Punk for Gentleman

I had been out of gigging action for several weeks due to being struck down with back trouble, so Janie let me back in gently with a local gig at the Half Moon in Putney on 24th May.  It was my first time at the Half Moon but being a short bus ride away (The bus LITERALLY stops right outside my door) and a thoroughly cool place to hang out, it won't be my last.

We had time for a quick beer in a small but perfectly formed beer garden before heading in to the music venue, a fabulously intimate room which despite being a non-smoker myself, really should be full of cigarette smoke.

This was an entirely different crowd to our usual haunts, not the fat middle-aged bearded men of synth nor the jovial hatted and booted ska crowd but a different beast altogether.  This was a uniquely dapper audience; predominantly, but not entirely, male; well dressed in an elegantly edgy way; an undeniably loyal group of music minded folk!

The support were a revelation and I fell a little bit in love with The Fallen Leaves.

Rob Green, lead singer of The Fallen Leaves, proclaimed his music to be 'punk for gentlemen' and he is the consummate mixture of the two.
The perfect illustration being when he drew from his pocket a lit cigarette and proceeded to blow perfect smoke rings mid song.  Electronic of course - it's against the law to smoke in a public place!

Elegantly dressed in cravat and waistcoat Rob Green plays with the concept of the observer and the observed.  Disconcertingly his set included moments of staring out at the audience, reminding this primary school teacher  of Anthony Browne's 'Zoo'.

Who's watching who?

Whilst at other times pouring himself a 'nice cup of tea' from a thermos.

Intriguing man that Mr Green.
(Picture by Paul Hughes)

A taster of The Fallen Leaves.












Who are the Monochrome Set?

I still don't know and I really didn't know what to make of them.  The drummer arrived on stage with an air of joie de vivre and a fez perched jauntily upon his head a la Madness circa 1982.  He set off with an impressive, almost tribal beat and the rest of Monochrome set appeared on stage - a singularly miserable looking bunch who gave us the ubiquitous Monochrome Set as an opening number.  This was a number that even the uninitiated could chant along to.




Why not give it a try!

I don't know what to make of The Monochrome Set (I think it's worth saying twice)  I have an inkling that some of the lyrics are really clever in a dry sardonic way but I was utterly mesmerised by two key factors; the fabulous suit and f***ing miserable demeanour of Lester Square




and the antics of the two cuddly bunnies in the front row.  An woman of indeterminate age had brought two soft toys to the set, secured herself a spot right in front of the stage and proceeded to dance the bunnies from the first song to the last.  It was entrancing, not necessarily in a good way.  There was the distinct impression that this was not the first time the bunnies had been to a Monochrome Set gig and despite my desire to drown them in my pint, it probably won't be the last.



This was an interesting gig - I was left with a greater desire to see The Fallen Leaves again than I was The Monochrome Set, yet I will definitely go and listen to more music from The Monochrome Set.