Syd Arthur (three-quarters of whom appear in this murky photo -they're a band, not a person) and The Boot Lagoon at The Gladstone in Borough.The Glad, as the pub is known to its friends, was a joyous discovery. Tonight was Glastonbury circa 1972 in your front room (if your front room was bohemian and candle-lit and sold real ale in glasses with handles). We (Claire and I) had come to see Syd Arthur - because Time Out said it was free, and it was local-ish - but first we saw Syd Arthur's younger teenage brother, The Boot Lagoon. Both bands come from Canterbury and The Boot Lagoon especially showed reverance to their sixties and seventies musical heritage. The influences of Caravan and Soft Machine shone throughout their set. Oops, this is starting to sound like a review now, and I don't do reviews. No matter. Syd Arthur were cosmic purveyors of groovy, funky, psychedelic rock and, to quote the sign outside, instrumental freak-outs. And astoundingly good. I say astounding, because I just don't expect this quality of music - from two bands - for free in a small, out-of-the-way pub. Maybe these kind of places have always been around and I haven't noticed - or at least I'd forgotten.
