15/01/2026
Just over a year ago to the day, Mr Steve strolled into the Good Mixer as a fan and friend of the band Dead Freights…..
….. Fast forward one year and six days on from that fateful gig, and he’s promoting his second ‘A Good Time Rock’n’roll Show’ with Dead Freights topping the bill. The punter has become the promoter!
The legendary Good Mixer in Camden remains a proving ground for talented bands, and there was a feeling of congruity in the air. Many a raucous, cramped and chaotic scene takes place between those 4 historic walls.
On that wet January night in 2025, Dead Freights topped the bill with Camden rockers Albion and Songbird’s very own Max Bianco.
Mr Steve has a proven method and formula to his shows. Hailing from Southampton and supporting local bands (Dead Freights included), he always likes to have one Southampton and one London band in his concoction.
With that in mind, Plastersun were included first on the bill. A Southampton post- punk band formed in lockdown, who themselves are on the verge of their biggest year to date.
Squeezing themselves in the middle of the two Southampton bands were London- based Away Fans. An indie band that thrives on jangled guitars and soft melodies.
Starting the night, (not so) secret opener Max Bianco emerged from the shadows at Mr Steve’s request to flashback to that previous year. Sporting his standard fur hat, he took to the stage with his bouzouki for a sweet and short 3 song set.
This small slot allowed Bianco to showcase his songwriting capabilities to the Camden crowd, which included new single ‘Cold Outside’ – available to order now from Bubblebrain Records.com
As ever, the vagabond rounded off his set with ‘North East Bay’. On this occasion he slowed the track down, putting a spotlight on the lyrical content of the anthem.
Within no time at all, Bianco cleared from the stage and Plastersun crammed themselves in place. Frontman Fergus McLean turned his game face on, taking in the scene around him as the band took their places. You could see he meant business from the off.
A short MC introduction from Mr Steve later, and they plunged into new single ‘Delusions of Grandeur’. This hit features a pulsating bassline from bassist Victoria Longo that could be felt reverberating through every crack in the renowned venue.
Watching Plastersun play The Good Mixer feels like one of those “you had to be there moments”. The guitars feel louder, the rhythm section feels tighter than ever and McLeans vocals cut through the air.
Hits like ‘Seconds’, ‘End of the Line’ and ‘Pleasure Circus’ have well and truly nestled their place into the setlist by now. They’re pulling the nostalgic post-punk sound into the modern day and leaving their own stamp on the genre.
Suddenly, the generic pub-hum noise dimmed away as gig goers and Camden locals join in unison to witness the young band.
Towards the end of their set, the room felt as though they’d been won over by them. Their sweaty, confrontational post-punk sound was met with an exuberating up-close experience that can only be found in a room like this.
A point frequently made by Mr Steve is that “Southampton bands are coming”, and on this occasion Plastersun arrived in Camden and booted everyone else out the way.
This paved for the way London act Away Fans to showcase themselves to the crowd. Where Plastersun were in the crowd’s face, Away Fans take the slow burner approach. Their set unravels in front of your eyes.
The chiming guitars weaved their way around the room, finding their place alongside a humming bassline to the opening track ‘Fractals’. The warm and melodic sound pulls onlookers back into the present.
Songs like ‘Honey’, ‘Keeping On’ and ‘Explorer’ keep the similar feel alive. Despite the impactful sound, they had the ability to keep the crowd suspended.
They rounded off the set with ‘Good Day’ that felt like a quiet triumph and the perfect unassuming finale to the set.
A short break later, and the headliners Dead Freights took to the stage. The usual lineup of Charlie James, Louis Duarte and Brogan Turner were joined on the night by friend of the band Paul Solomon.
This extra man on guitar makes all the difference to the live show, allowing James to be the ethereal and vivacious frontman he’s become over the years.
The Turner and Duarte rhythm section make an immediate impact into the set, booming into the unreleased ‘Cuck and Roll’. By the time James and Solomon join on guitar and vocals, there’s no room to move in the crowd. Packed in like sardines, it feels like the band outgrew the room, the moment the first note was played.
To follow this lively opener, the indie rockers grasped at the chance to showcase their two latest singles ‘Blitz Town Bop’ and ‘Do the Gruesome’. Both released in the last few months, and accompanied by music videos produced and directed by Peter Lydon.
In both hits you can sense Turner’s booming basslines rattle through the floor and up your bones. On guitar, James and Solomon’s squirrelly riffs cut through the air like a knife through butter. All eyes in the room are on the band, working their way between the four of them.
As the quartet power through ‘Shot Girl Summer’ and ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ from 2024’s EP ‘The Fury Tapes’, the crowd can feel the polished and refined finish in the performance. Each stroke of the guitar, crash of drums and twang of the bass earn their place in the set.
As the set hits its mid-point, the band used it as perfect moment to bring the room back to reality. This time, for a rejigged version of ‘Who Said Scared’. James seized the attention of every person in the famous bar, as he played a slow and ballad-style version of the song all the way through to the chorus. At this point the band roared back into life and the room met their expectations. They bounced and screamed as the boys in the band fed off every bit of energy.
Retaining the energy they commanded, they surged this into the driving guitars and intimate lyrics of ‘Asking for a Friend’. This fed into the fast-paced, energetic ‘Little Death Project’ which will be the title of the debut album, coming later this year.
Next up was the unreleased ‘She’s the Disease’. This track stands out in the set of new generation Dead Freights songs. The infectious bassline curated by Turner really powers through this track with new energy. Just when sets from other bands may start to dwindle, the roaring chorus of this tune pulls the room straight back into life.
The Southampton rockers continue to ride this wave as they plunge into ‘How Much to Call Me Daddy’, which is a cheeky anthem, filled with charm and a wink-and- nudge flirtation style.
As this last track rolled to its natural close Mr Steve grabbed the microphone to make his final remarks and thanks to the affectionate crowd. To the soundman’s disgust, James ripped back into the intro to Batman, a long-standing song in Dead Freights’ weaponry.
The crowd went as wild as you’d expect for an impromptu encore, with a sense of rebellion in the air. The perfect end to a rock’n’roll show in one of the great grassroots venues.
The night wasn’t quite rounded off there however, as Dead Freights packed, DJ Black Feather begun setting up. Ready to provide a night of Rock’n’roll behind the decks, she opened with an old Dead Freights song ‘Sufferin’ Safari’ before continuing with The Libertines and beyond.
With 2 dates at The Good Mixer under his belt, and some incredible acts to boot, Mr Steve has set the ground running with his shows. The crowd are a true ensemble of the people he’s gathered in the past year.
From Southampton to Camden and beyond, you’d think he’d touched every corner of the music scene, but more people keep turning up. He’s an infectious man with an infectious love of live music. There’s another date coming in February, so keep an eye on his socials and get it in your calendars.
Review by Brad Halcrow for THE SONGBIRD HQ
All photography by Libby Grinham
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