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?