Review: Punks Not Dad & The Lone Groover at ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP at The Alley Cat

Last night was the last regular ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP gig... for a while, anyway.

After two years of trying, the 'brand' didn't make the difference to attendance levels that I had hoped it would, and I was left feeling like another small-time London promoter relying on bands to bring people through the door. I am not interested in being one of those - there are already plenty.

I have enjoyed the social aspect of the gigs, meeting some lovely people, many of whom I hope I will remain friends and acquaintances with for many years to come; I have enjoyed introducing musicians and bands to each other and helping to build small networks of musicians interested in the same genre. I have some great videos, photos and memories; so I'm happy about all that.

The whole promoter/host thing was also a little out of my comfort zone, especially at first, and this is always a good place to be if you want to move forward. As a result, my confidence as a MC grew - for what it's worth now - and, having to do the sound at a lot of the gigs, has given me some useful experience, too.

A break from regular promotion will allow me more time to focus on my own band and music. I still plan to organise the occasional one-off event, but I will definitely be taking the less-is-more/only-for-fun approach to these.

Last night's gig at the Alley Cat didn't draw the crowd I had hoped (What's new?! - Ed), but as usual this didn't stop it being a fun evening. As I cycled home through Camden where the streets were heaving with young people on the lash, it only reinforced to me how much I am banging my head against a wall trying to get the older crowd out in large numbers. These young people are our kids - or will be. We have long been usurped. Most of London's pubs, bars and small music venues are the stamping ground of the young. Even on a Saturday night, many of the middle-aged, and over, are firmly ensconced at home; having had tea, watched Dr Who and put the kids to bed, they are settling down to watch more TV culminating in Match of the Day and bed.

Last night it was their loss, as ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP at The Alley Cat played host to the hilarious Punks Not Dad and the ever-entertaining Lone Groover. These two acts deserve bigger audiences than they got last night. And I don't enjoy feeling at least partly responsible for this.

The Lone Groover, as always, played a bespoke set of original and cover songs from his ever-growing repertoire, throwing in punk classics by Stiff Little Fingers and the Clash, as well as airing a new song inspired by the recent scenes of protest in London and civil unrest around the world.

Before the show, the Lone Groover and I shared the pleasure of greeting and chatting with Gaye Advert as she entered the venue; and she even remembered me, which was cool. She was there to support Punks Not Dad (again!), whose song Gaye Advert's Eyes is a staple of their live set and features on their debut LP We Are The Dads (The Lone Groover, by the way, was gutted because he nearly brought out his copy of Gary Gilmore's Eye's as one of his 7-inch vinyl props, so missed this opportunity to get it autographed last night ).(Me too! - Ed).

Tonight, Punks Not Dad are plugging their new EP Retail Therapy, which features the euphemistic I Can't Get It Up. Not a song about erectile dysfunction; More meaningful than that, it is about the frustration caused by constructing IKEA furniture - we all know the feeling. They perform all the songs on the EP and a selection from their debut LP including In Me Shed, all punctuated by Sid Life Crisis's between-song comedy-punk routine, of which he is a master. The band go on to play Glastonbury in June and Bestival in September, with a gig in Brighton in between. Go on the Dads!

You can listen to their new EP at the ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-RECORD-SHOP and follow links to purchase a copy from there.