Alistair Griffin and band at the O2 Academy 2 Islington – 18 May 2011

Wednesday night found me at the O2 Academy 2 in Islington to see Alistair Griffin play with his band. He sang a bit too. There hadn’t been a band gig in London for two and a half years, so anticipation was running highish. What would his new band sound like? Would it be like the album? Would he play anything even a little bit new? Since trekking here last with a van full of amps and stuff, he’s announced a new album, hung about in a few studios, had a little tune played on the BBC, and done a few re-mixes of re-mixed mixes of already mixed songs.

Alistair Griffin at Carling Bar Academy, Islington plus Paper Heroes, Ivyrise, The Rileys – 19 September 2008

This turned out to be one of the earliest starting gigs in the history of the cosmos and arriving at 7.15 pm just didn’t cut it. Nothing is quite as heartening as hearing the band you’ve paid to see playing inside whilst trying to get the burly security to check your ticket quickly!