Sylvain Sylvain

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23/05/2021 Sylvain Sylvain
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Sylvain Sylvain
 
  
Sylvain Sylvain
100 Club
25/07/13
As with last Friday’s gig, if you get a chance to see an old legend take it. We had the
choice of seeing the New York Dolls guitarist at the Square at Harlow or at the 100 club.
The former venue just seemed right. I do like the club as it is steeped in history and
when you think of all the old artists and stars who have trod the boards at this iconic
venue, it is a fantastic place to be. I know that some of my mates can’t stand it but it
was great that night. The other good news, was that with the weather that we have been
having it can get stuffy down there but the air con was actually working. As usual we
missed the 2 support bands and got there just in time to see the main event. Too much
time in the pub, which is strange as the 100 club is one of the few places to do proper
beer.
The audience was as you would expect, young people on the grungier side and older
people like ourselves (50 odd) who remembered it from back in the day. Not a lot of
people in between. Sylvain came on stage and looks very good for someone who is
60ish and has lived the rock and roll life style, wearing his trademark floppy cap and
leather waistcoat with a lot of energy, he had Gary Powell, ex Libertines on drums and
bassist Jerome Alexandre with him. They were both as you would expect loud, brash
and plenty of attitude. The set started with “Cops” and went through all the usual Dolls
tracks “Trash” “Pills” (I know it’s a Bo Diddley cover but the Dolls made it their own).
There was the Velvets “Femme Fatale” Johnnie Thunders “You can’t put your arms
around a memory.” Sylvain’s own song “Leaving New York.” Everybody had a great
time and the best was yet to come as in the encore as he was joined by Punk Rock
royalty on stage with a rocking version of “Personality Crisis” ably abetted by the
Pistols Glen Matlock on Bass and Clem Burke from Blondie on drums. A fantastic end
to a wonderful show. I thought Clem was going to break the drums with the ferocity he
was hitting them.

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23/05/2021 Sylvain Sylvain
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Summing up it was a privilege to be there that night and if you get a chance to see him
in a small venue like this, take it, there is so much energy in the atmosphere you wont
regret it.
Duncan, July 2013.
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