It's 10am on Sunday morning, that's right - no typing error. 10 in the morning on a SUNDAY. A time which normally doesn't exist in the media. We are standing in Winchester train station and being hoarded onto a bus like sheep. This is the last thing we wanted. Our train from Waterloo to our home destination has been altered thanks to some blooming repair maintenance and we have to catch a bloody sticky bus. However, 27 hours earlier our reaction to boarding a bus was one of excitement. The double Decker was parked outside the Camden Barfly. The black bus plastered with the Carling Live 24 logo all over it was to be our mode of transport for the next 24 hours and the 7am start on a Saturday didn't bother us one bit. (Well, not much anyway!)
We weren't a Carling 24 virgins though, as if you want to know the truth we managed to survive 24 hours last year when although thanks to the sheer exhaustion we 'forgot' to write the report up! This year we have improved a little, the plan was to write the review the following da, although in true professional ABLE2UK style this turned into a week, So, at last we can bring you a full account of the 24 hours, granted we are a bit late, but still a full two days before NME print their report!, well with the exception of nme.com which managed a quality review five hours after the day ended!..
7am
Knackered, we went out last night and the 5.30am alarm call wasn't
a pleasant way to start. For one slight second as the sleepy dust rolled
down our cheek we contemplated on staying under our warm snug duvet and
joining the activities later on the day, Doctor Who was on the telly in
twelve hours, and it was the one with the Darleks! However, fully aware
that last years event was on of the best in the music calendar we leapt
out of bed and into the bathroom. An hour and a half later we were outside
the Camden Barfly lining our stomachs with bacon butties from a a 'brekkie
van'. After a bite to eat it was time to catch the first band upstairs,
Duels. Thanks to some coverage is the music press earlier this year this
'new' band have quite a it going for them and look pretty damn good, even
at 8am! After a short set it was time for The Departures to 'arrive'.
Bearing in mind that Kasabian opened Craling 24 last year and have now
played Alexander Palace and are headlining a festival this Summer in Hyde
Park the future for The Departures looks extremely promising.
11am
After a ride on the Carling bus we arrive at the Islington Academy to
catch the next gig. Watching from the VIP balcony we were treated to two
more up and coming bands. 10,000 Things and The Rake. The Things could
have 10,000 music journalists catching their future gigs, badly in our
opinion The Rake could have their music career swept under a damp carpet.
Sandwiched between these new bands however were the fantastic Kaiser Chefs
who had flown in from Amsterdam. Luckily their was no sign of any visits
to any coffee shops as these guys stole the show and are quickly becoming
our new favorite band. Jumping onto the scaffolding lead singer Ricky
Wilson was determined to give his best attempt to literally 'bring the
house down'. After coming face to face with the guests upstairs he the
proceeded to stage dive in the audience. Ending with 'I Cause A Riot'
this was the highlight of the whole day and we weren't even a quarter
way through! After wards it was back on the bus for a packed lunch like
you had on your school outings, although luckily the passengers had grown
out of mooning out the back wind and writing offensive messages on the
back windows!
3.30pm
Sex, drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Well the last two were relevant at least
as next on the bill was everyone's favorite junkie, Pete Doherty with
his band Babyshambles at the ULU. Brandan Beson replaced Willy Mason as
the opening support act and The Paaddingtons whipped the crowd into a
frenzy in time for the Libertine to take center stage and 'inject' some
good old music into our hectic afternoon. The afternoon slot allowed Pete
to meet his curfew, which he currently has because of his past drug record.
Pete wasn't on top form though, forgetting words and accidentally hitting
himself with the microphone we wondered if he was pissed, drugged up or
both. Answers on a postcard please!
6pm Its time for a late lunch at The Bush Bar and Grill in Shepherds Bush, just down the road at Shepherds Bush Empire The Editors and Subways were opening for Embrace. We however were mooning on chicken wings, sausage rolls, crisps and loads of other tasty grub which covered the buffet table. So Unfortunately we can't give a report on either bands. We could pretend that we found the Tardis parked outside the pub, made time stand still and traveled to a parallel universe so we could catch both bands, (e.g. make up a quick review!) so here it goes...
6pm The Editors have just taken to the stage at Shepherds Bush Empire, this is defiantly one of most up and coming bands of the year. Ripping through storming numbers Danny and the rest of Embrace have blooming good taste asking these guys to open for them and editors from music publications take note, these Editors are worth putting pen to paper! Next up are The Subways, they blow the roof at this 'underground' band are about to the glowing light at the end of the tunnel. Right, that will do!...
8pm
OK, we really are at Shepherds Bush Empire now and it's a ruddy good
job as one of the finest live bands are about to take the stage. Embrace
are one act that you must see perform. They know exactly how to wow a
crowd and have a string of hits under their belt. They kick off with a
storming rendition of 'Good, Good, People' which sets the standard for
the next 80 minutes or so. The band are currently in the middle of touring
the States with Snow Patrol thanks to a massive comeback last year and
have flown back especially for tonight's gig. Their next single, A Glorious
Day is a secured hit single and later on this month they play a two huge
homecoming gigs at Leeds Millennium Square. We recommend you sell your
Gran for a ticket!
10.30pm
The bus has now taken us to our last London location, Brixton. We
start at the academy where Soulwax entertain the crowd which includes
comedian Keith Allan. Keith told us that he his all set for Glastonbury
again this year and will be doing his annual secret Karoke stint backstage.
After sharing a few gags with Keith upstairs in the VIP bar we nosey on
down to catch Liverpudian favorites, The Zutons. Bringing their unique
electric sound to the award winning venue they keep us 24 hour people
firmly on our feet until they come off stage just after 1am. We are then
treated to LCD Soundsystem who end the incredible line up of gigs at this
years 24. It's 2.45am, meaning just one thing, the after show is about
to start across the road!
3am We have eventually made our final destination, and we haven't had one illegal substances. Haven't opened a bottle of Pro-Plus and because we hate coffee haven't even tasted one Coco bean. Yet here we are, at The Bug Bar in Brixton. 2ManyJ's are behind the decks, Keith Alan has blagged himself and his wife a table and we catch up with some old mates. Breakfast is served at 5am and as the night draws to a close we drink Carling like there's no tomorrow. Which isn't so far off the truth as our bed is our next stop and will be for a few hours.
6.59am We give up! We can't do 24 hours, sod it we are worn out and off to bed. Maybe next year eh?