“That rock'n'roll, hey? That rock'n'roll just won't go away. It might hibernate from time to time and sink back into the swamp....; but it's always waiting there just around the corner." And so on and so on.....
People laughed at Alex Turner’s speech at the time as he rambled but few can argue he's wrong. Guitar music always stands the test of time in even its most primitive form because the sound of live drums, guitar, bass and vocals together is a primal, fiercely energetic force that – irrespective of trends - can't help but thrill when it's done right.
One person who has cottoned on to this is promoter of This Feeling club night, Mikey Jonns, who Serge Pizzorno from Kasabian says “ [is] single-handedly flying the flag for British guitar music.” Jonns' vision of putting on the best rock 'n' roll bands and keeping quite a strict programming policy where he diligently listens through demo after demo to get bands that will create a great night out for punters has been excellent. He’s got groups of people all around the country excited about guitar music again because he's picked them right and created a regular spot where they’ve not been subjected to mediocrity.
But that's not to say things are going swimmingly for the genre most commonly held responsible for Ben Sherman's, Fred Perry's and pointy winkle pickers. It's just that if This Feeling didn't exist: a) new bands wouldn't be as quick to be recognised (A&R'ss, agents, and labels do track what's playing the night). And b) small bands fanbases wouldn't be as quick to develop.
For instance, Blossoms were tipped by Mikey Jonns before nearly anyone. Tom Ogden explains: “This Feeling were the first to take a real punt on us. They gave us our first London show. This helped kick start it all. Our amazing agent came to see us that night and took us on.”
Their agent was just one of many movers and shakers that were there that night, which was characterised by an air of ambitious hedonism that sort of sums up the nights in general. Blossoms have since gone on to top the album charts and are on the cusp of being one of the most successful British bands of the decade. At their gigs you see hordes of people brandishing their Britpop t-shirts and feeling excited that there's once again a British band in the charts that comes from an ordinary background writing anthems that the masses can sing-a-long to. And prove the point Carl Barat makes in saying: "If you're going to see the emergence of a new great band you'll see them at This Feeling first."
As for fellow Mancunian reprobates, Cabbage, they've gone from being an unknown band to one of the most hyped new groups around thanks, in large part, to the momentum This Feeling has put behind them throughout the summer. They had them on at Leeds Festival, Isle of Wight, Y Not Festival and so forth. Images of them hanging from the ceiling and ruthlessly drinking before gigs littered the internet – in a good way. This Feeling actively playing a hand with its social media to create a buzz for the people who weren't there and the word of mouth that's spread from the guitar loving community that probably didn't visit any other tent besides This Feeling's is so strong that they've been boosted in more ways a typical PR campaign could ever do for a band their size.
Speaking of community, it's this that makes Jonns' nights stand out as something more than a club night. Heading down to one of them, you'll notice it's one of the least cliquey places to go. It's generously spirited, unpretentiousness and fans and bands seem to look out for each other.
Once on the circuit, the bands that play these nights, if successful, aren't dumped by the wayside but play regularly. The likes of Trampolene (whose singer Jack Jones has gone on to support The Libertines and Peter Doherty regularly), Paves, and Hidden Charms (who've been signed by the newly revamped Deltasonic Records) have played so regularly that there's a bond between them. Some of them go to each others gigs keeping the place busy and making for a party atmosphere rather than a sterile one where no one knows each other. Creation Management's Alan McGee, who is DJing This Feeling soon, praises this consistency as a platform that it's provided: "They are doing a great job of highlighting and supporting new bands"
The club started ten years ago as a London only thing but has since spread to most big cities and has curational powers at major festival. The ways it's grown and continues to grow is impressive - especially at a time when venues are shutting down everywhere.
Of this issue Jonns said: “It's shit, I don't recognise London from even five years ago. Venues dropping like flies, pubs gone posh etc. You know the ones, craft ale served in jam jars, no football or jukeys in the pubs, London disappeared up its own gentrified arse. Plus increased (extortionate rent) and local council red tape / meddling give small venues no fucking chance. We need the government to step in or the BIG names in music to be truly active and do something. It's happening all over the UK, too. The good will out though, it always does.”
His positivity in his sign off there is very much a key ingredient for the This Feeling atmosphere. You walk in and get engulfed by people going hard. He's actually coined his own word for the special atmosphere: ZONE. "Good bands + good people = great zone," he says hitting the nail on the head. And who could argue with that?
This Feeling’ 10th Birthday is on Friday at 229. Featuring Carl Barât on the decks, live sets from Broken Hands + White Room, magic from The Magic Mod, caricuture artist, mad lights, Soul Boy Mystic, 90s Mike and She Bangs The Drums DJ sets AND a free JD 'Fire' shot for all!
Room 2 / The Wholls / Paves / JUDAS / BANG BANG ROMEO
Listen to this exclusive playlist consisting only of bands that have played, DJ'd or partied in the Zone
