Now there is a bar and a huge sounddesk area. Surely you can't get a hundred people in here now. Its all a bit cilvilised, but at least they have lights like a proper venue. In 2008 people can't be expected to walk upstairs to buy a drink (although you have to if you want a pint of decent beer for £2.80) and a band have to be made to look as if they have jaundice because venues think that using coloured gels to spoil perfectly good lights somehow makes the venue cool. 

Monocle Rose are without Drums and Bass tonight, I think there may be replacements arriving soon.

First outing for Monocle Rose's new bass player.

Strange venue

Not much of an audience and only half the band. At least they have good beer at the Cross Kings (Fuller's London Pride)

Another venue I haven't visited for a while. Since I was last here some lights have appeared and the stage has been enlarged. For some reason the lights have heavy yellow gels making everyone look like they've got jaundice.

Monocle Rose are lively again with an exciting show.