A Mr Steve bill isn’t just about the headliners. Of course, they matter, but the show as a whole matters. It’s rare to turn up to a grassroots show and know every act on the bill.
What sets these shows apart to others in this space, is the unpredictability. There’s no guarantee how the acts will perform, what playful gimmicks Mr Steve has up his sleeve or how the crowd will react.
These shows have found their fitting home at the prestigious Good Mixer in Camden. Similar to a Mr Steve show, The Good Mixer maintains a serene atmosphere that stands in stark contrast to the chaotic surroundings it finds itself in.
First on the bill this month, was the Cornish Fergal Donnellon. A relative newcomer to the London/Camden scene, he moved to the big smoke earlier this year and has amalgamated his way into the scene as if he’s always been part of the furniture.
My first time catching a set of his, it felt like a full circle moment in our relatively short friendship. We first fraternised at a Mr Steve show earlier this year, where the ‘Trampolene’ tee he adorned on his back shined like a beacon to my room-sweeping eyes.
Taking to the stage in bohemian chic, he ripped through a set of acoustic ballads. The set was packed full of high energy, keeping the onlooking crowd on their toes with slight pauses in all the perfect places to keep a tantalising edge to the performance.
My personal highlight of the set was his performance of new release ‘Voice Of The City’. I pictured it as a modern working of ‘Down In The Tube Station At Midnight’ brought into the modern working class context. His stage presence already emanates around the room, but Donnellon is only going to grow in stature.
Playing the middle set of the night, SEY.MOUR. and the Misses arrived with a sea of unexpected melodies, vocals shifting between singing, speaking and shouting. There’s no clear genre to fit them into, but to push me for an answer, I’d say punk. It’s full of that familiar punk anger, dashed with something much more unpredictable.
Alice Seymour fronts up the act, providing the performance with her whimsical, ethereal vocals that pierce through the room, drawing the attention of all within earshot. I’ve become familiar with her from her other band, Away Fans, who have previously performed under the Mr Steve banner.
The Misses consist of Ry McArthur on bass, Ellie Hope on guitar and Daniel Wangusi on drums. There’s an interesting dynamic that comes with The Misses as part of the artillery. Seymour takes control and is the focal point of the performance, however, the trio aren’t just decoration. They feed off one over, and bring the vulnerability hidden beneath the punk at the forefront.
Battling topics such as abortion rights and inappropriate age gap relationships. It feels deliberately uncomfortable in places, but that awkward confrontation seems to be where the fun begins.
SEY.MOUR. and the Misses are the perfect band to summarise these kind of nights. You arrive having not heard much, or anything at all about them, and leave wanting to know when you can see them again.
Then came The Howling Fiends. The Greek trio of Dimi Rousidis (Vocals and guitar), Jason Tsontilis (Bass) and Alex Mantzaris (Drums) burst into life to throw the little composure left out the Mixers swinging doors.
They collide garage punk, psychedelia and Greek folk all into one dirty groove. The music twists and spirals in many directions, but the trio have the ability to divert it exactly the way they intend it to do.
The garage-rock inspired riffs are the backbone of their performance. Loose, jangly and psychedelic. Let’s not forget about their rhythm section. Frantic drums and catchy basslines.
Their set was messy, loud but completely committed.
This iteration of Mr Steve’s A Good Time Rock ‘N’ Roll Show delivered exactly what its predecessors did, and continued the legacy.
There’s hints of a shake up to the format, but I’ll let the man himself announce this via social media. At this stage, keep your eyes peeled and keep those ears tuned in.
Written by Brad Halcrow for The Songbird HQ
All photo’s by Carolynzik+