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The Grooves awards 2011

 

Published: 05 January 2012
by ROISIN GADELRAB

A TRAWL through our archives has reminded me just how much has happened these past 12 months. From losing our dear Amy Winehouse to nearly losing our sanity in the Camden Crawl Odd Future chaos, 2011 was a bittersweet year. In tribute to the musicians who have so coloured our lives, here are our annual alternative awards:

Singers/bands that most delighted my ears in 2011: Josh T Pearson, Hanni El Khatib, The Cut Outs, Kill It Kid.

Most notable music calendar absence: BBC Electric Proms – once more exciting than the ordinary Proms but now extinct; Mencap Little Noise Sessions – sadly one of the Union Chapel’s annual delights moved to Hackney this year.

Best free music venue: The Wheelbarrow – never ceases to impress with its line-up of talent and unusual nights.

Most unintelligible performance: Bob Dylan, Finsbury Park Feis – he mangled the words, skewed the melodies and managed to sound soulful to a crowd of confused faces.

Most affecting performance and show of the year: Camille O’Sullivan at Feis – Camille cuts through it all and in the process loses herself entirely to the songs she covers.

It would be a terrible error to dismiss this Irish former architect as a mere cabaret act.

She couldn’t be more real if she actually was the subject of the songs she sings.

PLUS Camille wins a special award for the singer who managed to cram in the most words per minute in an interview.

 
Most successful Gallagher brother to strike out on his own: Noel Gallagher – his High Flying Birds seem to have won over the critics, while Liam’s band Beady Eye has yet to gain similar credibility.

Most unpredictable on-stage appearance: Johnny Depp has a history of guesting with other bands, as Babybird well know.

However, it’s not easy to guess where he’s going to turn up next.

This year he appeared with Alice Cooper at the 100 Club, then in September turned up to watch The Tricks at Bar Solo – if only he’d tip me off beforehand next time.

Most predictable celeb in-crowd appearance: Twilight actor Robert Pattinson took girlfriend Kristen Stewart to see schoolfriend Marcus Foster, who appeared on the movie soundtrack, play Dingwalls.

Best shared dancefloor boast: After Pulp’s incredible Wireless show we skipped the light fandango to 60s tunes next to Jarvis and girlfriend at the band’s after-show party at Moonlighting in Soho. Unforgettable.

Guilty pleasures: Linkin Park at the iTunes Festival, Roundhouse.

They allowed us to exorcise some long-buried teenage angst.

Camden Crawl award for being the Camden Crawl: Our favourite music festival tried to finish us off this year by extending into Kentish Town, but it was worth it for appearances from The Lemonheads, Miles Kane and Villagers.

Most awkward interview: maybe he hadn’t had his morning coffee but Goldie didn’t sound too pleased to be hearing from me for our scheduled interview.

Most obliging interviewee: Ex-Housemartin/Beautiful South singer Paul Heaton offered to cycle 40 miles to me for our interview.

When that didn’t work out, he invited me to his house and took me to his local pub.

Notable mentions: on her N-Dubz break, ex-Haverstock pupil Tulisa has carved herself a national persona as an X Factor judge, even seemingly cleaning up her tweets.

SBTV – based in Mornington Crescent this online urban music site – run entirely by young people – has grown to international heights, winning millions of hits, interviews with top acts and a growing global reputation.

Greatest loss: the loss of Amy Winehouse shook us, Camden and her many worldwide fans to the core.

Hers was a truly devastating demise and the tragic songstress’s absence will be forever etched into our collective memories. 

Blink-and-you’ll miss him shopping trip: Prince buying records in Berwick Street – he came and went so fast we’re not sure anyone managed to grab a pic.

Most bizarre bike-related song: Camden’s Bharathi Anthonysamy (BharaSamy) and friends felt compelled to write one of the oddest tributes to London’s cycle hire scheme, The Boris Bike Song, which deserves cult status – see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zl1EA6qris

Special award for contribution to Camden’s music scene: Camden music czar Councillor Jonathan Simpson has worked tirelessly to promote the borough’s rich musical heritage while remaining true to his love of live music.

 

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