On arriving at The Enterprise there is little to set it apart from the multitude of other bars and pubs around Camden market. Once inside little changes, the DJ was good and the drinks not too expensive considering the area, a nice place to have a drink on a Saturday night but nothing amazing. There is also the problem of finding the room where gigs are held which is up a tiny little staircase hidden away in a corner.
The room itself is the epitome of the small Camden gig venue, essentially the function room of a pub that has a stage in the corner and covered over windows. These rooms are where you can find some of the best up and coming bands in London but the bohemian style generally comes at a price to sound quality, The Enterprise is no exception. Whilst not a major problem with the fast paced singalong Country Folk of Gentlemen Duke the highly developed and sophisticated sound of Audiogold did suffer.
Audiogold were the headliners for the night but such was the disorganisation at the venue that by the time they had come on many of the crowd had left and I even had to duck out before they had finished the last song so I could actually get home!
Those that did leave before the band had started missed out majorly, the skill level and writing prowess on display is something you virtually never see in these small venues. Though the set got off to a bit of a slow start for my liking it soon kicked up a few gears and those that had remained stayed rooted to the spot. Some sound problems caused minor delays and affected a few songs but far from ruined the performance. You don’t often get guys like this at small venues such as The Enterprise.
Though very well written and performed the lyrics were for me blown out of the water by the music itself. With a great mixture of lighter slower songs that would sound right at home on the radio through to heavier layered tracks and even a very good cover of Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd – Audiogold offer something for anyone who likes guitar based bands. The initial slower style reminded me of Elbow and the big sound is reminiscent of a small scale Arcade Fire though there are undoubtedly some folk influences in some of the songs.
Probably best described as Folk/Alt rock they are one of the best small bands you will get the chance to see with Jonny Wanders being probably the best guitarist I have seen since I started reviewing for the site a couple of years ago. And they even refunded my entrance money after the venue messed up!
I’d recommend Gentlemen Duke to anyone who likes a bit of folksy rock or even just a fun gig; if they are near me again I’d definitely head down. They should do well as long as they don’t get lost in the swarm of Mumford wannabe’s who seem to be appearing at the moment. Audiogold are something a little different, I tend to go back and see the bands I review again anyway but this time I will definitely do it, very enjoyable this time around and apparently the sound at The Enterprise was rubbish so I can’t wait to hear them when it’s good!
- Audiogold have been firm favourites with the readers of the indie bands blog for some time, taking the number one spot on the New Year Ninety Chart.
Andy Carlin