Miles Kane On Tour: The Importance Of London’s Music Scene

At their final show in London, Miles Kane and his band set Camden’s Electric Ballroom ablaze. They seemed entirely at home on stage, comfortable in the company of their anticipating fans. This was an anticipation that remained until the band slowed down the pace of the show, playing Colour Of The Trap. The atmosphere was entirely transformed amid its carefully crafted lyrics and the stage’s intimate lighting. From this point on all feelings of anticipation were replaced with full blown excitement, every song that followed increased in energy from both Miles and his fans. 

Miles confessed that he didn’t much like talking to audiences when performing on stage, but this didn’t stop him from interacting with the very lively crowd. As such, his encore didn’t feel at all staged or forced. Fans immediately chanted the lyrics to Don’t Forget Who You Are until he and his band returned. Starting off acapella Miles rushed to the edge of the stage to sing with his fans until the band slowly joined, building into an all-out riot full of mosh pits, spilt drinks, sweat and singing. 

The show was however stolen before Miles even made his appearance. Both The Royston Club, alongside Alex Spencer and band inspired energy and enthusiasm rarely granted to support bands. The sixteen-year-old Alex Spencer and his impressively talented band were the perfect openers for this show, bringing a certain charm and liveliness that was reminiscent of the Madchester music scene of the 1980s.

The Royston Club also brought the essence of the early 2000s indie rock scene, many of its riffs calling to mind The Strokes. Yet their sound had a unique quality to it, solidified by their strong and polished stage presence headed by frontman Tom Faithfull. 

Neither set had people checking the time or politely clapping along all the while wondering when the main act was set to arrive.  Instead, they livened up the audience putting on performances that could have been standalone gigs in their own right.

The epitome of Camden Town, the Electric Ballroom has stood since 1938, a venue that really feels as though it was designed for gigs just like this one. It doesn’t feel like a carefully curated or commercial entertainment space, and simply exists as a classic grimy rock’n’roll club. It’s a tight space that encourages the type of crowd interactions that Miles and his band seemed to thrive on. It is also one of the rowdiest music venues in London with this gig being no exception. 

Across the UK in 2023, two music venues closed down every single week. There is certainly a crisis in the UK’s music scene particularly for grassroot venues, affecting many of London’s much-loved clubs. There has even been talk of shutting down the Electric Ballroom so as to redevelop its neighbouring tube station. 

Miles Kane and his various support bands’ performances not only brought fun and excitement to audiences, but inadvertently made the case for the importance of these smaller gig venues. Such gigs provide accessibility with reasonably priced tickets, and a point of connection between artists and fans with an atmosphere that would be hard to replicate anywhere else.  

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