The One to Watch?

It all began several months ago with one of those 'what are you doing on….' conversations, without a hint as to why you might want to know, for fear that your victim invents a prior engagement. So this episode begins.  

I had been approached on Twitter by 'Stu' who asked me to give his music a listen to and subsequently invited me along to his gig.  And thus on Friday, Janie and I found ourselves heading North to a new venue and a brand new band.  Lux Lisbon at the The Lexington, oh how we adore a little alliteration :)

The Lexington website sounded more than a little promising 

"Welcome to The Lexington, Islington's finest new music venue and lounge bar, here to tie it all together for you with a mix of riotous rock 'n' roll upstairs and a ground floor lounge that we kind of hope might just entice you in and seduce you in a slowburning glow of downbeat decadence and bluesy class - with perhaps just a dash of burlesque elegance thrown in for good measure."

In actuality it is….. a pub with a few sofas, and not enough seating, does this pass as burlesque elegance?  Luckily we have never had an issue with sharing and we found a table just crying out for our company. The food was good but this dance happy girl can't vouch for the alcohol, long story, but we had a jolly time catching up

At about 8pm we headed upstairs and into... The Bronze circa 1995. This analogy was lost on Janie, the girl with the Buffy-less past, but I was there. There was a certain dark, cheap dinginess to the room; the constant background chatter of folk who appeared to know each other, the stage at the end giving a sense of the band being 'in addition to' as opposed to the main event and the general effect aided and abetted by the support, Careless Sons.

One of these is a member of Careless Sons, the other, a werewolf called Oz.

Possibly taking the analogy too far but definitely a touch of  the vampire about Dickon
(I do hope that he's really called Dickon, I love it when posh boys go all rock 'n' roll)

I obviously mentally cast myself in the role of Willow, a redhead wearing sensible shoes, and besides - a Facebook quiz once told me so.  (I am also a vampire with a red aura who should be living in New York - apparently)

I liked Careless Sons - they cared, they performed and they can sing which for a band which is the support for an unknown band - well, that ticks all the boxes.  Definitely worth a listen.

Lux Lisbon were undeniably great!  This is a hard working, passionate working band.  I wondered how many of the 230 in the audience had come, as we had, as a result of a direct approach from Stu.  Stu is a consummate front man, working the audience and controlling every element of the sound.  But this is no one man band and a wonderful surprise was the fabulous Charlotte Austen on vocals and bass.  It isn't easy to be a woman in a band and Charlotte has found the holy grail in appealing to men and women alike.  She is very natural, smiley, jean and T-shirt clad, and somewhat self depreciating "Thanks relations". The guys in the audience wanted to take her home, the women wanted to be her friend.  Erm… Charlotte, my position of best friend is taken, but if you want a drinking partner and general buddy…'  A quick mention must go to the, apparently newly single, trumpeter Elliot Phelps who was looking for love with no age limit.  Let's hope Charlotte meant no UPPER age limit Elliot - you can go to jail for that kind of a thing ;)


The band played everything from their new EP and everyone was a winner.  I loved all of them; Get some Scars, The Devil got me Dancing and Demons You Show.  There were a couple of new numbers including 'Show me the Money' which Stu went to great pains to tell us was nothing to do with Jerry Maguire.  I think the man doth protest too much.

In an unusual turn of events this is a picture of  Janie and I taken by the band.  Can you find us?
It's a gigging 'Where'e Wally?'

Lux Lisbon, you were a revelation.  We can't wait to see you again in January and if I were a gambling woman I'd call you as the one to watch.