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This “Pop Of The Tops on the road” tour was also a Music Tourist Board exercise in getting unheard of/unhyped bands a decent crowd and proving the benefits of bands helping each other. On the subject of bands playing gigs they can’t hear, or going out of town to find their gigs hardly promoted, it was also the start of getting a circuit of places for Alternative Idols to play that are loved by bands and music fans alike. Look out for more tours on “Peel Street” in 2005.
Already with many offers to be involved in music events in 005, but increasingly busy as the many bands grow, the Pop Of The Tops crew will stage ccasional (but suitably rock n roll!) events from the new year onwards. Anywhere that will let the party happen. A sister club launched in Melbourne on New Year’s Eve/New Year courtesy of Nicci Minxx of Rocklands International. 700 people turned up to share the joy.
Pop Of The Tops club. Either you came along, or at least got into the spirit of it. Or you didn’t. It died young, untouched by corporate hands, uncool to the last, it really did stay beautiful. It’s not the end. Just the beginning. There’s always loads going on in South London for a start. And of it’s contacts, the Music Tourist Board, many of the bands, zines and label are running clubs, releasing records and staging successful events.
Twenty Four Records, responsible for the I Swear I Was There Club, staged Get Loaded In The Park, a ten thousand capacity outdoor event featuring the Happy Mondays release a compilation album 'I Swear I Was There' and have even more outdoor shows lined up for 005.
Joyzine (who photographed the Alternative Idol events) staged thirty bands over two days at Joystock (a DVD of which is due out early in 2005) and have another event planned for the near future,
GIITV - part of Music Tourist Board activity and a DIY band forum - is staging a mini festival with club faves, Rhesus (G-Spot) in East London on 22nd January and a Cardiff show in March.
Ceri from Zen is not only one of the people responsible for much of the music activity in the area but is also compiling a New Cross Unplugged CD
Damn Pest website staged their first and hugely successful first live event at at Brixton Windmill in December and are already booked to return there in January, February and March. The site also hosts a weekly email round and news broadcast for the underground to network on.
With Pop Of The Tops club ended, C:B/Dirty Sounds and friends are already setting up new nights. They have Club Enemy happening at Brixton Windmill on 14 January and look out on 12 February for Dirty Sounds and Pyrrha Girls Valentine special!
In March, various promoters and venues in South East London will stage the Rock’n’Roll Republic event courtesy of Carl at 2Bob Promotions responsible for nights at the Fox & Firkin.
More bands are moving to South East London (Antihero recently landed in New Cross). Walking along New Cross road, dropping into Moonbow Jakes or Morphs - you can’t help bump into them! It’s a far cry from the world on the news...
And that’s not the half of it, you should see what all the bands are up to, and their friends and followings who have immersed themselves whole heartedly in what is going on.
Well, goodbye Paradise - the scene of amazing live gigs, meetings, photo sessions, art exhibitions, parties, launches, documentaries, pissing contests in the bogs, pole climbing sessions, silly dancing and pensioner punks frugging around. Friends have come from all over the country and the globe. Pirates have swashbuckled, fairies have flown. The laid back Havana beach vibe of The Paradise Bar and the local area, was the core component of what Pop Of The Tops has become. Hello world.
The spirit of Pop Of The Tops will never die thanks to every single person that ever cared or came. Thank you. Last song played? "Highway To Hell"...
Network via the Music Tourist Board forum, Contact, Lenny Love/Mulka, the Dirty Sounds DJs via email - keep an eye on C:B’s website, and up to date with what Pop Of The Tops does next via the Rocklands and Music Tourist Board website -
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