MR STEVE’S A GOOD TIME ROCK AND ROLL SHOW – VOLUME 4

Now in its fourth iteration, Mr Steve’s ‘A Good Time Rock ‘n’ Roll Show rumbled back into Camden Town this week, with another raucous session at the Good Mixer.

Home to many nights of antics and debauchery, the iconic grassroots venue welcomed three new acts to its frantic history.

The shabby, wooden doors bore witness to another packed out night, filled to the brim with Mr Steve’s musical friends and family, as well as some of his blood relatives too.

He followed his classic lineup trope of at least one Southampton act on the bill. This time London-based Cat Elliott opened proceedings, ahead of Southampton’s Wonderlux and the American born Nick Diver. All three acts bought their best to the renowned stage.

Cat Elliott was given the unenviable task of easing a still-bustling bank holiday crowd into the night it would become. It’s a venue and show that’s known for sweat-soaked chaos, but Elliott carved her way into something more intimate for those early attendees.

Mr Steve welcomed the onlooking crowd in from the sunlit back streets of Camden, and mere minutes later Elliott was ripping into her opening track ‘Romance Junkie’. It’s a charmingly honest track that showcases exactly who she is as an artist.

It’s a fast paced folk-pop anthem that leans heavily on themes of contradiction. Romantic on the surface but vulnerable in its layers. She performed in a corduroy hat that didn’t last much into second track ‘In Bed With You’.

She paused to introduce herself to the onlooking crowd, and introduced the next track ‘Madam Anna’, a playful folk track that showcases her wit and humorous songwriting. She announced to the crowd at large that the song came about when someone challenged her to feature as many palindromes into a song as she could.

She continued her set with ‘Best Version Of Me’, a witty song about being true to yourself and not pretending to be someone you’re not, which transitioned into the borderline folk-rap hit ‘Through and Through’.

Upcoming single ‘Jilted Bride’ founds its place as the penultimate tune, before she rounded off the set with the euphoric ‘My Life’.

Drawing upon the vulnerability of her music, Cat Elliott transformed a hustling bank holiday crowd into an attentive audience. A measured and poignant start for a night that promised to spiral out of control from there.

Next up, the stage was set for the immersive, atmospheric sound of Southampton band Wonderlux. I’ve seen them once before at Southampton’s iconic Joiners stage, where Dez Jones (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Jack Print (lead guitar) played a dreamy set as a duo.

Tonight, drummer Ewan Edgar took his spot behind the kit, but bassist Jacob Smith couldn’t be in attendance, swapped for a bassline track instead. The sound was louder, and certainly more impactful.

They opened their set with ‘Finest Hour’, a melodic, meandering song that showcases Jones’s incredible vocal range from the off. Print interjects with some powerful ad-lib vocals.

The set continued with three unreleased songs ‘Butch’, ‘Faires’ and ‘Dap’. Each anthem laced with swirling, glistening guitars. The set is held together with some tight, powerful drums from Edgar. The tracks feel weightless and airy with room to breathe, but there’s an undertone of heaviness.

Just as the guitars feel like they’re about to float away, the booming drums pull right back in. The guitars blend into a soft-focus haze.

They continued with ‘Red Planet’, which opens with layers of wandering, glistening guitars and the Florence Welch vocal delivery from Dez Jones. As it builds, the guitars become heavier and more chaotic, but it’s her voice that steals the crowds attention. Just as it feels like the song is going to run out of control, the band pull it back in for the soothing layers that opened.

Next up, they roared into ‘Look Now’, which is a faster, drum-reliant track. Edgar takes the opportunity to play some fast-paced beats and ambient guitars are traded for driving, fast paced alt-rock tones. Vocally, things are deeper but there’s still that signature ethereal delivery.

Taking the opportunity to thank Mr Steve for putting them on his bill, and the crowd for their warming reception, Wonderlux rounded off their set with the similarly theatric ‘Dazed And Days‘.

It was clear to see the audience were completely won over by their set. They drifted from one song onto the next, not slapping you in the face with their sound, but allowing it to linger and hang in the room, rewarding those who allowed themselves to sink into the set. Perfect for fans of Fleetwood Mac and Florence and the Machine.

Mr Steve grabbed the microphone to once more thank Wonderlux for performing, giving the crowd a few minutes before the melodic-strong Nick Diver took to the stage with Mr Steve now happily reminiscing on how just over a year ago he was just another fan but is now firm friends with musician.

Taking vocals and guitar in his live ensemble, Diver was joined by brother Timothy Midnight on drums, Adam Steele on bass and Owen Wheeler on guitar. This was Owen’s first performance on guitar for the band, having previously filled in as drummer.

The indie filled power-pop act performed a set full to the brim with new and unreleased material. his sense of timeless songwriting graced The Good Mixer’s walls for the first time, highlighting his craft more than his noise.

Leaning on themes of old-school romanticism, the tracks are all built on storytelling and melody, giving them that old-school feel.

Diver and his accompanying guitarists have an understated, quiet confidence when taking to the stage, allowing the melodic songs take on the heavy lifting. Midnight on drums roars his way through the entire set, hair flying everywhere and head swaying in a perfect imitation of animal from The Muppets.

Where previous acts focussed on atmosphere and abrasion, Diver’s tight set sharpened into focus. These songs have clear structures, hooks and a shed-load of intent.

The big choruses allow these songs to live in the room, filtering classic-songwriting of the likes of John Lennon and Frank Sinatra into proper hits.

He rounded off his set with the emphatic ‘Keeping an eye on’, which like most of his work, is built on a driving melody and unfussy, timeless quality. As Midnight’s cymbal crashes reverberate off the walls and off every set of ears in the room, Diver’s reflecting, distorted vocals are crooned back to him by the adoring onlookers.

Long time fan Dee, Mr Steve himself and his brother Pete all take to the stage to dance and sing their way through Diver’s chorus and the crowd erupt into laughter and cheers of appreciation.

Once more, Mr Steve took an ambitious bill covering three different genres. Despite three very different acts gracing the stage, the bill never lost it’s sense of direction.

Each act added their own distinction, but this ultimately fed into a bill full of variety. It served as a reminder that when variety is done right, it can be powerful and impactful. In a venue known for chaos, this seemed like a considered, well-curated bill to carry the room.

DJ Blackfeather once again brought the night in with a set packed full of indie bangers. This night served as a reminder of the worlds Mr Steve is tapping into right now. The London and Southampton music scenes are growing an ever-stronger bond.

Off the back of their previous performance on his bill, London-based Away Fans recently opened for Plastersun‘s debut headline show on the South Coast. I’m excited to see what concoction he has in store for us next.