One Year Anniversary Show: 13/09/24
We are so proud to have marked the first (official) birthday of Far From not only with a night of four of our favourite bands, but also with the launch of the first issue of our magazine. Thanks to anyone who came along or has done in the past year, let’s keep making good things happen! Please enjoy bellow a write up of the evenings antics by Talitha Messham.
Photos by Jamie King
‘As I walk through the doors of The George Tavern, familiar to any avid music lover on the London scene, I find myself in a crush of bodies on a Friday night in September. Just warm enough to risk going out without a coat, summer is evanescent and the people here can feel it, lapping up the last few warm nights before winter sets in and smoking areas dwindle.
The one-year anniversary of Far From draws an eclectic crowd to the venue, united in the same common interest at the beating heart of it - a love for art and good music. The merch handler grins at me from beneath his cap, and I’m half expecting him to bellow ‘roll up!’ from the twinkle in his eye as he beckons me to the stall. To mark a year of successful music promotion, the collective have launched a magazine showcasing London’s best and brightest bands, immortalised in print. Flicking through the pages of doodles, paintings, essays and photography, it manifests the passion for harnessing community within the arts sphere, all neatly stitched and bound in A4.
(Above) Domina by Jamie King
I’m summoned away by the first band, Domina, an idiosyncratic four-piece melding distinctive melodies with clunky electronic fuzz. The band alludes to the moody and mercurial, yet an earnest, witty lyricism shines through in droll vocals. Engulfed by distorted synth, I’m transported to somewhere that doesn’t quite exist, spellbound and in limbo. Each member has something distinctive about their appearance; a snug, striped blazer beneath a tidy bowl cut, furry moon boots, a shaggy mullet - adding to their edge. The audience moved in a sway of hips, mesmerised.
(Above) Uncle Junior by Jamie King
After a brief cigarette interlude, the next band comes in contrast with a playful boyish-ness. Uncle Junior begins with a blithe request for more bass on the monitor and a crash of guitar, commanding the audience to move closer to the stage. Chaotic and angst-filled, the band swing from mellow to maddening with the fast paced rumble of cymbals, played by a shirtless, beanie clad drummer, (seemingly his modus operandi for performing). The lyrics - raw and simple - come in drawls of emotion, sung by the guitarist wearing a LONG LIVE THE GEORGE TAVERN t-shirt, apt for the location.
(Above) Tooth by Jamie King
The third band, Tooth, enters the stage with verve, and an intensity that comes with such passion to the craft. The lead singer’s tongue-in-cheek, TWAT embellished guitar strap nods to the band’s cheeky-chappy make-up, yet the lyrics imbue heartfelt storytelling. Punchy guitar riffs meet dynamic basslines in a lovesick reverie, making Tooth is everything you want from an indie-rock band.
Before the final band begins, a birthday cake appears held by founders Jake Scott and Dan Rowson, each candle spelling out F-A-R F-R-O-M. A short but sweet speech is made, thanking the attendees for their support of the collective, and concluding with a mouthful of cake.
(Above) Pedestrian Band by Jamie King
The last band, Pedestrian Band, follow on with the white-hot trill of electric guitar, creating an apprehension not dissimilar to the feeling of impending doom. Yet the resonant twang of bass saves you right before it hits - an extended hand at the edge of a cliff. The suit-clad ensemble seem to know something you don’t, and they dangle it before you in sombre croons. Gentler melodies blend into frantic drums as the lead singer beckons the fervent crowd to “come in, come in, come!”. As the final note plays, the party doesn’t stop, as The George Tavern becomes the facilitator of a long night of dancing…’
