Mono Stereo at Flowerpot Camden


I had promised myself that I would wait until I had photographs ready before I wrote the review of the Mono Stereo performance, but sometimes things can’t wait.

Mono Stereo

Mono Stereo

Mono Stereo took to the stage last night in Camden, having had a week and day that would have put off most people, never mind a band in a new venue. They showed some real determination and good old fashioned spine, to get out and put on a highly creditable performance.

Opening with the The Day Before Science Fiction from the EP released this week, the audience in the bar venue were quickly up on their feet and standing in front of the stage, such is the instant connection with the music that within a few bars people largely unfamiliar with the music were already beginning to move with with rhythm.

The stage at the Flowerpot is dominated by a large pillar almost dead centre, which was carefully negotiated by the band as the powerful loop back guitar breaks, which are the hallmark of the band resonated around the room. I described on my last review the sound of Hawkwind coming through the music, in a live performance I found a strong affinity to that superb Ennio Morricone Spaghetti Western and Mono Stereo have the skills to bring this right up to date and perform it live. The finger work on the bass was relentless and the drumming keeping everything together.

I had not had the opportunity to hear On and On previously, which is a potential US single release, I look forward to it.

The set was rounded off all too soon by a fantastic rendition of  Tambourine Dream which was the ideal showcase for the sound that is at the core of their output.

They only have three shows here in London before heading back to Sweden and one of those is tonight, which is why I wanted to get this review up early today. Most certainly worth an evening out tonight at Proud Galleries or on Saturday at Ryans Bar.

It was great to meet up with the guys both before and after the show and I can hand on heart say they are a genuine group of lads, who really had been through the mill over the week. There was a lost passport earlier on in the week, which resulted in organising an emergency passport which only arrived the day before travelling to the UK and at Stansted , due to the wonderful bureaucratic system of passport control, Lauren who had planned to play keyboards on the tour, found herself back on a plane to Sweden, while the rest of the band waited anxiously for her to emerge from immigration control. Lauren is I believe busy this morning trying to get the red tape sorted out so that she can join the band later this week. So rather than arriving in London with 5 members of the band and relaxing in the afternoon before taking the stage last night, they found themselves hanging around Stansted then had to rework the set in their minds without one member of the band. To their credit they did a great job and the set was all over far too quickly as the last notes drifted in to silence and the audience showed their appreciation to Mono Stereo

Their new EP is out now available from  Mono Stereo - Space Out EP for more information on Mono Stereo including a review of the EP

Images will follow as soon as I have them from Daniel D’Souza, who will be at the show tonight. Thanks to Danny Sperling for organising the pass for Dan for the Proud Galleries show.

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  1. [...] whole set needed a revision and they played that night at Flowerpot (gig review), surely nothing else could go [...]

  2. [...] Here is a review of the well-received performance by Swedish indie crooners, Mono Stereo, last night at Flowerpot. It’s the best thing ever when informed people say nice things about things that happen in our beloved ‘Pot, as it shows how right we get things…and it saves me having to think of more things to say in it’s favour. All round win. [...]



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