Face Of Cheam

American 'cult' band Louis XIV were the next new band for me to run the rule over at the Scala on a Tuesday night. Having a day off as I moved home, we started early with a couple of pints in Wimbledon before getting on a train & tube to Kings Cross. We started to look for a semi-legendry place called the Flying Scotsman which has regular strippers. However after walking up Caledoninan Road we could not find it and ended up in a place called Dun A Ri Bar. This was a strange place which reminded me of a school hall with a bar down the side. Bit smoky too. Walking back towards the venue we saw what appeared to be a boarded up place but had a side door and blackboard advertising the Flying Scotsman! In we entered and stayed for two quality dances including one to Bryan Adams 'If you want to be bad...' song. Alas time was against us (albeit it was only seven but a female was about to join us) Leaving the strippers we pass the venue to see what time the band were on (a late 9.40pm) and head to the Carpenters Arms. A place that still serves Double Diamond under the name DD. Also has Toby on draught. A very nice locals. The DD was as you'd remember. Now only to find a place that does Skol or Hofmeister! Swintons was not that place, but did have an impressive selection of lager on tap including Red Stripe and Pilsner Urquell. Finally we went to the Sports pub the Lucas Arms before heading to the gig itself.
Louis XIV aren't the poster type group. Their bassist had a full beard and black cowboy hat and singer/guitarist drinking red wine out of the bottle was not exactly handsome. However their music was a fairly classic rock mould. Their opening song had a near identical riff to Quo's Rain and throughout the set their were touches of Zepplin, AC/DC and Sknyrd. They did try to make it a bit funky and dancey too much occasionally but overall they were entertaining. Only disappointment was that there were no covers (or not that I recognised). Excellent value though for a tenner and good journey home on the direct Thameslink service to Sutton.