What's happening to alternative Camden?
Living ten minutes from Camden High Street, I pass through the area more or less every day. Since the ban of magic mushrooms, the whole atmosphere of Camden has changed. Now I’m not saying I necessarily agree or disagree with the ‘shrooms, but the lack of them has definitely contributed to the change in the place that once was the alternative hub of London. The punk scene was said to start in Camden, Goths dwelled there in the 80s and now teenagers and tourists flock there in search of something different. The Camden fire in 2007 has also had something to do with the change in the Camden atmosphere. Half of the market is gone, perhaps for good, so where does that leave Camden’s alternative scene?
Day to day a few punks can still be spotted here and there. Goths do not gather as much as they once did, although the odd person donned in black can be seen. Camden is still a popular place to go if you want to get a piercing or tattoo and the high street probably has the biggest selection of studios in one place in London. You will always catch that silver glimpse on a passer by’s face in the street.
Many of the venues have moved or changed in Camden and nothing is as popular as it once was. Places of good value and worth visiting for an alternative night are The Devonshire Arms, now the Hobgoblin, and the Electric Ballroom, but even then you’re pushing it. The Dev is no longer the dark Goth haunt it once was, but its change wasn’t necessarily for the worse. With a new land lady and some decent DJs the place is looking promising once again. The Ballroom, famous for its Metal and Rock night, Sin City, is the only half decent alternative night in the area on a Friday, and once a month this morphs into Inferno, with more of an industrial, EBM and metal mix. But drinks prices aren’t the cheapest and it’s popularity is decreasing.
Other pubs worth a visit in Camden are The Elephants Head and Belushi’s. Then there’s the World’s End which is always busy, especially at the weekends but drinks prices are no where near as reasonable as the good old Dev.
The only other venue worth mentioning for true alternative evenings or gigs is The Purple Turtle, if you fancy the walk up to Mornington Crescent at the other end of the high street. They have a variety of alternative gigs, events and evenings so it’s worth checking their lisitings.
In terms of alternative shops, once you’ve been around the remaining market and high street a few times it all becomes a little bit bland and alternative, independent stores seem to be few and far between. So what’s left of Camden? Not a lot. Does it have future promise? Looks like it’s a bit of a waiting game, we’ll all have to sit it out and see what the renovation work has in store. Oh, and there’s still the threat of the tube station expansion and loosing even more of the market and the Electric Ballroom. Will we loose Camden to commercialism? I think we already are.
