By skamonic
We play the legendary Dublin Castle in Camden on Thursday, September 26th.
We say legendary as it’s well known as the pub that launched Madness, as well as being a local for Amy Winehouse.
We’re topping the bill and expect to be on stage at 10pm.
As ever there’s a Facebook event.
It’s £6 to get in, and doors open at 7:15pm.
Support is from the intriguing sounding Destination Mars “Raved up electro infused indie hip hop, but with a radio ready pop sensibility, there’s some pretty neat hooks here and the boy-rapping-girl-singing combo works really well. It’s dance music for the post bloc party indie generation.”
We’re looking forward to finding out what that means.
By skamonic
We had a great time playing Dumplins Live Ska on Saturday night at the Fiddler’s Elbow near Chalk Farm in Camden.
It was good to be able to play lots of our more obscure 60s ska tunes as we this was an audience that had definitely come to hear proper ska, and not the old chestnuts that every ska band can play (much as we love them).
And as the Skatalites were capable of turning any tune that caught their fancy into a ska number, we were happy to play a few of our more modern covers too.
So this is what we played.
- Chinatown
- Latin Goes Ska
- I’m in the Mood For Love
- You’re Wondering Now
- Alley Cat Ska
- Man In The Street
- Enola Gay
- Price Tag
- Work Song
- 99 Red Balloons
- Tainted Love
- My Boy Lollipop
As it’s the summer and not all the band were available we had two guests.
- Rachel Musson on alto sax has played with us once before, but it was a good few years ago. A seriously good jazz player, she has had a four star review in the Guardian.
- Phil Short played guitar with us for the first time. We doubt that many in the audience would have guessed that this was the first time most of the band had ever met him, let alone played with him. He is clearly a rising star.
We didn’t take any photos or videos so have nothing to share. but if anyone took any and wants to share, our Facebook page is a good place to put them.
UPDATE:
A couple of pictures of the audience have emerged. They seem to be having a good time.
By skamonic
Don’t forget we are playing Dumplin’s Live Ska tonight.
We expect to be on stage at about 9pm.
Dumplins takes place at the Fiddler’s Elbow, 1 Malden Road, NW5 3HS. The nearest tube is Chalk Farm, or use the 24 bus. Kentish Town West on the Overground is nearby too. Here’s a map.
As it’s the summer we will be playing with special guests on alto sax (Rachel Musson) and guitar (Phil Short) – both are hugely talented musicians. Adding Rachel means that we will have an all female horn section and majority female band – which is the first time we can say that about a Skamonics gig. The band will undoubtedly debate how significant that is.
As this is a ska club we are going to avoid some of the more obvious tunes in our usual set – the two-tone covers that almost every ska band has in their repertoire. So we will go back to our 60s roots and play a good smattering of Skatalites tunes, and feature some of the more modern covers that do not usually get a ska or rock-steady treatment.
This is probably London’s premier ska night, and we are really looking forward to it.
Be there, or be square.
By skamonic
Don’t forget we are playing Dumplin’s Live Ska tonight.
We expect to be on stage at about 9pm.
Dumplins takes place at the Fiddler’s Elbow, 1 Malden Road, NW5 3HS. The nearest tube is Chalk Farm, or use the 24 bus. Kentish Town West on the Overground is nearby too. Here’s a map.
As it’s the summer we will be playing with special guests on alto sax (Rachel Musson) and guitar (Phil Short) – both are hugely talented musicians. Adding Rachel means that we will have an all female horn section and majority female band – which is the first time we can say that about a Skamonics gig. The band will undoubtedly debate how significant that is.
As this is a ska club we are going to avoid some of the more obvious tunes in our usual set – the two-tone covers that almost every ska band has in their repertoire. So we will go back to our 60s roots and play a good smattering of Skatalites tunes, and feature some of the more modern covers that do not usually get a ska or rock-steady treatment.
This is probably London’s premier ska night, and we are really looking forward to it.
Be there, or be square.
By skamonic
We are playing at Dumplins Live Ska Club on Saturday August 3rd.
This is at the Fiddler’s Elbow,
1 Malden Road, Camden, NW5 3HS. Chalk Farm tube or the 24 bus. Here’s a map.
This is how they describe the gig on their Facebook event page.. We don’t know where they got that M from.
August sees a sound-clash at Dumplins Live Ska which will feature a special night with DJIng by DJ Cello (Coast To Coast) which accompanies the bands, selected by The Dumplins crew: The Comunicators and The SkaMonics
Rampaging out of the West Country critically acclaimed BRITSKA band The Communicators perform to sell out audiences all over the UK playing their own blend of harmonious, but stomping brass drenched SKA tunes
http://www.the-communicators.com/
The Skamonics are a London based ska band, playing a unique mix of authentic 60s ska, rock steady, two-tone and completely unexpected covers.
A driving rhythm section provides a firm foundation for three blazing horns and a top female vocalist, blasting out a wide repertoire of not just ska, two-tone and rock steady favourites but tunes given a ska treatment for the very first time.
Made up of musicians with roots in ska, jazz, blues and soul, the Skamonics have been together since 2004
http://skamonics.co.uk/
If you know Ska and you like to go, you will not need introductions for DJ Cello’s Coast To Coast
By skamonic
We are playing at Dumplins Live Ska Club on Saturday August 3rd.
This is at the Fiddler’s Elbow,
1 Malden Road, Camden, NW5 3HS. Chalk Farm tube or the 24 bus. Here’s a map.
This is how they describe the gig on their Facebook event page.. We don’t know where they got that M from.
August sees a sound-clash at Dumplins Live Ska which will feature a special night with DJIng by DJ Cello (Coast To Coast) which accompanies the bands, selected by The Dumplins crew: The Comunicators and The SkaMonics
Rampaging out of the West Country critically acclaimed BRITSKA band The Communicators perform to sell out audiences all over the UK playing their own blend of harmonious, but stomping brass drenched SKA tunes
http://www.the-communicators.com/
The Skamonics are a London based ska band, playing a unique mix of authentic 60s ska, rock steady, two-tone and completely unexpected covers.
A driving rhythm section provides a firm foundation for three blazing horns and a top female vocalist, blasting out a wide repertoire of not just ska, two-tone and rock steady favourites but tunes given a ska treatment for the very first time.
Made up of musicians with roots in ska, jazz, blues and soul, the Skamonics have been together since 2004
http://skamonics.co.uk/
If you know Ska and you like to go, you will not need introductions for DJ Cello’s Coast To Coast
By skamonic
Don’t forget that we are playing the Cray festival this Saturday at 4:15 pm.
There are more details about the line up at the Festival website – and it is clearly a varied set of acts. We follow the the UK’s hip-hop dance champions.
As well as the music stage, there is a lot more going on across the site in what looks like a great community event. We are looking forward to it – it’s a long time since we have played on a festival stage.
St Mary Cray is to the south east of London – and the festival site is ten minutes walk from Orpington High Street.
View The Cray Festival in a larger map
By skamonic
We will be playing at the Cray community festival on the afternoon of Saturday July 6th. We will be on stage at about 4:15 pm.
St Mary Cray is in South East London. Think Orpington – and there’s a map below.
View The Cray Festival in a larger map
There’s a varied line-up of acts on the music stage.
Ska and scooters always go together, so we expect to go down well with those at the festival for the vintage scooter display.
But there’s lots more going on. To quote from their website and Facebook page:
The Cray Festival is a “Community Festival” of Live Music & Arts on Sat July 6th at the recreation ground St Mary Cray , with the emphasis on social cohesion and inclusion where people of all ages and walks of life are invited to take part. Artists, Live Bands,performers,Volunteers,Sponsors,Local business and the many amazing Community Groups in the area will be taking part.
We are not sure how much social cohesion we can deliver, but watch out for some skanking and top ska.
By skamonic
It’s free admission and runs from 8:30 to 11. We don’t know at what point in the evening we will be playing – or who else is playing.
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By skamonic
It’s free admission and runs from 8:30 to 11. We don’t know at what point in the evening we will be playing – or who else is playing.
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