Camden Town: Classic or Dud?

If you're under 18: classic.
If you're over 18: dud.
If you're a tourist of any age: ultra-classic.

believe it or not, i actually drink in The Good Mixer from time to time, i cannot believe i admitted this in a public arena.

Camdem is okay. I like Mega City comics, actually thats all I like about Camdem. Must be why I don't go there very often.

When I lived in Camden proper I had a blast (I have mostly lived in the borough while in London, if not the actual neighbourhood). No schlepping to markets two buses away, because everything is a short walk away from where you are and the West End is a 10-minute bus ride away if you're lucky. I was there for Britpop Summer (1995) and it was as fun as everything you've ever read about it, and just as cartoonish.

The bits between the high street and Regent's Park are gorgeous and don't get much overspill from market-related street traffic. When I lived there I barely went to the market, but in the last few years the whole Stables thing has taken off to become the shopping equivalent of satellite TV - 300 stores and nothing to buy at the price I'd happily pay. Restaurants are not that great either, but I'm really picky on that count (exceptions: Bar Gansa, Cafe Solo breakfasts, the Vietnamese place on Parkway).

The only reason the Good Mixer took off as a place to go is because it serves until midnight, hence place for musicians and journalists. End of story, especially once some of them became famous enough to join Soho drinking clubs which stay open until 1 (Groucho) and 3 (Soho House).

Hoxton vibe is very different to Camden - much more fashion/IT kind of area on the back of art and architecture beginnings.

yeh, but didn't/doesn't the dublin castle open later than the good mixer?

Dublin Castle open till 1am, as far as I know.

And after watching East is East last night, I have decided I need a parka. With a big hood. Which I will wear all the time. Whilst telling people to "get stuffed". So of course it shall be to CAMDEN MARKET where I go! Unless anyone else knows a better place to get a parka. SHOW YOURSELF, MODS.

I think DG has it about right. A truly dreadful place, unless you are very very young, impressionable and have some kind of anachronistic interest in weak guitar bands.

Indeed. I first went there when I was 15 and thought it was AMAZING. Bear in mind of course I was only used to Chadwell Heath and its Ben Sherman wearing denizens, so all those indie kid types wandering around impressed me no end. Then, over time, I realised a few things:
1) Everything's overpriced.
2) Everywhere sells complete rubbish that only indie kids could like.
3) I hate indie kids.
Yes, I are a miserable old sod.

music and video exchange can be cheap tho (got Bodenstandig 2000 and st etienne cdes for one pound)

But! But! There are branches in Notting Hill and Berwick Street, so that doesn't count.

Camden Town Record and Tape usually has the best selection of avant/'out there' stuff, tho. And 'Sounds That Swing' in Camden is prob. the best rec shop in London for old rock'n'roll albs etc.

I was in London in July for the Essential Festival and I found lots of cheap CD's in the various shops on Berwick Street in Soho. I'm going again in a few weeks, so I can update you on any cds I buy then and their prices, I bet you can hardly wait.

Berwick Street - hold up. Isn't that the home of ILE karaoke. Does the nasty K lady have any Ryan Adams?

Exactly. Science says Camden = dud, Berwick Street = classic.

Berwick Street is horrible but it has its uses.

I was going to post saying Camden used to be great but now I see that this is apparently a phase everyone goes through in their youth. I do remember it being much more fun in the early-mid 90s than now, though, and less crowded too. Even recently to be honest I've had some fine evenings in pubs very near Camden, though that's probably the company rather than the pub.

REVIVE?

Camden Crawl, anyone?

Thursday 19 April:

Amy Winehouse The Damned Kids In Glass Houses Shout Out Louds
Adele Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip Killa Kella Shy Child
Air Traffic Emmy The Great The Kissaway Trail Statik
Akala Envelopes Kitty Daisy & Lewis These New Puritans
Ali Love Example Late Of The Pier Tiger Force
Ash Fear Of Flying Laura Marling The Whip
Autokratz Fear Of Music Loney, Dear Xerox Teens
The Barker Band Findlay Brown Marvin The Martian
The Black Ghosts Foals Malcom Middleton
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Foreign Beggars Kate Nash
The Bluetones Friendly Fires New Young Pony Club
Blood Red Shoes Ghost Of A Thousand Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man
Bonde Do Role Goose Jack Penate
Born Ruffians Hadouken! Popular Workshop
Bricolage Hot Club De Paris Professor Green
Brigade I Am Kloot Pull Tiger Tail
Cajun Dance Party i Like Trains Scanners
Calvin Harris I Was A Cub Scout Scott Matthews
Cherry Ghost Johnossi Shakes
Cooper Temple Clause Kid Harpoon Simple Kid

Friday 20 April:

Air Traffic Eamon Hamilton (Brakes) Late Of The Pier The Whip
Akala Emmy The Great Marvin The Martian Xerox Teens
Ali Love Envelopes Kate Nash Yourcodenameis: Milo
Alterkicks The Error Plains Jack Penate Zico Chain
The Barker Band Example Pete And The Pirates
The Be Be See Fear Of Flying Polytechnic
Biffy Clyro Findlay Brown Professor Green
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Flood Of Red Pull Tiger Tail
Blood Red Shoes Foals Roll Deep
Bonde Do Role Friendly Fires Shout Out Louds
Born Ruffians Hadouken! Shy Child
Bricolage Hot Club De Paris Statik
Cajun Dance Party The Hot Puppies These New Puritans
Calvin Harris Hafdis Huld Tiger Force
The Charlatans I Am Kloot Tiny Dancers
Cherry Ghost I Say Marvin Tom McRae
Chrome Hoof I Was A Cub Scout Travis
Cooper Temple Clause Kid Harpoon Tunng
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip Killa Kella Frank Turner
The Displacements The Kissaway Trail Untitled Music Project
The Dykeenies Kitty Daisy & Lewis Vincent Vincent And The Villains

http://www.thecamdencrawl.com/lineup.html

I'm going tomorrow night. Bring it!

um, sorry about the formatting cock-up. makes sense if you pay attention...

maybe this ought to be on ilm, on reflection! or on the rolling london gigging thread. *shrug*

A visit to Camden feels like a trip back in time for me now. And I never really spent much time there in the first place.

I kind of love it in an awful-tacky-dump-full-of-seedy-weirdos kind of way. (See also: the whole of Soho).

The Good Mixer is weird, it feels like a youth hostel and has a similarly friendly-but-slightly-stilted atmosphere to it.